FO: Ginger Jeans

Oh my gosh, I made JEANS!

Having always thought that jeans and underwear would be things that I would never sew.... I have made jeans! I kept seeing amazing versions of the Closet Case Files Ginger Jeans pop up all over the internet and began to think that sewing my own jeans might be feasible.

I was nudged closer to this decision by the realisation that I would need new jeans soon-ish and I didn't particularly fancy several hours in a jeans shop trying to find the right fit. Finally, I was tipped over the edge by Winnie of Scruffybadger. She posted sometime ago about a pair of jeans she had made that were one of her Minerva Makes. Because it was a Minerva Make post, Minerva Crafts have put together a kit including the fabric, top stitching and normal thread, twin needle, jeans button and metal jeans zip, so one can grab all the supplies all in one go.  I quizzed Winnie about the feel of the fabric and then eventually purchased the Minerva kit and the download version of the Ginger Jeans pattern.

The denim is a very dark indigo, which is my preference in jeans, and the top stitching thread is a more muted bronze rather than the usual brighter orangey colour. I washed my denim at least twice, but still had dye coming out on my hands whilst I was working on them.

I read a lot of the construction and fitting advice that is available on the internet, along with Heather's instructions and the very useful sewalong. I referred  to this post quite a lot as I felt her fit and wrinkle issues looked similar to mine. I still managed to cut the wrong size - thankfully a larger size - so it wasn't a disaster. I think I confused the body measurements and the finished garment measurement. I cut the high waisted skinny leg version.

In construction I used both the instructions included with the pattern and the sewalong available on the Closet Case Files website. The instructions go into a fantastic level of detail and make each stage of the process very manageable.

pockets and top stitching

The best piece of advice for these, is to baste the whole jeans together to assess fit - the front  and back pieces are all assembled and top stitched to start, then basted together with a long machine stitch. It is very satisfying whizzing these up - I then had the fun of  working out what changes I need to make.

baste fitting

assessing crotch fit at basting stage

I had to take a big wedge out of the yoke and waistband. I took most of the excess out of the centre back,  took in the side seams quite a lot, adjusted  the front crotch curve a little, and also took in the inside leg seam. This is where I made a mistake - I think I took too much off the the front leg pieces on the inseam.  The seam comes round towards the front. I cut the the denim very carefully on grain, so being off grain is not the cause. Having said that, and having worn these a lot since finishing them, they are the most comfortable jeans I have.  I was unsure about the high waist initially, but I really like wearing it.  I still don't like the way it looks if I were to tuck in my tops, but since I never do that, it is not a problem.

high waist

high waist

It is actually a relief not not be cut in half by my waistband when ever I sit or bend down!

waistband detail

I was concerned about the wrinkles in the back view, but I tried pinning them out to get rid of them and then discovered I need that fabric there in order to sit down! Having looked at these photos, I might straighten out the back pockets a bit if I make them again.

Picture overload there.... I love these jeans and have worn them a lot since I made and I am pretty sure I shall be making more!

Since I made mine, Heather has released a Jeans E-book with all the construction info in one place and a flares add-on. I may well be purchasing these!

FO: In the Navy - Fleece Renfrew

This is the first of several catch-up posts. This top first saw the light of day in MMM13.

 

I had seen earlier in the year that Winnie of ScruffyBadger had made a fleece cowl neck Renfrew and I mentally filed that away as 'something to think about'. May was pretty chilly I seem to remember, and our local market has a fabric stall at the Tuesday market selling fleece at £3.99 a metre. This seemed pretty reasonable and I think I bought a metre and a half. I squeezed a three quarter sleeve top out of it with minimal scraps.  I have a RTW jumper that is navy with three quarter sleeves which I was trying to copy sorry, use as inspiration.

It is not the most successful top I have made. I didn't take into account that the fleece has hardly any stretch. I made the same size as my Autumnal Renfrew, but after getting trapped in my top the first time I tried it on and having to get Middlest to peel it off me, I unpicked the side seams and sewed again with minimal seam allowances. Unpicking navy stitching in a navy fabric that the stitches just seem to disappear in... not recommended.  I also made the rooky error of not checking the length of the three quarter sleeves. Guess what? they are too short. The cuff seam lands right at the crook of my elbow which is really uncomfortable - mid forearm would have been ideal. 

cuff seam at elbow

 And lastly, the stitching round the neck band - which is really necessary in this fleece to hold the seam allowance down - is too tight:

Strange wrinkles from neck to armhole

It pulls the fabric in somehow and makes it look a bit odd. I really must unpick it and either try a different stitch tension or try hand sewing it down, but given the comment above, I am not super keen to do that!

Close up of strange wrinkles

 It is wearable, but in a 'pottering about the house' kind of way rather than 'out in public' kind of way. Oh well, not everything is as successful as I'd like and at least I know what not to do next time!

FO: Green for Halloween - an Autumnal Renfrew

I have made a Sewaholic Renfrew!

Possibley the last person in the "sewosphere" to tackle it, I bought the pattern some months ago, I think from The Village Haberdashery. There have been many Renfrews around but the ones that I have liked most were by ScruffyBadger, Lladybird, and Marie from A Stitching Odyssey, Karen from Did you make that? was a pattern tester as was Handemade Jane.

I have to say  - I love this top! I love the colour, the length of the sleeves, the neck, and the variations available from the the pattern. I am thinking of making the scoop neck version next, but still with the long sleeves - practical for the winter months.
 



I bought the fabric from Cally Co in Cambridge at the beginning of the year, thinking that I might make a Burdastyle Lydia. It languished in the stash for sometime, then I got to thinking about the Renfrew. I had a brief play with the pattern pieces and layouts and came to the conclusion that I needed more fabric. By this time of course, Cally Co didn't have it anymore (or not on the day I went anyway) so it languished some more!  Quite by chance I went into our new craft shop (1 year old last week) and there was my fabric - hurrah! Of course I couldn't remember how much extra fabric I needed, but knew it was less than a metre so bought 70cms - it is very wide.

As noted by other sewists, it is a quick make.  I think it took me three evenings of not giving it my full attention, which is fast for me.  I'm sure if I knuckled down and stopped reading about other people's sewing, I would be able to make it much quicker. Tasia of Sewaholic puts a lot of effort into sew-alongs and tutorials to accompany her patterns, on her blog, and she is, at the time of writing, doing a series of posts about the Renfrew.  I made it all on my sewing machine with a zigzag stitch to maintain stretch, but when I make this again I will definately try it on my overlocker. It was finished in time for Halloween, so it first outing was at our Haloween Party. 

My friend's Witches hat matched perfectly!

This was the first time we have ever made an effort for Halloween, because it is also our wedding anniversary and Husband and I are normally enjoying a lovely evening out. We all had great fun carving pumpkins and the party was a huge success - phew!

There are a few wrinkles at the top of my bust, something that ScruffyBadger noticed in her first makes.  I'm not sure what to do about this - it may well be something to do with the vest/cami I am wearing underneath.  This may also be the cause of the wrinkles at my lower back, but I know (from my pattern cutting class) that I have a sway back.

wrinkley back

With a neck this big there is great potential for silliness: