Anticipation...

Ok…here’s the deal…my jeans project seems to be taking longer than anticipated. Technically I have completed sewing on my project but haven’t had the opportunity to put everything all together on this blog. Not because I haven’t had time to sew or do laptop work but because I had to tear my “room” down due to my daughter visiting for the weekend.

As I have told you before I have “liberated” my daughter’s room being as she has moved into an apartment while finishing her final year of college. Unfortunately for me, when she comes home to visit, the room has to get torn down and a makeshift bedroom set up for her stay. I am happy with her coming and getting the chance to visit and spend time with her but now that she is heading back up North I will once again set the sewing room back up. Total tear-down time with bedroom set-up: 1 hr. 45 mins.

Mmmm….I am hoping I can set the room up more quickly this week for I do want to get back to my sewing. “Sew” many new projects await…the anticipation is killing me! ;-)

…more tomorrow on my M5142 jeans.

M5142 Jeans: Front Pockets

I know my progress may seem staggeringly slow but I’m back after having taken the weekend off.  It is now time for me to continue with my jean making by completing my front pockets on the M5142 jeans. The pattern calls for you to cut the complete side front (#2) out of denim but I wanted to make them more like my RTW jeans. I modified the side front pattern by creating a piece that was at least half of the side front and cut that out of denim and then cut the (#2) piece out of my lining fabric.

I also resized my ticket pocket based on my RTW and moved the placement. Serge bottom edge of the jean piece on left front and finished top of ticket pocket and pressed under the sides of ticket pocket. Pin ticket to right front jean piece, mark for topstitching and then topstitch.

I didn’t turn under the bottom of the ticket pocket it will get trimmed off when the piece is serged.

Place jean pieces onto the wrong side of the lining piece and sew down with the conventional machine around all edges of the denim piece for both left and right side fronts.

With the wrong side of the front pocket lining against the right side of the denim front, stitch pocket seam, press, turn, clip if necessary.

 

Pull the jean fabric over the pocket edge so that the lining stays to the inside and topstitch.

Sewing the pocket linings together.

Here is the front of my jeans all finished along with and inside view. I chose to sew my pocket with the wrong side of my lining because I wanted to see my fashion fabric on the inside of the jeans. I am satisfied with how they are beginning to look.

Up next…the inside leg seam and center back seams.

Catcha on my next posting...Happy Sewing

The “Flies or Fly’s” have it….

Well…it is that time of year and we are experiencing an “Indian-type Summer” here in the Northeast. Very unusual indeed…and along with this shot of warm weather comes the inevitable swarms of what I like to call “Big-Dumb-Flies”!!! They are every where…there is one that is persistently bothering me while I am typing this on the laptop…oh how I’d love to swat it but for fear of breaking my LCD screen I am refraining….he lives to annoy another day! Ha…ha…ha

Well any who…this post is not about flies…at least flies of that ilk. I am talking about the fly on jeans today! My jean project continues and I am working on the front zipper fly portion.

I have chosen to install my zippered fly according to the standard method. There is a quicker streamlined method the instructor recommended but I kind of like the looks of this method. Since I’m not pumping these babies out in an assembly line it is ok if this takes a few minutes more. I don’t mind…

As I said before, these jeans are basically my mock ups so I am trying different things to see what works best for me. The instructor had recommended a metal zipper but I wanted to go for “fun” and am installing a nylon one. My reasoning…I wanted something to go along with the coloring of my fly guard. I know…you don’t see this from the outside but I know it is there on the inside and I picked a print from my stash that was “fun” so in keeping with the theme my zipper is going to be red and nylon.

The installation went smoothly and here are some pictures of the finished product.  I still need to add the bar tack to keep the fly guard in place.

I’ll be moving on to the front pockets, which I have modified as well.

See you tomorrow & Happy sewing ;-)


(click on picture for a larger view)

...It's A Jeans' Thing

This past week I have ventured into the world of jean making. I have always wanted to make jeans but never really followed through and sewn any. I’ve sewn on denim before making my brother a denim storm-duster jacket but never a pair of jeans. I’ve recently signed up for a course through Pattern Review and would like to share with you my jean making process.

For my first pair of jeans I’ve chosen McCall’s pattern 5142. It was recommended by the instructor and readily available. I’ve also purchased the Jalie 2908 pattern which I plan on using for my next pair of jeans. The reviews on the Jalie pattern have been wonderful so I am looking forward to getting the chance to construct my second pair of jeans from that pattern.

In starting this process I have altered my pattern to hopefully fit my body proportions. I know I should make a muslin first but I have a ton of jean fabric in my stash and pretty much am using this first pair as my mock up. If they fit fine…if not…that is ok I will have at least gotten the opportunity to work on the concepts taught in the jean making class.

First up…Seams. (click on picture for a larger view)

Traditional fell seam without using a fell-foot as seen below

I used ¼” quilters tape to make sure my seams are even and straight.

Mock fell seam using my standard machine and the serger.

I’ve chosen to use the mock fell seam technique.

Up Next…Back Yoke (click on picture for a larger view)

Sewing the yoke with the standard machine then I went back and trimmed 1/8" off with the serger then pressed and topstitched.

Here are the results:

Now for the Pockets... (click on picture for a larger view)

I did not cut the pockets out.  I left the material uncut then traced the pocket pattern onto the jean material.  I backed each pocket piece with iron-on, tear-away stabilizer.  From here I designed my stitching for the back pocket and created a template to mark two of the lines to start my stitching off with and then used my 1/4" quilters tape from there to create successive stitching lines.

Stabilizer being applied.                      Tracing design                                    What it looks like before sewing.

First lines of stitching.                                         Peeling 1/4" tape off.                                  Sewing more lines.

The final result.  Notice I ran the stitching over the pocket lines.  In removing the tear away stabilzer this helps maintain your stitching without putting stress on the stitching right at the pocket cutting line.  Thus avoiding your stitching coming out on the pocket itself.

Remove stabilizer, cut pocket out, press for attachment to jean backs.

What the backs look like with the pockets attached.

I'm not using rivets this first time so I bar tacked at the top of the pockets.

I didn't give you a full shot view of the template before. Here it is on the pocket after stitching.

Being as I made my design symmetrical I flipped the template to draw the second line.

Stay tuned...will be doing some fly work next.

Mail Call…..Sewing Goodies

I was just ecstatic today to find the order I placed from Pattern Review sitting in my mailbox. I have excitedly anticipated this packages’ coming in the mail. I thought it would be in yesterday’s mail but was sadly disappointed when I opened the mailbox to find only bills and junk mail. Ugh!!! However, today has more than made up for yesterday’s disappointment.

What have I been so eagerly awaiting???

Patterns of course….to be more specific, patterns by a company named Jalie. I have never purchased any of these patterns before but was so enticed into purchasing them based upon the sewing reviews at Pattern Review. The patterns I purchased were the Jalie 2908 Jeans pattern and Jalie 2805 knit top pattern. What is so wonderful about these patterns is the fact they include 27 sizes, ranging from little girls (ages 2 – 13) on up to Women’s (sizes 4 – 22).

 

I am very excited to receive these but will have to wait to use them because I am presently taking an online jean making class “Build Better Jeans” by Shannon Gifford of “Sensible Sewing” through the PatternReview.com website. I’ve already committed my jean fabric to another pattern for this class M5142 but have enough “stash” to make a pair from the Jalie pattern when I’m done with the course. I can’t wait!!!

As to the other special sewing goodie that came along with my patterns. It is a book that I’ve wanted to get and finally splurged on for myself. It is “Cool Couture” by Kenneth D. King…looking forward to perusing those pages tonight while watching Project Runway!

Venture on back for a visit to see how those M5142 jeans turn out and I will be posting on the Jalie patterns as well.

Happy sewing…

Lined Valance Without A Pattern

Decide on finished size of your valance based upon your window measurements.

My Valance: 49 ¾ inches wide by 14 ¾ inches long

For the valance width I added the following:

• 1/2 inch side right seam allowanc
• 1/2 inch left side seam allowance

Cutting Width: 50 ¾ inches

For the valance length I added the following:

• 1/2 inch top seam allowance
• 2 ¼ inch header
• 1/2 inch bottom seam allowance
• 5 ¼ inch hem

Cutting Length: 23 ¼ inches

Valance Final Cutting Dimension: 50 ¾ inches wide by 23 ¼ inches long

These figures were based upon how long I wanted my valance and that was determined by the pattern repeat in the wildlife print fabric I used. I wanted to make the most out of an expensive fabric and didn’t want to waste or ruin any cuts I’d be making to the remaining unused fabric that I will be making cushions and pillows out of at a later date.

Valance Lining: Cut fabric 50 ¾ inches wide by 8 ¾ inches long

Construction:

• Due to the loose weave of the wildlife print I serged all the edges without taking any material off
• Do the same on the lining edges
• Right sides facing sew the lining and print together along one of the 50 ¾ inch edges.
• Press the seam open and stitch down the pressed seam on the lining side only, ¼ inch away from pressed center seam (did this so rod doesn't get caught in seam).
• On the other 50 ¾ inch edge turn under ½” and stitch down.
• Your valance and lining are now all one piece
• Hem edge: with right sides together fold up the hem 5 ¼”, baste edges. Do not turn right side out.
• Header edge: With right sides together fold your valance so that the top (wildlife print) has 2 ¼ inches folded down and the lining is laying flat on top of the hem edge you just turned up. The lining should overlap over the turned up hem edge. Pin down
• You will be stitching both side seam edges closed breaking at the 2 ¼ inch header mark and restarting the stitching 1 ½ inches down from the header. This will leave an opening to create your casing for your curtain rod.
• Turn valance right side out tucking your lining under your hem. Press valance making sure you keep the 2 ¼ inch header and the 5 ¼ inch hem.
• Hand stitch hem closed to lining.
• Stitch in the ditch at 2 ¼” for top of your rod casing
• Stich 1 ½” away for the bottom of your casing.
• Valance is now complete and ready to hang

Header

 Hem

Back of Valance

 











Finished window with the valance and the roman shade.

B6677

PR: B6677

Pattern Description: Easy To Do Shades

Fabric Used: Broadcloth, Drapery Lining Fabric

Pattern Size: N/A

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Pretty much straight sewing on the view I made (View B). Very easy!

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I made valances to go with the shades. The ribbon trim that View B called for would have detracted from the look I wanted so I didn’t sew that on. Next time around I would use a heavier drapery cord than what I purchased.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes

Conclusion: I really like the pattern, too bad it is now out of print.