I MADE THESE JEANS YA'LL...

...and it was quite a process!  I know by now you are tired of hearing about my Gingers, because I am tired of talking about them.

 

But, I must do this final blog post about them in order to move on with #Faye'sSewingLife.  I finished them yesterday during the storm (thank you Jesus we were spared); figuring that since I had electricity and a surprise day off I might as well sew.  No pictures of me wearing them yet, but I will as soon as I do.

My quick review of my jean making process:

• I removed 1 7/8" from the front crouch length.  I know that's quite a bit, but it worked and eliminated excessive wrinkling in that area
• I darted the yoke at center back to eliminate gaping
• Although I went down a size from my first muslin I still had to take the jeans in quite a bit at the side seams.  I'll need to go down another size when I make the next pair
• I added 1 1/2" to the length

Oh, I will make the jeans again in traditional blue denim next time because:

• I actually enjoyed the process; it was fun - even with all the topstitching work
• I learned a lot during the fitting process that I think will actually help me in fitting regular pants
• I understand jean construction much better. and next time I won't be such a scaredy cat when it comes to making another pair.

I do have slight bagginess in the knee area and I am not absolutely sure of the pattern adjustment I'll need to incorporate next time to eliminate it.  If one of you sewist knows how to solve knee bagginess, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!

RING, RING - TELEPHONE CALL RECEIVED EARLIER THIS EVENING...

...my Mother called ya'll.

MOTHER:  What's happening with the jeans?

ME:  Crickets.  Well, what had happened was...

My Mother is one of my biggest cheerleaders!  She knows that I had two back to back trips within a two weeks time frame that resulted in me being one tired soul.  But on the other hand she also realizes is that the jeans show must go on, Spring has sprung, and I need to get these things finished so I can move forward with my sewing life.  I am so close to completion.

 I did manage to get the waistband and the belt loops made on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

You can't exactly see from the picture, but tonight I installed the waistband and the belt loops.  Installing the belt loops wasn't as bad as I had imagined.

Now I need to make the key hole button hole, add the button and hem.  If the Good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise I'll have skinny jeans by this weekend...
 

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...

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?