GINGER JEANS: INCH BY INCH...

...When I started on the Ginger Jeans the first week of March I NEVER thought it would have taken an entire month for me to complete them.  The months not quite over yet, but I'm still not finished.  Can we just say time consuming!  I did have to lay my sewing project down for a 3 day work related trip, and needed recuperation time after returning home.  I can't ever seem to remember that I need to factor in the fact that I work full time when estimating project completion time.

I did manage to dedicate most of today for catch up sewing however:

• Basting and final fitting
• Removing all of those basting stitches to facilitate back pocket installation
• Inseam/Inseam topstitching
• Side seams/Side seam topstitching

NOTHING LIKE A GOOD OLD OVER THE BACK OF THE DOOR PHOTO

Now it's time to formulate my Finish Line List:

• Waistband and belt loops
• Buttonhole and Jean Button
• Hem
• No hardware this time because these are a wearable muslin.  (Saving the hardware for the "real Jeans" whenever I get around to making them.)

Now I need to take time off again to take care of some family business.  Hopefully I'll be able to work on finishing these on Friday evening in time for the Challenge deadline...

GINGER: STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN...

..."starting all over again is gonna be rough, so rough.  But we're gonna make it".

Who remembers that song?  Well, that's just the way I felt after the first fitting of my Ginger Jeans muslin #1.  Sheer determination here.  These were my observations:

• Ginger Jeans sizing is very generous.  I chose the wrong size based on my hip measure.  I went down one size with muslin #2. 
• I have a short front crouch measurement.  I adjusted accordingly on muslin #2.
• The back leg of muslin contains too much fabric.
• Jean construction is not hard; it's getting the right fit that can be considered "ROCKET SCIENCE".

Pictures?  No, not of muslin #1, but I will post pictures of muslin #2 when I get to that point.  I salvaged certain parts of the first pair (the zipper, back pockets that were cut but not used, the waistband) that I can reuse on the second pair so all is not loss.  Today is the first day of spring and there are so many items on my sewing list to get to.  Jeans (and pants in general for that point ) are a hurdle that I need to conquer at some point. What better time than now...

CONFESSION TIME...

...confession is always good for the soul!  Recently while working on my jeans, the threads of my right needle and upper looper has broken not once, but twice.  Some how or another I managed to get it threaded and form a chain after the first break.  I say "some how or another" because truthfully I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING, but it did work the first time.  The second time however; it didn't work.

I have long stopped worrying about matching serger thread with my garments, it became too aggravating.  So I finally purchased a second serger and have one threaded with black and the other with off white.  This works for me for most garments that I sew.  I've now owned a serger for at least  ten years, and rarely have to totally thread the thing because I use the tie on method of changing thread.  Consequently, it's so rare that I have to thread loopers that I really don't remember the process from incident to incident.  Note:  My machine's manual is absolutely of no help!

I swear to you that my friend Ebony can thread a serger in three minutes flat!  She has threaded mine lots of times.  There were times when I couldn't get it threaded correctly that I'd put it in the car and drive over to the next town where she lived.  Notice I said lived as in past tense, because she now lives in Oklahoma!  She saw my Instagram serger post the other night and called me.  Oh how I miss my Ebony.

Last night I decided it was high time that I mastered my serger situation, so I paid a visit to You Tube University to bone up on the subject.  I SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS YEARS AGO!  I think I've got it now, finally.  There were so many "How to thread your serger" videos that there must be others like me out there needing help.

Have you ever lived with SERGER FRUSTRATION???

   

QUESTION: STITCH TALK.COM...

...can anyone tell me "exactly what is StitchTalk.Com"?  Is it only for people who have Wordpress blogs???

GINGER JEANS INCH BY INCH:...

... they say that inch by inch anything is a cinch. 

I don't mind telling you that these pocket bags gave me a fit.  I had a really hard time trying to decipher the instructions, but just kept telling myself - "you can do this Linda, you can do this".

Since I'm strictly sewing from my stash now, this black and white polka dot cotton was the best match I could fine without going to the fabric store for more fabric.  It doesn't show through, and adds a whimsical surprise when I look inside the pocket.

I had planned to use white serger thread but had to switch to the machine threaded with black because the other one came unthreaded TWICE last night - egad!!!  I am trying hard to get the jeans far enough along for fitting today... 

IF I CUT IT - I MUST STITCH IT (GINGER JEANS)...

...finally cut the Ginger Jeans pattern that I've had in my stash since '14 or '15.  This is taking some real nerve for me people. 

You know I muslin, so for my trial run pair (now don't laugh), I'm using a giraffe print stretch denim that I picked up to play around with during Hancock's going out of business sale.  I still want to cry whenever I say that word - "Hancocks" so I just whisper it.

I did wash the fabric in coke and it did soften up more.  I washed and dried three times reluctantly.  It's a novelty print of sorts, but if these puppies fit I WILL be styling them (where I don't know). 

I am learning a lot already.  I cut on a single layer for the legs and mirroring the back and front pieces.  My pattern weights came in really handy because trying to pin was a real "no go".  I am not a rotary cutter, but in this case my pieces were cut in a jiffy using it.  Stitching will start this weekend because of my self inflicted rule:  "if I cut it - I must stitch it".  I am really excited about the process...

THE GINGER JEANS JOURNEY...

...ok, since making jeans is a new journey for me, I think I need to document my process.  I am getting a WHOLE LOT of help from my new SMTgr friend Tonya Martin; from choosing my pattern size, making adjustments (especially in the crouch area), construction and installing the hardware.  I'm a firm believer that "when the student is ready - the teacher will appear", thank God for that!

I am doing lots of research too - there's a magnitude of information out there.  Another one of my favorite virtual teachers is Peggy Sagers.  In this video she talks about treating denim with Coke, fitting, pocket placement, and zipper construction.

 
This might help others, and it helps me because I won't have to search for the video again since I have it posted here.  On with the journey...

NEW MONTH NEW VENTURE...

...happy new month y'all!  It's a new month and I've decided to undertake a new project genre - JEANS.  Can you imagine!  I've had the Closet Case Files Ginger Jeans pattern since 2015, I think.  I've moved it from place to place occasionally thinking I'd get to it one day.   Well, the day has finally come.

 

So my morning was spent with scissors and tape,

so now at least that part is done.

Now I'll make my fabric selection then get it all prepped.  Peggy Sagers from Silhouette Patterns suggests washing your denim with Coke a Cola to soften it up - I'm thinking about giving that a try.  Maybe I'll even get around to cutting later today.  Please send Project Prayers up for me, I really want successful results!  But it's the same with every project - right?

Have you made the Ginger Jeans already, or any other jeans pattern for that matter???  Can you share your results here?