Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Spring Jeans by Sue

When spring rolls around, I go for pretty and stronger colors than I typically wear in the winter. When I saw this designer denim from Leslie Stuart on Fabric Mart's site, I knew exactly what I wanted to create and wear!


It is such a pleasure to sew with good quality denim and even more awesome to wear!



Vogue 8774 is my favorite TNT and I've made it so many times my pattern tissue is showing a lot of wear even though I am super careful with it!




What I love about revisiting an old friend is that you get to truly play with the details and while I wonder about what else I can do to perfect it, I still think this pattern has a ways to go fit-wise but overall, I am very happy with my orange-y jeans!  What a happy color!


When prepping my denim, even when I use a good quality denim such as this, I wash and dry it twice before cutting out.  Have you ever bought a pair of jeans that were the perfect length and you washed, dried, put them on an disaster struck--the length shrunk!  How irritating!


To prevent that, I wash and dry before cutting and also before hemming, I wash and dry one more time, just to be sure and I've never had an issue with my pants being too short again!  Hooray!


This denim has a bit of a stretch that makes them ultra comfortable to wear but one hazard of sewing denim with stretch is that the top-stitching details can cause the denim to slightly pucker. To alleviate this, I use seam tape at the yoke seam and also the front pockets. The denim keeps its shape and after stuffing your hands in your pockets a billijion times, they don't sag or droop at all!  I just love sewing tools!


I wanted to add a few more details and decided that the orange bias tape from my stash would work perfectly to edge the pockets.


This is a higher end detail but also functional as it reinforces the pocket bags so they never split. And, to make the waistband less bulky, I didn't turn under the seam but edged it once again with the orange and then the top-stitching at the waistband is holding it secure.


My alterations on this pattern have been pretty numerous.  I first started with a 1/2" swayback adjustment which I made on the yokes.  I rotated the inner leg seam to the back so everything hangs nicely and took a wedge at the front crotch area to eliminate those annoying wrinkles.  I lengthened the pants by about 1.5 inches and also took a fish-eye dart at the back upper thigh area.  I still have a bit of wrinkling there but will live with it as I don't want to 'over' fit.



I also decided I wanted a bit of a slimmer fit for these and took the side leg seams in about 1/2" on each side of the leg.

Glam is a fun addition and I found the Swarovski crystals in my collection and had just enough to add to the front pockets!  How fun!


I also used variegated thread for top-stitching in white, yellow, orange and a coral color.  I plan on using variegated thread more often for decorative top-stitching as it adds an element that is a bit different.  

Not sure if you can tell or not, but I love my jeans!  I love this pattern and if Fabric Mart has more of this denim, snatch it up!

Check out their Denim collection here. 

Sue from Ilove2sew!

Comments

  1. These are so cute. I love all of your details with the bias binding, rhinestones, and variegated thread. I still have not attempted to make my own jeans, but as I see what interesting details you can add, I am getting more and more swayed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have to make jeans Ann! It is fun and after you tackle the first pair, relatively easy!

      Delete
  2. Awesome Sue! I saw this fabric and was unsure of the real color. I think I need this for some jeans now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jenese! I really like this denim and especially the color too!

      Delete
  3. Wow! I love your jeans. Very nice fit! The color is a definite for Spring and Summer. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love your tip about stabilising with the tape for the topstitching. Your jeans look wonderful. I got to a second pair for my pattern adjusting about a year ago but have abandoned them. You are inspiring me to give them a second go.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles.  ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do!  This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...

Made By A Fabricista: I Sewed a Chic Matching Set with Fabric Mart Knit Fabric

There’s nothing I love more than sewing a project that is both stylish and comfortable—and this one checks all the boxes! For this make, I paired two Pattern Emporium designs with a gorgeous designer knit fabric from Fabric Mart, and the result is a matching tank and wide-leg pant set that’s as easy to wear as it is to sew.   The Fabric Fabric Mart always has hidden gems, and this designer knit caught my eye right away.  It’s the Urban Taupe/Gold/Black Polyester/Lycra MK Chain Print ITY Knit - NY Designer - 56W.  The weight, stretch, and drape made it perfect for both a fitted top and a flowy pant. It’s soft against the skin, has great recovery, and presses beautifully. When working with knits, having a fabric that behaves well makes all the difference. The Patterns To build my set, I chose two favorites from Pattern Emporium: • The Works Tank Top – Simple, classic, and versatile. It skims the body just right and works beautifully as a layering piece or on its ow...

Made By A Fabricista: From Paris with Love!

Bonjour! I am still in bliss from my recent trip to Paris!!  It was much more than I expected and I absolutely fell in love with the city. I can honestly see myself living there one day. I knew before leaving I wanted to make something to fit into the Parisian landscape because I knew it would be a special opportunity. I was inspired by one of my favorite fashion creators Juliette Foxx. Her checked gingham corset and wide leg pants were on my list to remake. For fabric I used this red and white pin stripe denim twill and deep red sateen for the pants.  The pattern I used for the corset was McCall’s #M8182 with a few modifications.  The fit was a little large so I took it in along the sides and shoulder seam.  I then lowered the neckline since the shoulders were taken in. I used the sateen as my lining which gave a great contrast.  My pants are my unreleased pattern which happens to be exact from the inspiration.  I drafted these last year and have been wo...