Burda 6011: Bella jeans

 

I really enjoyed reading the project sewn this year and I loved how they didn't just sew a garment they had to sew an outfit. So when I finished the Lekala jacket I decided I needed a nice pair of pants/jeans to go with it.
I wanted these as more dressier jeans so did the top-stitching in black thread rather than a contrast thread and didn't put any rivets on.
Adjustment wise, I used my pants block to lower the front and raise the back. The pants are drafted with a very high waistband, they are meant to sit higher than your natural waist. I lowered this to sit at my natural waist. I drafted a separate back yoke too, the pattern comes with the yoke built into the waistband but I wanted it to look more like a normal jean yoke. I'm going to make the yoke a bit shorter next time though, I'd like the pockets to sit up another inch higher I think.

In an attempt to use up my zippers I matched the zipper to the colour of the pocket bags.

It has elastic in the waistband again (2.5" elastic because the waistband is so wide). I've been wearing them for the last couple of days and they haven't stretched out at all.
I'd forgotten how comfy wideleg jeans can be, especially with the elastic waistband, might have to make another pair I think!

Burda 6011: Bella jeans

Another pair of Bella jeans.

I used a stretch drill this time, its a bit thinner than a denim. I did mock flat felled seams and used my singer to top stitch it, I still getting used to using that machine (it has a knee pedal which is taking a bit of time to get used to), so the first bits of top stitching are a bit dodgy!

The waistband on the Bella jeans dips to a low V at the back, so I turned it into more of a classic jeans yoke.



I'm happy with the construction of these, but....they're too bloody small!! I always use a stretch sateen for the waistband facing but this time because the drill was so lightweight I used a quilting cotton, which of course has no stretch so they were way too tight in the waist.

I unpicked and let out the side waistband seams which make them wearable but still no where near as comfortable as the last pair of Bella jeans I made. Not sure if I'll wear them a few times and see if they'll stretch out or unpick the whole waistband (I've already done the button and buttonholes so I can't unpick just the facing), or if they'll end up in the corner for the next few months (most likely, lol).
Ah well, it was good to practise my topstitching!

Burda 6011: Bella Jeans

I love this pattern! It's a real TNT for me, I love being able to grab it any time I need jeans and just sew it straight up - no fitting!
The adjustments I've made in the past though are: made the waistband lower to sit at my natural waist, put a zipper in instead of a button down fly, and took about a 1" wedge out of the back to stop it gaping, Otherwise its a straight Sz 46.

I used some Denim I got at Rathdowne Fabrics on my last visit to Melbourne - It was a 2m remnant of nearly black stretch denim, I'm kicking myself I didn't grab more actually!

I think I hemmed them a bit long this time though, I might take them up by an inch or 2 because without heels they sit a bit long at the hem.


I used some sateen I had left over to face the waistband and rivets on the pockets (don't mind the chalk marks!)




Hide and seek with the kitty cat!


Well I've started my holidays (3 weeks, woohoo!), looking forward to going to the beach and lots of sewing, lol! Wishing everyone a great Christmas!

Burda 6011; Bella Jean Shorts

This pic is the most accurate one of the colour (except I look like Earl Hickey, lol)




This is my TNT jean pattern - I've made it 6 times so far and I just love it. It was the first pattern for pants I made and I was so lucky that it fit so well because back then I had no idea how or when to make adjustments. This is a straight sz 46 with the pockets changed (I made them deeper) and the waistband shortened to sit at my natural waist.

I saw this fabric at the clearance table at spotlight (I kinda stalk it a lot!) and seeing as it was stretch denim down from $29.95m to $4 I grabbed a couple of meters. Bright denim is really popular down here for summer so I thought I 'd make a pair of shorts. I took in the sides a bit as the jeans pattern is fairly wide legged. They have some wrinkling around the front as if they're too tight, but they don't feel it when I'm wearing them and as they've already started to stretch out I didn't want to do them too loose as I've ended up unpicking and tightening up each pair of denim pants I've made so far!!

I wanted these to look more like proper jeans so I changed the back pockets to look more like jeans,


added rivets and got rid of the pleats in the front and made the front pockets curved and a lot higher up. Plus I added some top stitching to pretty well everything and did double top stitching down the crotch and inner leg seams. I was thinking about trying felled seams again but I've only ever played around with them once and before I have another go I think I might get myself a flat felled seam foot for Xmas!


I used my Prym pliers again and set rivets and the jean buttons in (seriously if you can, get one, it makes putting them in so easy compared to using a hammer).


I used a normal zipper


The pattern has a pocket stay drafted into it already


and I used some sateen from a wadder dress to face the inside of the waistband


And this isn't exactly sewing related but my cat say's hi!