Jalie 2908 frankenpattern jeans and jeans month wrap-up

Another pair of pants from the Jalie 2908/Sewaholic 1203 frankenpattern. This denim wasn't as stretchy as the last lot so these have some added width to the sides. I did want these to fit tighter though as I'm getting really sick of them stretching out so I made them right on the verge of firm fitting and it seems to have worked well.

I did top-stitching with proper top-stitching thread this time. Years ago there were jeans advertised with red top-stitching and I always wanted some so finally I have a pair! I like the look of the stitching, it makes them look like 'real' jeans! I did use silk thread the same colour for the bartacks and buttonholes though, my machine really hates top-stitching thread and just wouldn't do the bartacks.

Not much more to say about them. The denim was from Lincraft and is a bit thin and crappy so am not sure how it will wear. I'm really happy with this pattern now, I like having TNT patterns. Its easier to concentrate on the sewing and details without having to worry so much about fit.

A quick note about stay taping the waist, the best way I've found to make the waist fit properly is to try the pants on, pin the stay tape to the waist while wearing them and then sew the stay tape in (you may have to stretch the waist seam to fit the stay tape properly). When I was sewing it in without trying on and pinning it first I found they ended up too tight and without the stay tape they gradually stretched out over the day.



Jalie 2908 vs. Sewaholic 1203

More pants, one bonus of having sewn so many lately is that I can insert a zipper in minutes, lol! But I am getting a bit sick of them and think I'll spend the next week or so catching up on my Mario Quilt-Along!

I loved the legs on the Thurlow pants and I liked the classic jean look of the Jalie back yoke and pockets so this is a bit of a frankenpattern - Thurlow legs and Jalie hips/waist. I used my pants block again, taking about 2cm off the inner and outer seams and lowering the back crotch slightly to allow for the stretch denim. I think I need to take a little out of the front crotch height with stretch denim next time.

The denim was really quite thick and springy so I had to use my walking foot as it wiggled a lot while sewing, that why I didn't do much topstitching either.

I did a 1" fisheye dart as I had a lot of excess back leg fabric on the thurlow pants and it smoothed it out really nicely.

The waistband is quilting cotton fabric (Its Joel Dewberry if anyone's interested).

Its definantly helped with the fit of these pants having a woven facing, the waistband is a lot more rigid and I had hopes it would stop them stretching out but after wearing them today they got a bit looser so I thought I'd add on this back belt detail I saw on a pair of RTW jeans. It helps, but next pair of jeans will have stay tape around the top of the waistband as well!

I'm actually pretty happy with these jeans, I feel like I have a good TNT jeans pattern now and I have some purple denim that's begging me to make it up (but maybe in a couple weeks, lol!)!

Sewaholic 1203: Twill Thurlows

Welcome to my month of pants! I finished up my pants block with StephC this week and I can't say how happy I am with the finished result so now its time to work on transferring the block into patterns.
It was easier to trace/transfer over than I thought but I did make a bit of a newbie error on these pants - I didn't pin out the front dart so the added width of the dart has skewed the side seams at the top, add that to the fact that this material is a crappy polyester twill that gave me all kinds of hell sewing it means the side seams embarressing enough I nearly didn't put up the side photo!
But it was a good learning experience and if I make the Thurlow's again I'll be changing the pockets a bit (turning them into classic pockets with a pocket stay) and making the waistband wider. Having said all that though I am very proud of how smooth these pants sit at the front without any extra adjustment other than using my block.

I added a bright red sateen facing and red buttonholes (I've become rather obsessed with Sherlock and I love the red buttonhole on his coat!).



So stay tuned for more pants! I have plain, bright, long, capri's and jeans planned!

So a huge thanks to Steph who gracefully dealt with looking at more pictures of my crotch than anyone ever should have to!

Sewaholic 1203: Denim Thurlow pants

As soon as I was emailed about this pattern I ordered it! I've had a lot of trouble fitting Sewaholic tops/dresses on me (even though I've made heaps for my Mum/daughter), but since the crescent skirt fitted me so well I figured the pants would too.
I made the first version as a pair of shorts for my daughter, they weren't a success (I based them off a pair of shorts she told me fit well, after I had nearly finished the thurlow shorts she tells me that she hadn't worn them in months and the rise was way too low and the waist was too tight......) but they did give me a go at the construction. The major thing I changed was the fly, I had a lot of trouble wrapping my head around the instructions and wasn't really happy with the end product so on my pants I changed the pattern to a cut on fly and followed my normal tutorial. This let me cut two of the same front legs rather than a left and right front leg.



I also did the no-fail welt pockets here since it worked so well on my Sailor pants.


All told they went together quite well, I scooped out the back crotch curve by a lot but otherwise they are a straight size 16 in a stretch denim I think I got at Lincraft (its not the best quality material but good enough for the first go). I tend to cut wide seam allowances and fit pants as I go instead of making a muslin as its so hard to match the same stretch material but I ended up cutting off all the wide seam allowances as the pattern has a lot of built in ease (5" as its designed for woven fabrics).
I am really happy with them, I had a minor freak out at my first try on, because they were too big in the legs and because the rear crotch seam wasn't sewn (you do it last) I had a lot of fabric pooling at the back and it looked terrible! Thankfully after I took in the seams and basted the rear seam it started to look better and once the waistband was on I was happy! Its not perfect but good enough for me!
Next version I'm adding a little extra to the rise at the back, they don't sit really low but I like them slightly higher than they are. Plus some stay tape to the pocket edge as I've found they have started to stretch out.


I highly recommend this pattern, especially if you have curvy hips/thighs. I have a lot of trouble with RTW pants and usually stick to a wide leg pant because I hate how tight usual bootleg/flare jeans are at my knees but these start to flare above the knee and skim down to a nice wide hem. Also, the pockets don't gape!