Vogue 8774: Jeans

More jeans! Similar to this pair, I used my TNT pattern of Vogue 8774 with the legs from the Thurlow pants and used my pants block to adjust it.

The denim is from Rathdowne fabrics, its fairly stiff but seems to be wearing well.

I think I have finally cracked the perfect waistband treatment. Using a denim facing and the topstitching really does help, I think it was the cotton facings I've always used that really contributed to stretching out. Because the denim was stretch denim I also cut the waistband with a little negative ease. Using a denim facing does add a little bulk and my machine refused to sew the belt loops on but I figure its worth it.

I used high density elastic as the interfacing, other than some fusible behind the button and buttonhole the waistband has no other interfacing in it. The elastic gives it  stability and stops it folding down plus stops it stretching out over the day. I left a small section of the facing slip stitched down so if need be I can tighten (or loosen) the elastic without having to unpick the whole waistband as well.

Its a combo of Debbie Cooks elastic waistband method and Sandra Betzinas method out of Power sewing except I don't zig zag the elastic down so I can alter it a lot easier at a later date if I need to, mine is just threaded through and stitched down near the front pockets where the belt loops would normally cover it up.

I used a Gutermann upholstery thread in 968 for the topstitching and the normal poly thread for the bartacks and buttonholes.

I wanted a slightlier funky look to the back pockets this time and found these large eyelets in Lincraft. I bashed them a little too hard and if you look really closely they are slightly oval but I like the look of them, something different than just topstitching the pockets.

I've been wearing them around a lot and the legs have bagged out bu the waist hasn't so I count it as a win! I've had a terrible run of sewing lately, lots of wadders (skirts, I'm looking at you!) so its nice to sew something that fits and is really comfy to wear!



Folk Tale Bunting Quilt

My cousin has just had a baby so it quilting time again!
I got a small selection of this fabric (Folk Tale by Natalie Lymer) when I was last in Victoria at the Ballarat patchwork. Its really cute, has little hedgehogs and birds all over it.

I pieced her name into the back of the quilt, I've been freehand piecing names which has been working ok but I downloaded the Refrigerator Magnets from Oh, Fransson! and it is so much quicker! (I found the freezer paper at Spotlight)

I freemotion stippled again, I like how crinkly the quilt gets after washing and drying with free motion quilting. Anyway, not much else to say, I posted it up to my cousin and she's really happy with it!

Jalie 2445: Fleece trackpants

Not very glamorous or very exciting but you cannot beat a comfy warm pair of fleece trackpants when the weather is getting colder. I wore them all day today (excuse the wrinkles and bits of thread all over them!) and they were the ultimate comfy trackie dacks.

I have an old pair of Bonds trackpants that I use for painting now but they are a very similar pant so I copied the pockets from them. They are an inseam pocket with the back fleece and the front a thinner interlock to cut down on bulk and they have the top of the pockets sewn into the waistband.

I should have interfaced the pocket opening because they really started to stretch/stand out out so I unpicked some of the topstitching and threaded through elastic and restitched the ends. It makes them look a bit buckled when lying flat but make them sit nice and flat against my legs when I'm wearing them.

The pattern says to use self fabric for the waistband but again I copied my old Bonds ones and used ribbing, left off the tie and added elastic.

I got the fleece from Lincraft (they had a big fleece sale this week). I've never gotten fleece from there before so I'm not sure how it will wear but I figure fleece is pretty indestructible.

I went up a size or two because the fleece isn't overly stretchy and cut a sz EE. I used my pants block to adjust them, I had to increase the back rise but that was it on the back pattern piece and the front had some added to the sides and the waistband sides raised up too plus I had to scoop out the crotch more. The original fit was exactly the same as my old Bonds ones but they always drove me nuts because of how low they were! They are a pretty wide, straight leg pant not really what I'd class as a yoga pant but maybe if you made them from a stretchier fabric they would be.

The pattern is OOP now, but you can get it as a download from here