It's February already!! But I've got a score to settle with January... The TMS challenge for January 2015 is/was "Denim Never Dies", which was perfect because I had decided that I needed to make more pants in 2015 and I had JUST bought the Ginger Jeans pattern by Closet Case Files. A little bit after the challenge announcement, they added a bonus challenge to celebrate their pink rebranding! I had some pink denim in my stash so I was just a "Ready Freddy".
Like I said, this is the Ginger Jeans pattern by Closet Case Files. I made View A, the low rise with the stove pipe leg. I cut a straight size 12. This was a wearable muslin for me so I just wanted to see what the pattern would look like made straight up. I made no modifications. I did take some flat measurements of a pair of jeans I really like to see how they related and the measurements were very very close.
This is my first time trying and Indie Pattern. It's not the first I've bought but it's the first I've mustered up the courage to put together lol. I have to say that I am impressed. Not that I have a bunch of problems with BIG4 patterns, but I'm definitely happy with the product of these!!
I got the pink denim from Michael Levine Fabrics online well over a year ago. I also bought some green denim at the same time. I had 2 yards of it and I have about a quarter of a yard left. The fabric for the pockets is what was left over from the makeup brush roll I made for my cousin's birthday last year. I wish I had had enough to use as the waistband facing but I did not.
They look pretty good to me! For my next version, I will cut a size 10 in the waist and grade down to a 12 in the legs. .... Actually, I have been working out so hopefully I'll be able to cut a size 10 straight soon lol. I had a bit of gaping at the back in the waist. I think grading down would actually eliminate some of the whiskers from the front too... but I'm not an expert so I don't really know lol
Some other changes I'll make if I end up cutting a 12 again is to do a full butt adjustment, like just a quarter inch or so, and I would take out a quarter of an inch horizontally from the back leg. I have some excess fabric there on both legs.
I will have to add some inches to the hem as well. Before hemming, the pants were at a perfect length. I had to cut two strips of fabric and use them as hem facings because I didn't want to lose any more length.
I had all three of my machines set up for the construction of these beauties! My Brother sewing machine for basic construction, my vintage singer for topstitching and my serger for... serging lol.
The singer handled all of the layers without hassle and I am completely in love with it!!
I used my serger for all of the inside construction but next time, I want to have a go at flat-felling the yoke and back crotch curve. I also want to find some rivets for all of my future pairs.
So happy with this pattern and so happy that I stopped being so scared of pants! I didn't have any hiccups with the construction of these. The directions were absolutely great. I can't wait to make some black high-waist skinnies!
I hope you didn't think I forgot about Jungle January!! Yes, these are my Jungle Jeans :-)
I also made a blanket for one of my best friend's baby showers! Jungle January +2!
This was a very long post so I'm going to leave you now lol. Hopefully I'll be back soon with that UFO that I'm trying to salvage lool
xoxo,
Tasha
