Ginger Jeans Archives

How to Sew a Jeans Waistband | Alternative Method

19 February 2018 by Alexis Leave a Comment

Hey guys, Alexis here! It goes without saying that here at the studio we sew a lot of jeans. Between samples for photoshoots, the many half-finished demonstrations for Heather's teaching, and the excitement of making a few me-made pairs to test out this year's batch of Cone Mills denim kits, our hands and the pristine "IKEA white" surfaces of our brand new office space are quite often stained indigo blue. While we never grow tired of sewing up Gingers or Morgans around here, it's easy to get stuck in a "set" way of doing things. One of the best things about sewing is constantly learning new and fun techniques, so we're excited to show you an alternative way to sew a jeans waistband. This method helps reduce the bulk of the seam allowances around the corners where the waistband is attached to the fly front and makes a really clean finish both on the inside and the outside. Whether you are a veteran jean-maker and can sew a waistband with your eyes closed using our original method, or if you are just getting your jeans-feet wet, we are excited to share this different way of sewing a jeans waistband with you.

After sewing your inseam and side seams, stay-stitch around the waist of the jeans at 1/2" seam allowance. This will help prevent the waist of the jeans from stretching out when you install the waistband.

Sew a line of stay-stitching at a scant 5/8" seam allowance along the top edge of both waistband pieces. (One of our waistband pieces is interfaced. This is optional, depending on if you want a stable, non-stretch waistband).

Press the top edge of each waistband piece in along the stay-stitching line you just sewed.

With right sides together, pin the unfolded edge of the outer waistband along the waist of the jeans, matching the notches along center back and at the side seams. (If you have interfaced one of your waistband pieces, this will be your outer waistband.) Sew the waistband to the jeans at a scant 5/8" seam allowance.

Now pin the unfolded edge of the inner waistband to the inside of waist of the jeans, matching notches. The right side of the inner waistband will be touching the wrong side of the jeans, and the jeans will be sandwiched in between the two layers of waistband.

Using your original stitch line as a guide, sew through all layers at 5/8" seam allowance. Go slowly and carefully when you are sewing over the zipper teeth to avoid breaking your needle.

When you have sewn both waistbands to the jeans, flip them up to double check that the waistband is sewn evenly on both sides of center front.

If your zipper tape extends past the waistband seam allowance, trim it down and remove any excess zipper teeth by pulling them out with pliers.

Trim down the excess waistband so that only a 5/8" seam allowance extends past each side of center front.

Unfold the top edges of the waistbands and pin them together along either side of center front. We will sew the short ends of the waistband closed with a 5/8" seam allowance. You may draw in your stitch line with chalk if you wish to have a guide.

Start sewing along the edge of the waistband, keep your needle down to turn the corner, and continue sewing along the chalk line you drew in as a guide. Ensure the fly is kept out of the way of your stitch line, and that you are only sewing through the two layers of waistband.

The short ends of the waistband should now be sewn together, with the seam as close to the fly as possible without catching it.

Trim the corners of the waistband down so that you will have a nice crisp corner when you turn the waistband right side out. Now is the time to grade the waistband seam as well. The outer waistband should be left as is, the jean seam allowance should be trimmed down to about 3/8", and the inner waistband seam allowance should be graded to 1/4".

Turn the waistband right side out, using a point-turner if necessary to sharpen the corner. Press the waistband up and away from the pants.

You should have a beautifully finished 90 degree corner on either side of the waistband. If one side of the waistband extends further from the fly front than you would like, now is the time to readjust before the top edge of the waistband is closed and finished.

To close the top edge of the waistband, fold the raw edges in along the line you pressed earlier. It can be tricky to fold these edges in at either corner along center front. If you open the waistband and flatten the seam allowances, this will help things lie flat.

Give the entire waistband a final press. The final step will be to topstitch all around the waistband to secure it and to close the top seam.

You can pin the top seam of the waistband closed with pins or with Wonder Clips, or you can fuse some Wonder Tape or Steam-a-Seam tape to make sure it doesn't shift while top-stitching.

Ready for the final step! If your denim is very thick, you may still need to hammer down your seams a little bit so your machine can handle the multiple layers.

Topstitch around the entire waistband 1/8" from the edge. We like to start our topstitching at center back, so the beginning and end of our stitch line will be concealed by our back belt loop.

Go very slowly as you approach a corner, and keep your needle down while you lift your presser foot to carefully reposition your work. When you are reaching a corner and are concerned about turning your work at the correct 1/8" distance, you can "cheat" a little by shortening your stitch length. Just remember to correct the stitch length after you have turned the corner so your topstitching is evenly spaced along all edges.

If you make a mistake or if your needle breaks, remove your work leaving a long thread tail, and thread the ends of your stitching through to the back. When you are ready to start sewing again, carefully drop your needle down exactly where you stopped sewing, and weave the beginning thread to the back. This will avoid ripping out rows of perfectly nice topstitching and wasting your valuable sewing time!

There you have it! A beautiful alternative waistband finish for your me-made jeans. Carry on with making your buttonhole and installing your hardware and you are just a hem away from a new pair of jeans.

Here is a close-up shot of the guts of one of our beloved Morgan samples to compare the inside finish of our original waistband method and this alternative one. Even with careful pressing and sewing, the inner seam allowance peeks out a little. This alternative method reduced some of that bulk and made it easier to topstitch around the waistband easier. Hooray! I have an unfinished pair of Sasha Trousers in my UFO pile at the moment and I look forward to trying this technique again!

Have you tried this method before? Do you have a preference for one over the other?

How to Choose Your Size When Making Jeans

8 February 2018 by Heather Lou 14 Comments

Hands down one of the biggest questions we get day in and day out is what size people should choose when they're making jeans for the first time. Since it feels like an important project, people really want to get it right. In this post I'm hoping I can help explain choosing your size with a little more clarity for our jeans patterns.

SIZE CHART VS. FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

With all our patterns, we provide a size chart and a finished measurement chart. The finished measurement chart generally shows waist, hip, rise and inseam measurements for the final jeans. It will give you an indication of the ease of your jeans, and should provide a basic reference if you'd like to compare against other pairs in your wardrobe. Our Ginger Jeans have negative ease since they're designed for stretch denim; this means they should fit a little bit smaller than your body measurements, in particular, the thighs and hips. You can expect the hip to be about 1" smaller than your actual hip size; this ensures they fit snugly as they are meant to. However, the waistband has zero ease. This means it sits exactly close to your body; negative ease here would be uncomfortable, and extra ease would mean your jeans don't stay on. In the case of our Morgan Boyfriend Jeans, the hips have positive ease of about 1" through the hip, although they have zero ease through the waistband for the same reason as Ginger; they wouldn't stay put on your body if they were looser, and 100% cotton denim relaxes naturally over the course of the day should you need a little extra room.

Where people seem to get tripped up is the finished measurement of the waist of Ginger and Morgan, because it is larger than the waist size in our size chart. This is because in both the low, mid and high rises, the waistband sits anywhere from one to five inches below your natural waist, or the smallest part of your waist. If it's sitting a few inches below your natural waist, naturally it will be wider since your body here is wider. This number is really just provided for reference so don't let it confuse you. In all cases, choose a size based on your actual waist measurement from our size chart. If the waist needs to be modified at all, you can resolve that during the preliminary fitting.

USING EXISTING JEANS TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIZE

If you have a well loved pair of jeans that fit you well, you may want to use them as a reference to determine the sort of fit you would like in your me-made jeans. However, if you are using stretch jeans as a reference you really need to pay attention o the fiber content. If there is more lycra in your jeans than what we suggest for the pattern (ie. a super stretchy jegging with 4-6% lycra) the rtw jeans will likely be smaller. You can measure directly on the pattern by lining up your jeans on the pattern pieces. This way you can be sure you're taking measurements from the same area and therefore getting similar numbers to compare.

In the instructions for our Morgan Jeans, we provide finished calf and thigh measurements in addition to waist and hip. Since these jeans are meant to have a little ease through the legs, we included that if people decided they wanted a looser fit than the pattern was drafted for, and could, therefore, grade through the legs accordingly. For Ginger, I intentionally left those out since I think it can be confusing due to the negative ease in the pattern. Sometimes more information is not actually helpful. My general advice is to choose a size based on hip and waist, grade if necessary between sizes for those two measurements, and then deal with the legs during fitting. It's super easy to let out or take in the legs as needed to get the fit you want during the basting phase. This ensures you get the fit that works for you, rather than basing it on a size chart. However, for those of you fit nerds who really like to analyze all this stuff, I am providing the thigh and calf measurements below. If this is confusing or not appealing to you, please don't bother comparing to existing jeans; just make your suggested size and fit accordingly.

ADDITIONAL FINISHED GARMENT MEASUREMENTS FOR GINGER JEANS

Please remember that Ginger is drafted with negative ease; don't be surprised if some of these measurements are smaller than your physical measurements. Again, if the size chart above is tripping you up, just ignore it and choose a size based on waist and hip.

GRADING BETWEEN SIZES

It seems like grading between sizes is a little intimidating for a lot of you. I highly recommend taking the time to do this if your hip and waist fall under different sizes (which let's be honest, maybe most of you!) This ensures a better fit out of the package and will save you from making too many drastic changes when you're fitting. Remember any changes you make while fitting have to be transferred back to your pattern pieces at some point, so save yourself that step and just do it now.

Pieces affected by grading are front leg, front facing, pockets, back leg and yoke. To grade the front, line up the pocket facing with the front of your leg along the larger size you're grading between. Now that you have filled in the top of the waist curve, you can draw a line connecting your sizes. In the below example, I am grading from a size 10 at the waist to a size 14 at the hip. Everything to the left of that red line on the side seam will be cut off. Make sure you transfer that line along the length of the facing too. I am not showing the pocket pieces here, but just note that whatever you remove from the side seam needs to be adjusted on those pieces as well so everything lines up. Along center front, you can trace down along the size 10 line, and then out to the size 14 at the inseam. This isn't a precise science so don't stress too much about this area; remember you will be basting later so if you need to let out or take in a little bit you can do that then.

Please note that by lining everything up along the larger size at the waist, you are not grading the rise/height as well (because patterns are graded vertically as well as horizontally). In this case the difference is only about 1/2" in rise and honestly I just don't think it's worth the trouble since you'll have to grade out the height in the back as well. If you do want to lower the rise, align your facing along the smallest size at the waist and grade from there.

For the back, it's a little harder to line up the yoke and leg since the yoke is curved. What I find easier to do is to do some of the grading on the yoke and some on the leg. If I'm grading between a 10 and 14, on the yoke I will grade from a 10 at the top to 12 at the bottom. Then on the back leg, I will grade from the 12 to 14 at the hip. This is the easy cheater's way to do this; you can also trace out all your pieces, draw in your seam allowances and overlap the pieces along the side and then back crotch seam to draw a nice smooth, even curve, but it takes a little longer.

And that's it! It really takes just a few minutes. If you're only within 2 sizes, it's probably okay to just make a straight size. For example, if you're a size 6 waist and a size 8 hip, if you make a size 8 you can just take in the waist as needed during basting. Just remember to mark your changes to your pattern pieces so you don't have to do this again next time around.

I hope this clarifies picking a size! Let me know if anything is unclear or if you have any questions I didn't cover here.

The Perfect Outfit: White Ginger Jeans + Denim Kalle Tunic

20 September 2017 by Heather Lou 46 Comments

They said it couldn't be done, and frankly, I'm just astonished as everyone who doubted me: it is an absolute miracle that I was actually able to take pictures of these jeans after all they've been through this summer. For all of you afraid of white denim out there, I'm here to tell you: if I can make them last this long without permanent stains, SO CAN YOU.

I'm kind of embarrassed it's taken me this long to document these Ginger Jeans. I made them back in April at my Pintuck & Purl workshop in New Hampshire and have been wearing them at least once a week since then. I've just been plain old bad about photographing my makes this year. Jaime helped me take a few pictures after our Fancy Tiger retreat a few weeks ago but they were taken on an iphone at dusk and were way too grainy, so I finally just asked Alex to snap some pics this week before something terrible happened and the legend of these jeans haunted me forever.

I love white jeans. I had a RTW pair for a long time, but I stopped wearing them after I designed Ginger. They never fit very well and it's hard to go back to ill-fitting jeans after making your own for so many years. I really missed having a pair in my closet; they make me feel like I'm in an 80's movie in a good way, and scream effortless summer even if I will sometimes sneak them out in the middle of November, just because. Pulling on a clean pair makes me feel like I'm not the clutzy, clumsy, stain magnet that I really am.

You may be asking why I tempt fate like I do in these white beacons of purity. If not a single day has gone that I haven't gotten tea, wine or olive oil on myself, why am I arrogantly strutting around in white pants practically begging to be splashed with the vivid stains of hubris?

Because life is too short and I discovered the magic of savon de Marseille.

Let me explain. When I packed for our trip to France this year, I tried to pack as light and tight as possible. I thought it was going to be hotter than that Serge Gainsbourg song with all the moaning, not realizing that Guillaume's mom's place is high up a mountain and quite chilly all year round. I ended up wearing these jeans a lot since they were the only pair I brought, and I quickly gained a reputation in the family as The Tache Monster (tache = stain). Every day I got something on myself. Every. Single. Day. The pinnacle of this stain streak resulted in G's 3-year-old niece spilling scalding hot coffee all over my white jeans while we were out visiting. I had no other pants and we had an entire day planned out in the world, and I am ashamed to say I actually started crying in front of the entire extended family. They were my only "warm" pants and they now looked like I had been murdered and buried in them, even after 20 minutes of earnest scrubbing. I was also wet and cold and (I later realized) PMSing intensely hard, but surely crying over spilled coffee while you're on your dream vacation in France is a slight overreaction.

This is where the magic of French soap comes in. My mother in law promised that they'd be good as new after rubbing the stains with her bar of Marseille (which I saw in literally every kitchen in France) and letting it soak. After throwing them in the wash the next day, it was like the whole coffee/niece/crying spectacle never happened. Did I buy 6 bars of savon de Marseille to circumvent more white denim disasters in the future? What do you think? (ps you can get the same stuff I stocked up on here. It really is the best).

Stains aside, let's talk about these puppies. They are the high-rise Ginger with a few modifications. Lately, I've been liking a slightly shorter yoke, so I transferred a half inch of height from the yoke to the back leg. I also wanted a slightly less skinny leg. so around mid-thigh I changed my seam allowance from 5/8" to 3/8". This is an easy way to create a straighter leg without tracing off the stovepipe legs from View A. I also cut a cropped, raw hem on purpose; I wanted some casual fraying action happening around my ankles.

The denim is Cone Mills and I've had it for a few years. Originally I thought it was too lightweight for jeans (nothing worse than seeing cellulite through skintight white denim I always say!) but it's actually kind of perfect, and now I regret not using it in one of our kits. The only issue with white denim (besides having to be very careful around grass and wine glasses) is how it also shows every single little drag line, since it casts shadows so easily. I'd suggest not freaking out and overfitting if you notice some horizontal lines you don't see ordinarily. You can't be stressed in white jeans; you have to let the river of life have it's way with you while you're wearing them. Call it Zen and the Art of White Denim.

The button and rivet are from our copper fly-front kit and I have to say, I love the patina our hardware gets after being washed a million times. I also added a white leather patch on the waistband just for kicks.

Worn with my Unstainable jeans is another older make, a Kalle tunic. This was actually one of my very early samples when I was developing the pattern. I believe this was from the iteration with the comically large neck opening, so I have to wear it undone because otherwise, my head looks like it got hit with a shrink ray. That said, this is probably one of my most worn garments this year. I used a deep indigo Cone shirting from my stash, and I love how it's faded with lots of washing.

The tunic variation is hands down my favorite thing to wear with skinny jeans and leggings, and when I discovered how much I loved it knotted with high waisted jeans it was like discovering a whole new garment. Because of the deep curves at the hip, it looks great tied up - you don't have all that volume you would have with a normal shirt.

This was definitely a high rotation outfit this year, and as long as I have my Marseille soap I foresee many more years with these Gingers in my closet.

Would you ever throw caution to the wind for a pair of white jeans? Any other hot tips for keeping them as white as possible for as long as possible?

Outfit details: Ginger Jeans (View B), Kalle Shirtdress (View B), Dr. Scholls mules (sadly sold out!), Lipstick: Glossier Generation G in Poppy Red

Toaster Sweater + Black Ginger Jeans

27 April 2017 by Heather Lou 23 Comments

I've been doing a relatively large amount of personal sewing over the last few months given how much sample making I find myself doing during office hours. It's become clear how much I rely on sewing to relieve stress and anxiety; when I have a lot on my mind it can be really soothing to lose myself in a fun project, especially if I have something interesting happening in the background (probably why I've managed to coast through half of Buffy in the last few weeks. Again.)

I am curious to see how this routine will play out once I separate church and state and move out of my studio this summer. I plan on having a sewing space in my new apartment, but I wonder whether I will still be sewing 3-4 nights a week once I don't have a giant cutting table and all my supplies at the ready. My kitchen situation will be greatly improved so it's likely I'll be funnelling a lot of my "idle hands are the devil's plaything" energy into cooking and baking, which used to be a singular obsession before I rediscovered sewing (I cannot even tell you how excited I am to start entertaining again - right now my home/studio is a mess of boxes and it's too chaotic and embarrassing to have people over).

In the meantime, here are a few garments that have been hanging in my closet waiting for a non-rainy day to shoot them. Naturally, when we finally ran outside to take some pictures it started drizzling, so please pardon any raindrop smears on the lens.

I've been meaning to sew up the Toaster Sweater by Sew House Seven for a while. I got the pattern and fabric at Stitch Sew Shop and made this outfit in February (the curse of wanting to take photos of the things you make is that they sit there unloved and resentful until the timing is right. I learned the hard way this week to document before wearing when I finished a gorgeous dress and wore it straightaway, only to have the zipper break. Me, tipsy, cutting it off late at night. Dress, waistband destroyed, now sitting in wrinkly pile, seething. Me, humbled).

As for this Toaster, while I looooove the fabric ( a beautiful oatmeal fleece with a herringbone weave and matching ribbing for the bottom panel) I definitely made it too big. I made a large for reasons that escape me now, even though I was hoping to have something slightly fitted and cropped for when I'm wearing high waisted jeans. It's definitely snuggly and cozy but I will be sizing down the next time I make it, along with shortening the arm cuffs which I find a touch long for my frame. Otherwise the pattern is simple but well designed, easy to assemble and a fun alternative to the basic sweatshirt.

These are Ginger Jeans, naturally, made with our brass hardware kit. I made the high waisted variation using the glorious black Cone denim we offered in our last kit. Unfortunately they are just a touch too small. This stuff is stretchy but firm, and because this particular denim doesn't bag out much, a slightly too small pair stays slightly too small even after wearing them a few times. This is part of my seemingly never-ending denial about how my body has changed in the past year. Old standbys like Ginger just don't fit in the same way, so I will be modifying my personal pattern for the next pair I make (which incidentally will be happing this weekend at Pintuck & Purl in New Hampshire for one of my Ginger workshops).

Fit issues aside, this is basically the perfect work uniform for me, especially with my super comfy Dr. Scholls mules. I'm trying to build a selection of easy, comfortable separates I can throw on in the semi-panicked state I find myself in every morning after hitting the snooze button too many times. You'd think as a self-employed person my mornings would be peaceful and leisurely, but the dogs have to be at work for 8am every morning and I am captive to their schedules (they work as therapy dogs and their trainers need to be on the road early every day). I'm going to try and break in these jeans a little bit more (wearable except when I'm sitting for long periods of time), but am secretly hoping my new-ish hot yoga regimen will make these a little more comfortable over the next few months.

What's your getting dressed routine in the morning (semi-panic or no)? Have you made the Toaster sweater yet?

Introducing the Mid-Rise Ginger Jeans Pattern!

23 February 2017 by Heather Lou 11 Comments

When we started working on our new jeans-making workshop, I wanted to offer a fun jeans pattern option, especially since many people already have the original Ginger in their pattern stash. I immediately thought of offering a mid-rise jean pattern, since my hacked mid-rise Gingers are some of the most worn in my closet (you can see an example here).

As a result, we've had a lot of requests from you to offer our Mid-Rise Gingers as a pattern outside the course, and we decided to save you some pattern hacking time and do just that: you can now purchase this PDF-only pattern in our shop. Because almost every pattern piece had to be drafted and regraded, it is a standalone pattern rather than a "variation". Unlike our Flares (which only include the leg pieces), this is a complete pattern you can use on it's own.

So what's changed? The Mid-Rise Gingers sit about 1.25" lower than our original high rise. It doesn't sound like a huge difference, but the devil is in the details with jeans (I like to explain the difference between my work as a pattern designer and my past career as an interior designer as a change in obsessive scale - rather than losing sleep over a half foot, I now think and fixate on increments of a quarter inch).

These are drafted to sit just below your belly button, and in my opinion are the most comfortable rise - not so low that you grow a muffin top, not so high that they dig into your tummy when you sit down (or have eaten a massive meal: me, everyday).

I also think this proportion looks great on everyone. While fashion rules are meant to be broken, a mid-rise works well for short and long torsos equally, if that is something you are concerned about. The yoke height is a little shorter than the high rise, resulting in a perfectly proportioned seat. The pattern also includes my favourite pocket style, the slimming pocket stay (which extends from the side seams into the center front yoke, like comfy hidden spanx). Like the original Ginger Jeans, it comes with skinny or stovepipe leg options.

Fyi, the sample I made and modelled in the shop is the mid-rise with a stovepipe leg, cropped by about 1" (I am 5'-6" and a size 12 for your reference).

I hope you'll enjoy adding these to your denim wardrobe!

GET MID-RISE GINGER JEANS

ps. Of course, if you're comfortable with modifying patterns you can pretty easily hack your existing Gingers into a mid-rise. This pattern will either save you the hassle, or appeal to those of you who held off on our original pattern because a low or high rise isn't your bag, baby.

Golden Hour Ginger Jeans (Plus some teaching wisdom I've learned...)

6 July 2016 by Heather Lou 50 Comments

I wasn't sure if I should share this recent make. I mean, at this point I've sewn, photographed and blogged so many Ginger Jeans (hacked, flared, zipped, you name it) that it I worry it's redundant. While this current iteration is pretty classic as far as jeans go, they're special to me because I made them during a workshop while teaching other ladies how to make their own jeans too. I am always particularly fond of workshop samples for that reason; they're a tool that keeps giving back (to my booty).

And look at all that long hair! I don't miss you AT ALL. I highly suggest hacking it all off if you're bored with your look. It will grow back, promise.

These Ginger babies are made from the same Italian denim I used to make my recent flares. Turns out the recovery isn't so great (which makes me very glad I didn't use them in any of our kits) but the finish/wash is exceptional so I don't mind getting them back into fighting shape by washing them every 2 wears or so. It's been a while since I made a true high-waisted pair, so I returned to this old favourite. The only change I made was to narrow the yoke by about 1/2" (transferring the 1/2" to the top of the back leg). Lately the height of the yoke has been bugging me so this was a simple, proportional fix. I also went up a size since it's been many moons since I could comfortably wear any of the many size tens I made in the past. The nice thing about sewing is that a little weight gain is only ever an excuse to sew more stuff.

As I mentioned. these were made during a recent Ginger workshop I taught at Fabrications in Ottawa. I love these weekends. It's so much fun to hole up for a few days with like-minded people and crank out jeans in my version of a friendly sweatshop.

I've discovered how much I love teaching; for a control freak, it's kind of the perfect gig, and it's always nice to be given the opportunity to deliver a Friday Night Lights-esque pep talk at the beginning to try to release some of the nerves and tension people have about tackling more complicated sewing projects. I've been teaching enough lately that I thought I'd share some of the top tips that come up again and again in class...

Ginger Jeans workshop — Class photo from Camp Workroom Social

Put down your seam ripper. Seriously, PUT IT DOWN. Unless you sewed the crotch of your jeans to the hem of your pants, methodically ripping out slightly less than perfect topstitching is a waste of time. Don't get mired in chasing the perfection dragon. Just move on to the next step.
If topstitching scares you, choose a matching thread. No one will ever see your first time wonky stitching.
Be mindful of your tension settings. If you're switching back and forth with regular and topstitching thread, you'll have to adjust your tension accordingly. Get in the habit of adjusting it each time you switch spools.
I see you with that seam ripper! You can't hide from me! Let it go!
If you need to stop stitching halfway through a topstitched line (like at the waistband for example) don't fret! Just pull the thread through to the back and knot it securely. If you start your next stitch precisely next to the last one and pull that thread through as well, no one will ever know it's not a continuous stitch line!
Don't have a pint of beer on your lunch break. Trust me on this one.
Use a nice sturdy fabric for your pocket linings. Silk and rayon are not great choices for your first pair.
There is no amount of donuts that a pocket stay won't help hide.
Donuts make a great sewing companion in the afternoon when you start getting sleepy.
Before topstitching your waistband, stitch a little bit of thread into the corner so you have something to pull on to help feed it through your machine.
If you can't get the tension right with your bar tack, thread the bobbin thread through the little hole in the bobbin arm.
Switch to regular thread for your buttonhole. I'll probably end up sewing it for you in class since we'll be in a rush to finish, but read this post and practice at home.
The finished result will be far more meaningful than any of its minor flaws. Jeans are the sum of their parts so PUT THE SEAM RIPPER DOWN AND FINISH THEM!

Ginger Jeans workshop 2 — Jeans babes at Fabrications

Do you have any jeans making tips I can share with my students this weekend?

How to Install Jeans Hardware at Home! (A video!)

19 May 2016 by Heather Lou 5 Comments

Hey guys! We've been experimenting with some video stuff around the studio. For some things you really can't beat a moving image to quickly and easily explain tricky steps.

Now that we're carrying a line of jeans patterns and our new jean hardware kits, I thought it would be fun to shoot a video explaining how to install jeans hardware at home. This is one of the things about jeans making that can be a little intimidating (hammers! metal things!) but it's actually my favourite part... It's the moment where the things you've been labouring over turn into professional looking jeans. If you're nervous about installing hardware, this video will hopefully demystify the process for you. Enjoy!

Praying for Spring in Ginger Flares

13 April 2016 by Heather Lou 66 Comments

I worry sometimes that I bemoan Montreal weather a little too much on this blog, but guys, this city is playing so hard to get with spring right now that I'm pretty sure it's been reading The Rules. Every day I wake up and take a hopeful look outside, and then resign myself to getting gnawed on while trying to put balloons on Harry's feet, all so he doesn't freeze his tootsies off in some gulag-inspired combination of slush, black ice or freezing rain. I feel like I've never been more co-dependent with Montreal and her mercurial moods since getting a dog; I'm outside for a few hours a day whether I like it or not, and most of the time she's giving me the finger while not returning my phone calls.

When we caught a little glimpse of sunlight on Saturday, we rushed outside to get some photos of my new favourite outfit even if there was still a little snow on the ground. I even threw on my Hasbeens clogs for the first time since September, a silent protest against the Sorels I've bene trudging around in for months (we also shot the new pattern that day, hence the high quality of my hair game - my kingdom for a wavy blowout every single day....)

I've been trying to pack in some spring wardrobe planning and making, and this pair of hacked Ginger flares was high on my list. I've had this particular denim earmarked for flares for over a year now and I was so excited to finally cut into it. A mid-weight Japanese stretch denim, it has just the right amount of body for the flared leg, and just enough stretch to get the painted-on, "I'm an extra from Dazed & Confused" look I was going for....

(Editor's note: If you'd like to make your own flares, we have a super versatile pattern called the Jude Jeans that includes a midrise bootcut and high-rise flare leg!)

[Read more...]

Ginger Jeans // Construction Details & Pretty Guts

29 March 2016 by Heather Lou 23 Comments

Ginger-Jean-construction-details — one // two // three // four // five // six // seven // eight

One of my favourite things to do when I'm lying in bed and trying to make the transition from dead-eyed sleep zombie to sentient human being is to scroll through CCF hashtags and see what you guys are making. Since #gingerjeans has now been used over 1800 times on Instagram (so, so crazy) I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the beautiful detail and in-progress shots (aka Pretty Guts) you guys have shared over the last few months for your Ginger Jeans. Whether it's embroidered pockets, hand-sewn buttonholes, striking topstitching, inspired fabric choices or simply meticulous construction, it's mindblowing how many ways you have made this pattern your own. Your collective creativity is awe-inspiring!

Here are some of our favourite Ginger Jeans details from Instagram....

[Read more...]

Flared Ginger Jeans + Sutton Blouse

7 January 2016 by Heather Lou 20 Comments

Happy 2016! I hope it's started off well for you. I've loved seeing all of your ambitious sewing plans for the coming year, and am so grateful for the amazing response to my last post on sewing confidence; I was a little nervous to hit publish, but it seems like quite a few of you appreciated the pep talk. Here's to facing the "scary" projects and conquering our fears this coming year!

Today I'm excited to share some flared jeans I've been working on. If you've been in a retail store lately, you've probably noticed that flares are having a real moment right now; the 70s revival is going strong and when I was in New York last fall they were everywhere. I'm loving the look; there is something so fresh about a wider leg after years of making and wearing skinnies. I made these babies back in November during the Ginger jeans class I taught at the workroom in Toronto. I was feeling super inspired by this gorgeous Louis Vuitton ad from last fall, and tried to replicate all that creative topstitching.

(Editor's note: If you'd like to make your own flares, we have a super versatile pattern called the Jude Jeans that includes a midrise bootcut and high-rise flare leg!)

I drafted them with an extra wide hem because they feel a little more trousery, and I like a wide hem on trousers. To get the 4 lines of topstitching along the inseam, rather than serging the seam and pressing it forward like usual, I serged both seam allowances individually, pressed them open, and then stitched two double lines of topstitching along each side of the seam. I also did a slightly wider topstitched seam along the side, and angled it into the seam to finish rather than doing my typical bar tack (sort of like how I finish the shoulder seams on the Clare Coat). It's these little details that make sewing your own jeans so much fun; there is no end to personalization.

Of course I used my beloved Cone denim; it's the heavier weight stuff from one of our kits. The 12 oz denim has the perfect body for the flare shape, and of course they don't need to be washed very often since they don't really stretch out with wear.

And check out these pretty guts! I used a Vlisco wax print, which is far and away my favourite lining choice these days. The waistband is interfaced with knit fusible and it's very soft and comfy with the cotton facing, although you can see it peeking out slightly from the right side. I also thought I was being very clever with these "X" shaped belt loops, but someone in class said they were reminiscent of Parasuco jeans and I shuddered for approximately 30 minutes after. It was too late to un-X them by that point so I've learned to live with it.

I also finally had a chance to sew up this silk Sutton blouse. I had it cut and ready to go for months but kept putting it off because silk has needs; you really have to be in a romantic, loving mood to sew it. This lovely ikat print was a gift from Sonja the first time she came to visit Montreal; I think there was just over a yard and I managed to squeeze it all out with some creative cutting. The only change I made was to lower the V-neckline a little as it was slightly too high for my taste as drafted.

Are you into the 70's revival happening? Would you like to dip your toe into the flare jeans trend or you firmly rooted in the skinny camp?

Sewing Indie Month: Hacking A Ginger Jean Skirt With Blueprints For Sewing

1 September 2015 by Heather Lou 15 Comments

Sewing Indie Month is upon us, and I am really pleased to welcome Taylor from Blueprints for Sewing to share a truly epic Ginger Jeans hack on the blog today. Taylor designs patterns inspired by architectural styles (check out her Cabin Dress and A-frame skirt) and being the former interior designer that I am, I was positively gleeful when I saw that her sewing patterns look like actual blueprints! That font and me go waayyy back.

Taylor did a really clever hack job on Ginger, turning her into the denim skirt of your dreams. She also prepared step by step pics for creating a sort of reverse back pocket in lieu of the regular one. I was super impressed when I saw how thorough this tutorial was! Thank you Taylor!

Taylor: For my Sewing Indie Month guest tutorial, I decided to develop a hack for the Ginger jeans pattern. I’ve been intrigued by Ginger since it was released. I’m a lifetime member of the can’t-find-jeans-that-fit-club, so much so that I didn’t wear/own any blue jeans between the ages of 13-26. I recently succumbed to the power of the stretch pant - a concept I’d previously found appalling - when I was able to get an acceptable fit from a pair of high waisted jeans infused with lycra. And they were comfortable too! The obvious next step, now that I have discovered I actually like jeans, is to make my own.

Ginger is an excellent pattern. I love the pocket stay on the high waist version. It makes for such a smooth silhouette yet remains comfy! I’ve got a pair of Ginger shorts and jeans on my self sewing roster, but I wanted to play around with the pattern for my SIM contribution. I toyed with a few shorts hacks, but they didn’t quite work out. Coming up with tutorials for a pattern that is already a pretty complete package is a challenge. But eventually, inspiration struck.

I used to live in high waisted denim skirts in college - both self made and RTW. Numerous bike rides and parties all but destroyed them and I’ve been thinking about another one ever since. I figured this tutorial would be the perfect opportunity to create a go-to jean skirt pattern. The picture above shows my ‘uniform’ at 20, as well as my preoccupation with antiquated media.

Here I am in my new jean skirt, still preoccupied with antiques, though I’ve traded video for sewing.

Transforming a pair of pants into a skirt is pretty straightforward. Sure, it can be done with finesse, but most of the time it’s quick and dirty: rip the inseam, cut away the curve, and sew it back together. I remember doing this as a tween, complete with patchwork. However, when starting with a flat pattern - as opposed to refashioning a pair of blue jeans with ripped knees - one can be be a bit more sophisticated and a bit less bohemian.

Since the jeans-to-skirt concept is pretty simple, I decided to create a unique back pocket similar to the welt pocket technique on Cabin as an option. I’m calling it a reverse pocket. I also include instructions for eliminating the back yoke and replacing it with darts. An optional step, it gives the skirt a bit more formal of a look. I think in future versions I’ll keep the yoke (it helps balance out pockets visually on a high waisted skirt) but if you decided to eliminate pockets or replace with a welt pocket, darts might look nicer. (In this tutorial I’ve redrawn some of the lines to make them clearer. In each step, red lines are what you need to draw and blue lines are what has previously been drawn )

This pattern hack uses view B, the high waisted version, but should also work for view A.

Start by tracing the Ginger front piece, beginning at the end of the crotch seam curve and ending somewhere along the side seam (we’ll fine tune this in a later step, so for now just draw in 12” or so of the side seam.)

Draw in a guideline connecting the notch at the waistline near the fly extension to the dot near the beginning of the crotch seam. This is your center front seam.

Since this is the sewing line, rather than the cutting line, we’ll want to add back the 5/8” seam allowance.

Measure from your waistline down to where you’d like your skirt to end. I measured 18”. There’s a waistband and seam allowance and hem allowance to consider here, but for the most part they will all cancel each other out. You can take the time to do the calculations to get an exact hem length (Skirt length + 5/8 SA + hem allowance - waistband height), but just measuring from the waistline will get you pretty close if you want a 1” hem. You can always start long and hem once you have the skirt finished. Since this skirt is quite snug and has no kick pleat, it will definitely work best as an above the knee skirt.

Starting at the waistline, extend the line you’ve just drawn so that it equals your desired skirt length.

Using a square ruler (L shaped or large gridded rulers work, but you can use any right angle paired with a ruler in a pinch) draw in the skirt hem, ending just past the side seam you’ve drawn in.

Flip the square around and align it with the skirt hem. Slide the ruler over until it just matches up with the widest part of the side seam before it curves back in again. Unless you want a really wiggly skirt, you’ll want to have the side seam run straight down after the widest part of the hip, rather than curving back in again.

Your finished skirt front should look like this! All pocket lining pieces can be used as is. Make sure to transfer all your notches!

Now, onto the back! Trace the Ginger back leg piece onto paper starting with the double notch at the crotch seam and ending along the outer leg seam (just estimate how far down the leg to draw, we’ll be determining the skirt length like we did for the skirt front.)

If you plan on sewing the back yoke, skip down to drawing in the center back seam. You can use the existing yoke pattern as is.

Draw in the 5/8” seam allowance along the top seam of the back leg and the bottom seam of the yoke (both feature a double notch.) Overlap the two pieces so that the drawn in seam lines match up. They won’t match up all the way across - this is how the shaping magic of the yoke works - so align them starting with the center back seam.

Find the place where the back leg and yoke seam separate and mark this spot with a pin. If you’re using a cutting mat, push the pin in slightly to hold the paper in place. Otherwise, hold the pin lightly with your finger.

Trace along the center back seam of the yoke, then trace along the waistline, ending at a spot that is slightly closer to the center back then the location of the pin. The taped seam of the PDF pattern was in just the right spot and I suspect this guideline could work for other sizes as well.

Next, pivot the yoke piece using the pin to hold it in place, aligning the 2nd half of the seam line and the side seam. Draw in the rest of the yoke piece, ending at the same spot on the waistline seam where you ended while drawing the first part of the yoke. There should be a gap between the two sections of the traced yoke at the waistline.

Your drawing should look like this:

Draw in the dart by connecting the two open ends of the drawn in yoke with the pin point you used to draw it.

Starting at the back waistline, extend the center back line to the length of your skirt front +1” (The pattern has a higher rise in back to avoid that dreaded waistband gap!)

Align your square ruler with the center back seam and draw in the hemline, extending just past the side seam.

Flip the square around and align it with the bottom hem, sliding it over to meet the widest part of the side seam. Connect the side seam to the hem.

Re-draw a new grain line parallel to the center back seam.

Cut out both pattern pieces and proceed with cutting the rest of your Ginger pieces. You can follow the exact same sewing instruction steps: treat the now straight CF and CB seams as though they were the curved crotch seam and skip sewing the inseam.

ADDING REVERSE BACK POCKETS

If you’d like to step your sewing game up a notch and try out some reverse back pockets, here’s how to do it:
Trace an additional pocket piece and trim away the seam allowances, including the 3/4” allowance at the top of the pocket.

Draw out your pocket location by lining up the SA-less pocket piece with the pocket markings on the back piece and tracing around it. Check to make sure that you like the placement of your pocket, because once we start on the reverse pocket, there’s no going back! Heather has a great post on back pocket placement here.

Once you’re satisfied with your pocket placement, grab both back skirt pieces and pair them with the corresponding pocket. The curved side of the pocket should be closest to the center back seam.

Put one pair aside so the pocket and back piece don’t get mixed up. Starting with the first pair, mark the 5/8” seam allowance on both sides of the pocket piece, but not the top and bottom. Trim the seam allowance down to 3/8” on both sides, leaving top and bottom as is.Finish the edges of your pocket. If you are finishing your pocket edges with a serger, simply trim the two side seams while serging the pocket.

On the top of the pocket, measure 3/4” from the edge and mark this line. Draw a parallel line 1/4” below the 3/4” line. This rectangle is the sewing guideline for the pocket opening.

On the corresponding skirt back, use a pin to mark each corner of the pocket placement. Flip over the skirt back and use the pins to position the back pocket interfacing piece where the pocket opening will be. Remove the guide pins after tacking down the interfacing lightly with your iron, then fuse to the fabric. (You can use the back pocket interfacing pattern piece provided.)

With the pocket positioned upside down with the right sides together, pin through the top left corner of the rectangle marking and then through the pocket marking on the skirt back. Then, pull down on the pocket so that the pin is going straight through both pieces. Pin the right corner this way as well and add additional pins if necessary.

Sew around the rectangular pocket marking. Use a small stitch length when sewing around the corners. This will give you more precise control AND provide more reinforcement at the corners.

Here’s the moment of truth: cut into and across the middle of the stitched rectangle, then cut in a diagonal line to each corner. You’ll want to cut as close to the corner as possible without cutting the stitching.

Turn the pocket piece to the inside of the skirt back. Press the pocket piece flat to create a nice rectangular window. If the corners are puckering, try pulling and stretching the fabric a bit at these points while pressing. You may also want to try clipping closer to the stitching line at each corner.

Sew around the pocket opening, about 1/16” to 1/8” away from the opening edge. Since you’re using a stretch denim, it may get a bit wavy. Using a larger stitch length will reduce this effect and pressing afterwards will help flatten it out.

Flip the skirt back over and press the back of the pocket, pulling down lightly on the pocket piece to eliminate any fold over at the top edge where it is sewn down.

On the right side, align the seam allowance-less pocket piece with the window. If your chalk has already worn off from testing the placement, draw this pocket line in again. It may be slightly bigger/smaller so just estimate as you draw.

Starting at the corner of the pocket opening, sew along the chalk line ending at the opposite corner. Before sewing, you may want to flip the skirt over to ensure you’ll sew through the pocket piece underneath, otherwise you’ll end up with a hole. Pin it in place before sewing if necessary. Sew a second line of stitching 1/4” away from the first. If you like, you can do a special curved detail here.

There you have it! A reverse pocket! If you’d like a pocket embellishment, you’d want to topstitch this on before creating the pocket, after tracing the pocket outline.

I’m overall pretty pleased with this skirt as a wearable muslin (the fabric was from the bargain bin at one of my favorite fabric dives, with a pretty high polyester content). I think for the next version I’ll try to find some brown denim and cream topstitching thread to try and recreate one of my favorite college skirts.

I’m looking forward to bringing my favorite college look into the next decade. Pairing it with a t-shirt from Everlane and my recently made Laurelhurst Wrap is a good start!

Wasn't that an epic pattern hack? Thanks again Taylor! I clearly need to get my butt in gear and make a Ginger skirt now....

Plaid Archer Shirt + Waxed Ginger Jeans

15 April 2015 by Heather Lou 50 Comments

It's time I wrap up "my grey period". Spring has FINALLY arrived in Montreal so I promise, no more stricken/traumatized instagram posts of April snowfalls. Someone recently pointed out that they/I were getting increasingly unhinged. It's been warm out ALL week, and I've been riding my bike around town with the wind in my hair and a big goofy grin on my face like everyone else in this beleaguered city.

Today let's take a look at the last of my winter makes so I can focus on making a billion things out of all the crazy printed rayons I've picked up recently. Although to be honest, looking at these photos makes me quite sad since I lost one of the earrings I'm wearing, a white gold pair I've had for over ten years. Total ranty sidenote but: How do you all DEAL with earrings? It doesn't seem to matter what type of closure I use; earrings are like a bickering married couple and one is always taking off for greener pastures without warning. A few hours later I'll notice it's missing and yell at the other one for not cluing me in that there was marital discord when I could have done something about it.

Ahem.

If this fabric looks familiar, it's leftover from one of my Carolyn pajama samples. I love this flannel; so cozy and soft and destined to be a plaid Archer for cottaging and sugar shacking (sugar shacking being the time of year when Canadians pile into log cabins on maple farms to induce stage 2 diabetes while pouring cups of syrup on heaping plates of deep-fried breakfast foods).

The construction of this baby is nothing to write home about. I cut the pockets and yoke on the bias and did my best to match the plaids - so satisfying. The only hiccup I ran into was trying to source pearl metal snaps. After a lot of digging around I found them locally but for the highway robbed price of 6 for $8. As a result, I didn't end up putting one at the top collar or along the cuffs, hence the rolled sleeves. Since then I've discovered it's much better to purchase them in bulk on Wawak; I just bought a 50 pack of Gingher pearl snaps for under $10. Now I just need to pull out the snap setter and install the ones I skipped the first time. Rachel just posted a great DIY on snap buttons if you'd like to do the same.

The jeans are yet another pair of Gingers, with a denim I was testing that didn't end up making the cut for our kits. I was really hoping to find a great waxed denim to sell by the yard and this one isn't bad, but I wasn't impressed with the recovery. I can get about two wears out of these before they start bagging out which isn't good enough for you, my darlings. And then there is the gloss factor - I'm seeing a lot of back of leg lines that aren't normally there in regular denim. Regardless, they feel pretty rock and roll. And also very winter. I doubt I will be pulling these out for another 6 months, at least. GIVE ME ALL THE SUMMER DRESSES.

Details: Archer shirt with white plaid flannel, Ginger jeans with waxed denim, Steve madden ankle boots (similar here), Lipstick: Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm

Ankle Zipper DIY

12 March 2015 by Heather Lou 11 Comments

Based on the enthusiastic reaction to my latest pair of Ginger jeans, I guess I'm not the only one with a yen for 80's Guess-era ankle zippers. It's fun doctoring up classics with new details, and I'm constantly pinning and imagining new ways to tweak the Ginger pattern.

This isn't a really hard mod but it does require some precision. First things first, we have to stabilize the fabric. Before you sew your outer side seams, apply 1" wide interfacing to the ankle seams, roughly the length of your your zipper.

I suggest ironing the hem up as if you're finishing your jeans. This lets you know where your zipper teeth will end.

Once you've got the interfacing bonded to both sides of the leg seam, lay your zipper next to it so that the "top" of the zipper is aligned with the final folded hem of your jeans. Mark where the zipper stop at the "bottom" of the zipper will be located with a horizontal line. Draw in your 5/8" seam allowance above the zipper. In order to expose the teeth of the zipper, we have to increase the seam allowance. My zipper teeth were 1/4" wide, so I added just over 1/8" to the seam allowance to create a little 3/8" rectangular opening for the zipper when the seams are pressed open. Draw your new seam allowance on the leg as shown above.

Once you've got these lines drawn on both legs, sew your side seams using a straight stitch, stopping at that horizontal mark that indicates the start of your zipper. Backstitch to secure. Finish your side seams. In this case, I serged the side seams together until a few inches above the zipper location, and then finished each "free" seam with its own serged finish. This creates a weird joint where you go from side seams being sewn together and pressed to the back, to side seams being pressed open, but you won't really notice on the inside.

After the seam is sewn, snip a triangular notch from below your horizontal zipper mark to the corner of your new seam allowance

This snipped notch will let us fold the new seam allowance further back to show the exposed zipper teeth.

Press the side seam open and the snipped notches up. Fold your new seam allowance in on each side of the un-sewn side seam (approximately 7/8") and press. You want to create a nice, square opening at the top so ensure all those little corners are lying nice and flat.

Ensure the space you created in the seam is wide enough to see your exposed zipper teeth.

If you want to baste the zipper to the seam allowance first, go ahead. I found it easier just to pin the zipper into place and then topstitch it directly. To do this, only pin one side to start, since it can be tricky to sew if both sides of the zipper are pinned. Start on one side and sew all the way around, about 1/8" from the pressed seam allowance. At the top, just above the zipper stop, leave your needle down as you are turning to get sharp corners. One the other side, I didn't bother pinning; I just fed the zipper into place as I went.

To secure the zipper tape and those little notched seams in place, sew a bar tack just above the zipper stop, and then finish hemming your jeans. This is what it will look like on the inside:

And voila! A little ankle zipper to fulfill all your Guess girl fantasies!

Hope y'all found this helpful. I'm considering making another pair with the zipper on the inside seam since I love the way it looks when it's unzipped. Have you been experimenting with any other jeans hacks I should know about?

Ginger Jeans with Ankle Zippers

10 March 2015 by Heather Lou 60 Comments

Hi everyone! I finally managed to snag some pictures of my new pair of Ginger jeans with ankle zips. They make me feel like Sandy in Grease after she gets the Pink Ladies bad-girl makeover.

These Gingers were made using some black Italian stretch denim I was testing for our sale. Unfortunately I didn't get them finished in time, so we didn't list them since I couldn't personally vouch for the recovery. While they don't have quite the same bounce-back factor as the Cone Mills, I'm still really happy with this fabric. It's borderline impossible to find good quality black bull denim (which just means the fabric was dyed after weaving) and this stuff has a nice hand and a decent amount of stretch. Although frankly, it's also a cat hair magnet, which means I basically go through a roll of packing tape before I leave the house so I don't set off allergic reactions from bystanders.

I love these and have worn them tons but I am kicking myself for not interfacing the waistband. I let the waist and hips out a little (too much baguette and cheese this winter, no regrets) and didn't want anything binding me at the stomach. However, I think an interfacing designed for knits would have been perfect. Since I faced the waistband with the same fabric, there is just too much stretch and they get too loose around the waist after a day or two. I am seriously considering ripping it all out and putting in a new waistband but if I'm honest, I'll probably just belt them after the second or third day.

For this pair, I played with the rise. I wanted something in between the low and high-rise, so on View B I lowered everything by 1". In the back, I split the 1" between the yoke and back leg to maintain a nice bum proportion. I also used slightly wider pockets than I included in the pattern because I think they're more flattering on my caboose. If you'd like to play with them for your next pair, you can download the piece here.

For topstitching thread I used a dark navy; I like the subtle tone on tone of the stitching. The rivets and button are from our denim kits and I also sewed a black leather patch to the back waistband, just for funsies. The ankle zipper is a fun touch. I love the pop of brass and the exposed teeth, and I'll be sharing a tutorial on how to do it yourself later this week.

Anyone else feeling goth these days? Something about all the overcast days and buckets of snow (yes, still) makes monochrome the only option when I'm getting dressed. Tell me I'm not alone!

Details: Ginger Jeans pattern, silk tank (similar pattern here), shoes: Hasbeens Fredrica, lipstick: Rimmel Kate Moss Collection 105

Ginger Jeans Roundup

12 December 2014 by Heather Lou 32 Comments

G'day friends. I finally had a chance to round up the finished Ginger Jeans I found in the wild. And in so doing I realized there was a Colette pattern also named Ginger. Sorry Sarai ;( Yes, that frowny emoticon is winking because I love to break the rules.

Here we go!

ginger jeans by heather b — Handmade by Heather B.

ginger maternity jeans — Maternity Jeans bu Lauren Dahl

And just in case you haven't see them, here are the tester versions that have been blogged:

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset — Ebony H

That is a lot of jeans! Now, onto the giveaway with prizes generously donated by our sponsors:

GINGER GRAND PRIZE

The Craftsy Pants Fitting Class
$25 Gift Certificate to Pattern Review
$50 Gift certificate to Grey’s Fabric

Congratulations Mrs. Whiskerson! I'll be in touch with your prize.

MOST CREATIVE GINGERS PRIZE

$40 Gift Certificate to Girl Charlee
Your choice of the True Bias Sutton Blouse or Hudson Pants pattern
a copy of The Magic Pattern Book by Amy Barickman

While I loved everyone's Gingers (and there are some fantastic guts on the flickr page) I think this one has to go to Handmade by Heather B. for her cat-tastic animal print Gingers. Stupendous!

Congrats ladies, and thanks everyone for sharing your finished makes. If you've posted yours and I missed it, please leave me a link in the comments below.

If you’d like more help sewing professional looking jeans, consider taking our online video class. The Sew Your Dream Jeans Workshop will give you the tools and techniques to design, sew, and wear your very own custom pair of jeans with confidence.

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

My First Archer

2 December 2014 by Heather Lou 46 Comments

Oh thank heavens, something that is not sewalong related! I mean, that was fun you guys, but I kept adding new posts to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything and I was starting to feel like I was in a Twilight Zone episode where I was just going to be talking about jeans.... FOREVER. And for those of you uninterested in jeans, I am sorry if your feeds were highjacked with all that topstitch talk - I wish there was a way to divert blog streams, but alas.

So, I have a big ol' backlogged queue of projects to share. After I launched Ginger I went on a bit of a selfish sewing tear, cranking out items left and right. It felt really great to just make fun, non Closet Core things, so I made all of them. Priority number one was the Grainline Archer. I purchased this pattern in early summer and have had it printed and cut for months. I was stoked to get started on it because I haven't seen a bad one yet, and I live in oversized men's shirts in the summer. Seems about time I stop thrifting and start a makin'.

Ahhh, get used to this wall guys. No more fun posing-in-the-alley shots until at least May.

I made a straight size 10 of view B; technically I'm a 8/12 in Jen's sizing but I figured the loose fit of this would let me skip grading and I was right - I really like the fit. Since I have approximately a million button-downs in my closet, I wanted to add something new so went with the gathered back. I used a Robert Kaufman chambray from Grey's Fabrics - it appears to be sold out but there is still some stock here. This is a lovely, soft fabric that was a joy to press and play with. From afar it looks like chambray, but up close it has a lovely herringbone pattern.

I worked on this in bits and bobs over a few weeks - it's a perfect pattern for that stop-dash approach, and because I wasn't rushing through it I enjoyed taking my time through every step. The instructions with the pattern are pretty minimalistic so I just followed along with Jen in her sewalong. I used my edge-stitch foot for all of the topstitching and some mother of pearl buttons from my stash. The only issue is that I *may* have sewn the cuff plackets in backwards. Since the fabric doesn't really have a right side/wrong side I got wrapped up in whatever podcast I was listening to and didn't realize I had gotten mixed up. Oopsy daisy. After slapping my self around the head, I remembered I NEVER wear my sleeves un-rolled and realized no one would ever know. Except all of you reading this post. Oopsy daisy.

As for my pants, they probably look a little familiar. This is one of the earlier prototypes of the Ginger Jeans. I made them with a super stretchy brocade denim I got from my wholesaler. The texture and hand of this fabric is divine, but because it has a really high percentage of lycra I could have easily gone down two sizes. After a day of wear they get really stretched out in the hips so I have to go back and rip out the topstitching at the hip, remove the rivets and take them in a bit. I'll get to it, eventually.

Needless to say, this is one of my favourite outfits right now. Blue isn't a colour I wear a lot but it feels seasonally appropriate and reflects my soul feelings now that winter is here and my long walks to the park are distinctly less appealing.

Installing Jeans Rivets & Buttons | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

29 November 2014 by Heather Lou 9 Comments

Ahhhh.... the final post in our rather epic Ginger Sewalong series! I worried at times that I've been guilty of information overload but I hope I've helped to demystify the jeans making process for you. It's been fun, hasn't it? Making jeans is the best.

A few pieces of business before we proceed with the last step. Please be sure to upload your finished or progress pics to the Flickr page if you'd like to be included in the giveaway, or use the hashtag #gingerjeans on Instagram. You can also email me your blog posts or link to them in the comments. If you've been following along but are still unsure about this whole jeans making thing, you may want to look into taking an intensive Ginger workshop with me at next fall's Camp Workroom Social. It's going to be hella fun and I'm happy to lovingly hold your hand in person.

Now, on to the final step which will take your jeans from "I made these" to "I FRIGGING MADE THESE!" While you can use a regular button for your jeans, and skip the rivets all together, nothing really pulls this project together like a hammer and some brute force. Here's what you'll need:

Metal rivets (get a few extra to practice with)
A jeans button (again, practice with an extra one first!)
A hammer
A nail to make holes, or an awl
A scrap piece of wood
A sheet of strong metal like steel or a cast iron frying pan - you need something that won't dent when you hammer in your rivets
Wire cutters
Optional: a rivet press

Check out my post on sourcing supplies if you need help finding rivets and buttons. As I said, it's better when possible to get all metal buttons and rivets. Some buttons have hollow plastic bases which I just don't think are as strong over time. As for rivets, they generally come with a solid or hollow post. I prefer rivets with solid metal posts because they are easier to trim down to size. In the photo below, the solid posts are in silver.

First up is the button. I highly suggest you practice on a scrap before going at your final jeans (hence why we are including an extra button in the Ginger Jeans denim kits). Do up your zipper and use a pencil to mark the location of the button. I always place the button on the left side of the buttonhole like you see below. No sense in centering it unless you want to give yourself a little breathing room at the waist.

You now want to make a hole in the waistband where you marked the button location. You can use a hammer and nail, but I prefer using an awl.

Push the button back through the hole you made.

Now, on your spare piece of wood, place the button with the hole facing up, and turn your jeans over. Line up the button back post into the button hole. Try to keep this as straight as possible. With your hammer, give the button back a few light thumps. Once it catches and you're sure it's going in straight, hammer it in until it's fully locked.

That wasn't too bad, was it?

On to the rivets! The location of your rivets is really up to you but traditionally rivets are placed in 5 locations: along the topstitching where the front pocket meets the leg, the top corner of the coin pocket and the outer courners of the back pockets. Use your awl or hammer and nail to make your holes. You may need to use a little force - it can be tricky to make a big enough hole through numerous layers of fabric. I wiggle the awl in and out on both ends to make enough space. Try to make the hole in between your topstitched lines so you're not severing that stitch.

Insert your rivet posts in the hole you just made. Take a look at how much of the rivet is poking through - if it's more than a milimeter or two, you'll want to trim it down with wire cutters. If the post is too long it will be hard to hammer in straight, and it may also dent or break the surface of the rivet once it has been hammered in. If you don't have wirecutters, you can also "pad" the difference by adding a few layers of scrap denim to the rivet and trimming around the rivet post (see Tailor Taylor's post for how to do that here). This is an example of what can happen to a rivet that is too long for the denim.

For this pair of Gingers, I had to trim down the rivet tip about 1 mm. I basically just cut of the pointy tip with my wirecutters.

If you have hollow rivet posts, it is a little trickier to trim them since they have a tendency to flatten when you use wire cutters. Use pliers to squeeze them back into a rounder shape after you have trimmed them.

Once your post is ready, put the rivet face down on your cast iron pan or sheet of metal. Turn your jeans over and align the post into the hole as straight as possible. You can use your fingers to hold the surrounding denim taut, which helps to keep the post straight. Give a few gentle taps to connect them, and once you are sure it is reasonably straight, hammer until it goes all the way in.

Repeat everywhere you want to add rivets.

And that's it! You've officially made a pair of custom fit, beautiful jeans and I hope you're blaring I Wanna Dance With Somebody and shaking your booty. Thank you so much for following along and for all your comments and insight during the sewalong. You guys rule.

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

Sewing Jeans Belt Loops, Hems & Jeans Buttonhole | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

28 November 2014 by Heather Lou 2 Comments

Okay sewalongers - we are FINALLY entering the home stretch! This is the second-to-last post before we hammer our rivets and buttons. Today we will be topstitching all the final details for our almost completed Ginger Jeans. If you are having any fitting issues or want to be included in the Ginger Sewalong contest, be sure to upload your photos to our Flickr group as I'd love to see your progress!

Today is a good day since we will not have to switch thread at all - you can keep that topstitching thread in for each step! First up, finish one raw edge of your belt loop piece (use a serged or overlock stitch). Once that's done, try and press that strip into thirds. You want your finished edge on the outside, as close to the edge as possible (if you're lucky your nails will also be stained with indigo dye like mine are below - the jean maker's manicure!)

Now topstitch the entire length on both sides. You are trying to catch the raw edge in one of those topstitched lines, but don't stress if you can't quite get all of it - these babies will be plenty secure once we're done with them.

Now cut the strip into 5 pieces approximately 3 1/2" long. Press each end under about 1/2".

Belt loops can be a pain in the butt to fasten since you are sewing through so many layers of fabric. It really helps to flatten your loops as much as possible to make it easier to feed through your machine. Enter the hammer. From the wrong side, give each end a good couple of whacks.

What I am about to suggest next may be highly controversial, but rules were meant to be broken. I have found that the easiest way to sew belt loops to jeans is by using a few dabs of fabric glue. This helps to temporarily anchor them while you are stitching them down. The location of the belt loops is as follows: one at center back, two just next to your front pocket topstitching, and two halfway in between your center back belt loop and the front ones. If you are using glue, let it dry for about 10 minutes before sewing on your machine.

If the idea of fabric glue gives you a Tim Gunn "Why I never!" feeling, you can also open up each loop, line them up on the top of your waistband and sew the wrong side down to anchor it before flipping them back to the right side. I don't have a photo of this to demonstrate, but you are basically just sewing the top half down before topstitching it. Either way, belt loops can be wiggly and it's much easier to sew them if they are anchored a little beforehand. Be sure to use your hump jumper or a piece of cardboard for this step to help your foot stay level.

When it comes to securing them to the belt loops jeans, you have two options. You can bar tack them in place, which is VERY strong, but not all machines want to bar tack through all that fabric.

Alternatively, you can just use a short straight stitch and backstitch about three times to really secure that puppy in place. I tend to hike up my pants by the belt loops so I've learned through experience that I like them to be really strong. Either way, try to line up the topstitching at the top of the belt loop with your line of stitching on the waistband. Mark with chalk if it makes it easier for you to sew.I try to stay roughly within my topstitching lines on the belt loop. I find it looks better than trying to sew the entire length of the loop.

Once installed, you can trim the excess on the inside of the belt loops to prevent fraying.

Next up, buttonhole! Take your jean button and center it on your waistband above the fly. Mark a line a little bigger than the button so you'll have room to get it in and out. I start the buttonhole about 1/4" away from the waistband stitching. Make sure you do a test run first to make sure your topstitching thread tension is cooperating. If you can't get a nice thread tension, use matching regular thread (or use a fun contrasting colour like Sallie did here).

If you have some Fray Stop, apply it before you cut your buttonhole open. This hole takes a lot of abuse and I find this product really helps prevent it from fraying too much over time.

Finally, we are going to hem our jeans. This is easy peasy. Just fold each hem up 1/2", press, fold again, and topstitch. Done!

Let's give ourselves all a long, loud slow clap. You've all done amazing work! I want to wrap this sewalong up this week so I will be back tomorrow to talk rivets and buttons. Happy Thanksgiving to my southern neighbors!

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

Back Pocket Placement & Topstitching | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

27 November 2014 by Heather Lou 18 Comments

I would like to apologize right off the bat for the butt-apooloza you just got a ticket to. If there was a way we could talk about this without using my butt as an example, I would spare you, but al-ass. Butt stand-ins are hard to come by.

I think the power of a great pair of jeans is 50% back pockets. They can look great from the front, but if the pockets aren't right, you'll feel it every time you put them on. There are two main considerations, just like in real estate: location and size. The only people who can pull off small pockets are 12 year olds. The rest of us need something that is proportionate to our bodies. The Ginger pockets are about 1/2" wider than average, which I think works well for most butts, but the perfect location for them will be a little different for everybody. (Also, if you are thinking of adding some custom embroidery to your pockets, go download the templates we created for that!)

Earlier in the sewalong I instructed you to baste them to your back legs before topstitching. Now that we've got our waistband attached, we can properly do a butt assessment. If you have a large mirror and a hand mirror you can take a look and see how you feel about where they are now. You can also take a butt selfie (sharing it on instagram is optional).

I am going to share some butt selfies I took when I was in the research stage of this pattern to show you how much pocket placement matters. All in the name of science, folks.

Okay, so on the left we have a perfect case of "Mom butt". This is a pair of Not Your Daughters Jeans and they are totally living up to their name. Pockets placed high like this make your bum look about twice as long as it actually is. If you have a flatter behind and have jeans that do this you should burn them in a fire. The pair on the right is MUCH better. The pockets are set much lower and wider. This creates the illusion of a smaller, curvier behind, but since I have a bit of a booty I think they are a little too widely set.

On the left we have what I consider to be almost perfect placement. The pockets are correctly spaced and angled in slightly giving a nice curve, but are perhaps 1/4" too low (it is crazy how much of a difference a quarter of an inch makes!) On the right, the pockets are too small, too high and too far apart, giving the illusion of a much bigger, flatter bottom.

Here are some general things to keep in mind when deciding on pocket placement:

As a rule, the pocket should be centered on the fullest part of the bum.
Pockets that angle in create curves.
For wider bums, set pockets closer together.
For small bums, pockets can be set wider apart to create fullness.
Lower pockets are generally preferrable. Some people (small butts) can get away with setting the pocket below the crease of the bum, but in general your pocket should end around where your bum meets your leg.

With all that in mind, once you've figured out the perfect placement of the pockets on your Ginger Jeans, it's time to topstitch them in place.

Starting from the inside corner, sew a line of topstitching 1/8" away from the edge of the pocket. Use a hump jumper when you start, and backstitch twice at the beginning to secure. You can sew your second line of topstitching 1/4" away from the first, but I like to curve the second line at the corners for a softer look. Whichever you choose, marking the stitch line with chalk makes it a little easier to follow.

If you're not using rivets on your back pocket, you can also sew a little angled line at the top edge to reinforce the seam. You can see that on the left side of the pocket below.

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

How to Sew a Jeans Waistband | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

26 November 2014 by Heather Lou 4 Comments

Today we're installing the waistband on our Ginger Jeans. There are a number of ways to do this but after making a dozen or so pairs this is my favourite method for getting a clean, strong waistband.

Gather your waistband and its facing. Like we discussed earlier, the facing can be cut from your denim or a stable lining. It really just depends on the effect you want. For this example, I am using two layers of my stretch denim with no interfacing since I prefer a softer, stretchier waistband for the high waisted version of Ginger.

To start, sew your waistband and facing together against the shorter curved side. Sew a line of stay-stitching along the seam allowance of your facing, and press the seam allowance towards the facing.

Press the seam allowance of the facing along your stay stitch line, and then fold your waistband along the top seam and press flat.

Pin the waistband to your jeans, matching the notches with your side seams and center front.

Sew the entire length of the band at your 5/8" seam allowance. When you are starting and ending the waistband, use a basting stitch, but a medium stitch everywhere else. We need to make sure the waistband is meeting up evenly when the jeans are zipped, so a basting stitch makes it easier to remove stitches if necessary. You will be sewing over zipper tape; you may use pliers to remove the teeth on your zipper that extend past your seam, but I never bothered. I just sew really carefully over the teeth and have never broken a needle.

Fold your waistband flat and do the zipper up. You want the waistband on either side of the zipper to be perfectly even. If one side is a little wider, remove the basting stitches and adjust. Once you are sure the band is even, you can sew permanent stitches along each end. If your denim is quite thick or you want to remove bulk, grade the seam. Leaving the waistband alone, trim the top edge of the jeans to about 1/4". Press the seams up and trim off the excess zipper tape.

If you haven't interfaced your waistband, you'll want to add a few squares where your button and button hold will go. I mark the locations with a pin and then press interfacing to the waistband and facing on each side.

Flip your waistband inside out and pin closed at the fly, so that all of the seam allowances are facing you. Using a ruler, draw a straight line along the ends of the waistband to align with your fly; this is your sewing guide.

Sew along this guide, trying to get as close as possible to the edge of your fly without actually sewing it. Trim your seam to about 3/8", and cut off an angle along the top corner.

Turn inside out with a corner turner if you have one, and press the waistband flat.

The trickiest thing about sewing your waistband is getting an even, squared off line of topstitching around the finished corners. Use a marking tool if it will help you know where to stop sewing. From the outside, pin your waistband closed, making sure the folded edge of the facing is laying flat inside your jeans.

We are going to start sewing on the left side of the jeans just above the fly topstitching. The facing can be a little fiddly here so pin as necessary to make sure it lays flat. Start sewing about 1/8" away from the edge and backstitch to secure. This part is highly visible so take your time.

Continue sewing all around the entire perimeter of the waistband about 1/8" from the edge, making sure you are catching the facing with your stitching (I try to hold the facing in place with my fingers while I'm sewing). This is a great time to pull out your edge-stitch foot. Try to do this in one step since it's really obvious when you start a new line of topstitching over an old one. When you get to a corner, keep your needle down, raise the presser foot, turn the fabric and continue sewing. At some point you will have the bulk of the fabric on the right side of the needle which is a little annoying. Stitch slowly at this point and try to keep your stitch straight. When you get to the very end, backstitch to secure.

Your waistband is now done!

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

Sewing Side Seams & Back Pockets | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

24 November 2014 by Heather Lou 7 Comments

We are getting close to the finish line; today we'll be sewing our side seams. Can you taste the sweet, sweet victory?

In our last post we assembled our back legs and basted the pockets so everything should be ready to be joined together.

Starting at the inseam, pin the front legs to the back legs, right sides together. Make sure your topstitching is matching at the crotch junction, and then match the notches at the knees, pinning to the ankle. I like to start from the ankle and sew to the crotch for each side. If you've dropped the back saddle like I explained in my pants fitting post, you'll need to ease in the back leg to the front between knee and crotch.

Finish the seam using your preferred finish. If you are zigzagging or serging, you will need to secure this seam down. Press the seam allowance to the front, and sew one line of 1/8" topstitching along the entire length of the front legs.

Now sew your side seams, matching your notches. Finish the seam using your preferred finish. If you haven't tested that the waistband fits, baste it on now before topstitching, just to make sure all is well.

Once you're confident that the fit is good, press each side seam towards the back. To keep this seam in place, and to help strengthen your pockets, we need to topstitch one line of thread here like we did for the inseam. Using a marking tool, locate the bottom of the pocket lining and indicate how long you'd like your bar tack to be. You will sew a line of topstitching and then switch to your bar tack to secure the lining in the seam. Use your hump jumper or a piece of cardboard to stitch over the raised yoke seams.

And that's it for today - I was going to go over securing the back pockets but I think it makes more sense to do that once we've sewn the waistband and can properly assess the fit.

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

Assembling the Back Jeans | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

21 November 2014 by Heather Lou 10 Comments

In our last post, we learned how to install the fly front zipper for our Ginger Jeans. Today is an easier day. We'll be attaching the yoke to the back leg, sewing the center back seam and basting our pockets into place.

To get started, pin each yoke to each leg. The longer side of the yoke is the CB seam, in case you get confused.

One thing to keep in mind is that you want to align your pieces based on where you will be stitching rather than the edges of the fabric. When you line up the pieces based on the seam allowance, you will have little wedges of the yoke that extend past the leg. However, after you sew the line and press your seam allowances down, you should have nice clean lines along the hip and center back.

Once you've sewn both yokes, finish your seam allowance with an overlock, zig zag or flat fell seam finish.

Press your seams down and sew two rows of topstitching along the top edge of your leg.

Normally this is the point at which you would topstitch your back pockets onto the legs. However, since this is likely the first time you've made these jeans, you don't know exactly where you want those pockets yet. Every bum is as unique as its owner, so I prefer to baste the pockets down for the time being. Once the jeans are more fully assembled, we can decide if the location works or not; if we need to move them around a bit, the basting stitches are easy to remove. Check out the post on back pocket placement for tips on how to best flatter your derriere.

Matching the small circle markings that indicate pocket placement, align the back pockets that we assembled earlier in the sewalong and sew a basting line around the sides and bottom of each at 1/4". Keep in mind that the slightly curved pocket edge should be on the center back side.

Once both of your pockets have been basted to each leg, line up the legs along the center back seam and sew at the 5/8" seam allowance. Complete using your seam finish of choice. Again, my serger was having timing issues so please forgive the shoddy serging in the pic below.

Press the seam to the left (or the right on the inside). I like pressing on my sleeve board to get around the crotch curve. Use your clapper if you have one to get those seams nice and flat.

We are going to add two rows of topstitching to this seam. There is a bit of a height difference where the yokes are attached to the legs, so this is when you may want to use your humper jumper or a piece of folded cardboard to help your foot sew an even line. As you approach the seam, prop the back of your foot up with whatever you're using and continue sewing. Remove the humper jumper after you've sewn over the thicker seam.

And voila! You back is now assembled.

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

How to Sew a Fly Front Zipper for Jeans | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

19 November 2014 by Heather Lou 24 Comments

For a lot of people, the scariest thing about making jeans is the fly front. There are a lot of methods for installing them, and not all of them are easy to wrap your head around. We did a lot of research to find the best way to sew the Ginger Jeans fly front zipper, so hopefully these step-by-step photos will show you how easy it is to actually do!

Our method is a bit different than what you may have encountered before. In all our jeans patterns, from Ginger to our Morgan non-stretch jeans, we draft the fly extension into the actual front leg, rather than having it as a separate pattern piece you sew on later. If you're working with a pattern that does not have the fly extension drafted to it, check out our post on sewing a fly front zipper for trousers for instructions on adding it. That method is similar to this one, but the zipper position is reversed since women's trousers traditionally do up on the left side, not the right. However, all jeans zip on the right side regardless of gender (personally I find it so dumb that there is this distinction - can we please just make all coats, shirts and pants do up on the same side?!) I should also point out that if you are struggling with any of this, our Sew Your Dream Jeans online class walks you through all jeans construction from start to finish, and our sister store Core Fabrics has a beautifully curated selection of denim.

HOW TO SEW FLY FRONT ZIPPER

Before we sew our legs together, we need to finish the fly extension of the left leg. The fly extension on the right leg will be trimmed off eventually, so don't worry about it for now. Simply overlock or zig zag around the straight edge and as much of the curve as you safely can on your machine. When I'm serging, I try to fold the crotch curve out of the way and stop just before I reach the seam allowance.

Next, you will be sewing your two pant legs together at the front crotch seam. Starting at the center front notch, baste a straight line to the circle marking next to the bottom of the fly extension. You can draw a line with a ruler if this helps. You want a nice long stitch since you will be removing this stitching once your fly has been installed. When you reach the circle, switch to a medium stitch length, sew a few stitches, and backstitch just to the circle. Continue sewing normally along the 5/8" seam allowance.

Now it's time to cut a notch from the corner where your fly extension meets the regular seam allowance to the circle. Be careful not to cut into your stitching.

Finish that short crotch curve using an overlock or zig zag stitch - be sure to trim down to 3/8". This is the one seam that must be finished this way, even if you are flat felling your seams. Also, I have to apologize for my horrible serging in the following photos. My serger was having major timing issues when I shot this tutorial. Please don't judge me.

Press your fly extension open and your finished seam to the left on the inside.

Flip your jeans to the front, and sew two rows of double stitching to the right of the crotch seam, making sure your fly extension is lying flat and your finished seam is caught in the stitching. You can also sew just 1 row of topstitching along the crotch if you prefer the way it looks. Or, you can wait until your zipper is installed, go back and add the second row and stop sewing at the fly topstitching, finished off with a bar tack. It really is a matter of preference, so take a look at RTW pairs in your closet to see what works for you. I like the double line so that's what I've called for in the pattern.

Now it's time to insert your zipper. In the photos below, I am lining up the left edge of the zipper teeth to the center seam. I shot these pics before I sent the pattern out for testing, and a few people pointed out that they preferred their zipper to be set deeper in the fly so it doesn't peak out at all. If that's the case, align the left edge of your zipper tape to the center seam. Depending on the width of the zipper tape, this will set your zipper into the fly 1/2" - 3/4". It will not affect the size of the waist, just the location of the zipper. Make sure your zipper is face down.

Once your zipper is aligned the way you prefer, pin it into place along the right fly extension only. In general, I line up the bottom of the tape with the bottom of the fly extension. You want at least 1/2" between the bottom of the fly extension and the zipper stop since you will be topstitching here later and you don't want to hit the stop with your needle.

Using a zipper foot, sew close to the zipper teeth, ensuring you are stitching only to the right fly extension. You can sew another row of stitching along the right edge of the tape as well, but it's not mandatory since chances are your zipper tape will wind up being encased by the fly shield later on.

Flip the zipper and the right fly extension under. You will now have a strip of denim to the left of the front of your zipper. You may have a little more width than what you see here depending on where you aligned your zipper tape.

Stitch a line about 1/8" away from the folded edge of this strip using a zipper foot.

Flip your legs back so that the wrong side is facing you. If you grab the zipper and the right fly extension, you'll notice that you can now move it to the left. Fold it to the left as much as it will go without pulling the fabric. Pin it into place.

Sew close to the left edge of the teeth, and sew another row close to the edge of the zipper tape to secure it to the left fly extension only.

Your zipper is now sewn in! Round of applause. Turn your jeans over, and use the fly topstitching guide to trace a line on the front of your pants. Make sure the bottom of this guide is at least 1/2" below your zipper stop while still catching the fly extension below - I like to mark the location of the stop with a pin. It's really important you catch the extension below, or your topstitching won't have enough layers of fabric to stabuilize it. Trace another line 1/4" inside the one you just drew.

With the front of the jeans facing you, topstitch along those guides, making sure your fly extension is laying flat. Sew slowly around the corners, watching the needle rather than the guide to make sure your line has a nice curve. Stop stitching at the center front seam, and backstitch a few times to secure.

Almost there! Before we add our bar tacks to secure the zipper, we need to prepare the fly shield. Fold it right sides together and sew 5/8" along the angled edge. Trim to 3/8", snip the corner and press flat.

If any little corner pieces are peeking out you can snip them too.

Turn your jeans so the wrong side is facing you, and line up the folded edge of the fly shield to the finished edge of the left fly extension. Pin into place.

Depending on where you aligned your zipper tape, you may have to trim off a bit of excess fabric on the right fly extension. If you have a serger, sew the fly shield to the fly extension only, cutting off any excess as you go. If you're using a regular machine, you can finish this edge with a zigzag or overlock stitch, or wrap it in some bias tape. Again, please ignore my horrible serging below. Damn serger timing!

If you're serging, use a large darning needle to weave your thread tail back into your serged stitch so it doesn't unravel on you later.

From the front of your jeans, mark where you'd like your bar tacks to go. I generally sew them just above the where the topstitching curves, and just below the zipper stop. If you have any wonky topstitiching on your curve, you can hide it with some bar tacks!

Practice some bar tacks until you get the tension and width right. You can use regular thread in your bobbin, but you may have to tweak the tension to get a nice even stitch. I set my stitch length to .5 and my zig zag width to 1.5-2, which gives me a dense, strong bar tack. You basically want the same stitch you use for buttonholes here, so check your machine buttonhole function to get the right settings. When stitching, make sure your fly shield is lying flat - the bar tacks will help secure it in place.

Remove your basted stitching along the center front seam using a seam ripper to just above your topstitched lines.

AND YOU'RE DONE!! It can be a little confusing at first but once you get a handle on it, it becomes second nature.

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

Assembling Jeans Pockets | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

17 November 2014 by Heather Lou 12 Comments

Last week we cut out all of our pieces, and today we are going to start assembling the front pockets. If you haven't basted your pieces together yet to test the fit, you can wait until after your front pockets are done - worst case scenario you have to take the hip or waist in a little and this way you can do it in one fell swoop.

When we left off on Friday, we had pressed the top edges of our three pockets down. Today we're going to start by topstitching them to get this step out of the way. Following my suggestions for getting straight double rows of topstitching, sew along the tops of your coin and back pockets.

Once stitched, we are going to press all the raw sides in. We won't be working with the back pockets for a while after this, but it's nice to just get this step out of the way. Using a seam gauge or ruler, press the three unfinished sides of the back pocket in 1/2" and press. One side of your pocket has a slight curve so make sure you are not pressing it flat! Also press the straight side of your coin pocket.

You can see in the above photo that the raw edge of the folded seam peeks out a little. Snip those corners at 45 degrees.

You can now put your back pockets off to the side, since today we will be focusing on the front pockets. Align your coin pocket on your right pocket facing, matching the little circle marking with the corner of the pocket and pin into place. After pinning, topstitch the straight edge to your facing, making sure you backstitch at the top to secure.

Now finish the raw edges of both pocket facings, either using an overlock or zig zag stitch. If your pieces get a little wavy around the edges, pressing them with some steam will flatten them out.

Once the edges are finished, pin your facings to the wrong side of your lining. The right side should be visible when you're putting them on - no use in wasting a pretty print inside a pocket! You are going to sew all around the edge of the facing. On the outside edges sew inside your seam allowance at around 1/2". Then sew close to the edge of the curved part of your facing. Since you are stitching a stretch fabric to a non-stretch fabric, your seams may pucker a little bit. If it bugs you, you can use a walking foot. I should have done that in this case. Please forgive my puckers.

Your pocket linings should now look like this.

It can be a little confusing to figure out which lining goes where. Hopefully this picture helps.

Flip the lining over so that the curved edge of the pocket opening matches the pocket opening on the front leg. Pin into place and stitch. I am using the right leg as an example here but repeat this step for each side to reduce switching from regular to topstitching thread.

Clip into the curve without snipping into your stitch line. I like to clip about every half inch or so I get a nice smooth curve. Flip the lining in and press the pocket nice and flat.

Once the lining has been attached to each leg, it's time to sew a double row of topstitching around the curved pocket edge. Sew carefully and as accurately as possible to get nice even lines. Be mindful of your lining as you are sewing. If it's not laying flat while you are sewing it will peek out after you've completed your topstitching.

Now it's time to finish the raw edge of the pocket lining. Fold your pocket lining over and align the bottom edge.You can do a french seam here if you like, but I am going to show you a serging trick to prevent this seam from unravelling. Start at the folded edge of the pocket. Once you serge a few stitches, raise the presser foot, bring the thread chain over, and align with your stitch line. You should be able to serge over your thread chain, thus preventing it from unraveling over time. The other end of your serging will be caught in a sewn seam so you don't have to worry about locking it in place.

Now that the bottom of the pocket is sewn, baste the top and side edges of your lining to the leg inside your seam allowance. If your pocket is a little wavy, give it a nice press so it lays flat.

If you are doing a pocket stay like we discussed last week, the process is a little different. You will follow the same steps to attach your facings to your linings, but I like to enclose the seams rather than leave them raw. Simple serge the lining pieces right sides together, flip right side out and press.

Once the top and bottom linings have been attached, sew your lining to your front leg as outlined above for the regular pocket lining. Once they have been topstitched into place, baste the lining to your leg by sewing about 1/2" around the sides, top and fly extension.

That's it for today! Now is a great time to baste everything together to check the fit. You should do this every time you make jeans, even if you've mastered the fit on a previous pair. Denim varies a lot and if you're working with something particularly, stretchy, it's better to find out before you start finishing your side seams. To test baste, use your longest stitch length and sew the yokes to the back legs, the back crotch seam, the inseams, the side seams, and attach your waistband (very important to prevent the waist from stretching out). You can catch a lot of possible issues at this stage and correct for many of them. Check the pants fitting guide if you need a little help working out issues.

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

Cutting and Prepping Denim | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

14 November 2014 by Heather Lou 21 Comments

And heeeeeere we go! It's finally time to get cracking on our Ginger Jeans. First things first, you'll want to print out your pattern and assemble it. If you'd like help doing that you can check out my pdf printing guide. I highly suggest you cut your sheets with an exacto knife and a ruler - it shouldn't take long at all. Remember that you only need to cut the right and bottom edge, since you want an edge to glue or tape your pieces to. Please note that I have organized the pattern so that everything fits on two columns of paper, two sheets wide. You don't need to glue or tape along the centre seam since there is nothing dissecting that line - should make the process much faster to assemble!

To figure out your size, take a look at the sizing chart. The Ginger jeans have approximately 1" negative ease in the hip, and I would say that the fit is somewhat generous in the bum and thigh, but quite snug around the calf for version 2. If you are in between hip sizes, you shouldn't have a problem simply going down a size unless your denim isn't very stretchy. Be mindful of the waist - I would not suggest going down a size here. It occurs to me that despite my exhaustive prep for this sewalong I haven't prepared any photos for grading between sizes. Just keep in mind that the widest part of the hip is at the crotch pivot point if you need a reference for grading.

If you'd like to make the stovepipe leg skinnier for View A, rather than printing both versions and tracing the leg shape, check out Betsy's post on properly drafting a skinny leg. Basically you want to take an equal amount off of all seams. Taking approximately 1/2" off each seam, grading to just above the knee should give you the desired effect.

PREPPING FABRIC

Before we get started, make sure you have washed and ironed your denim (see the post on sourcing denim if you need more advice on how to care for your fabric). Once you have your pattern pieces cut out and ready to go, it's time to start a cuttin'.

I highly suggest taking the time to cut your leg pieces on a single layer of denim. It's less critical for the smaller pieces, but it really helps avoid leg twist. If you've never bought a pair of jeans that twist around your calve, consider yourself lucky. It's a pretty common issue with twill, since the fabric wants to pull in the direction of the weave (unless you are sewing with broken twill, as we discussed). To help prevent leg twist, the best way to layout your pieces is front leg, back leg, front leg turned 180 degrees, back leg turned 180 degrees (make sure these last two are also flipped wrong side up so you're not cutting the same leg twice!) There is a complicated technical reason for this you can read about here, but suffice to say, I have not had a single issue with leg twisting since implementing this style of cutting.

It is really hard to visually spot the grainline on denim since the weave is diagonal. I've found the simplest way to find the grainline is to use a quilting ruler and line up my selvedge and the grainline on the pattern piece.

Hold your pattern down with some weights or soup cans or whatever you have, and trace around the front and back leg pieces with some tailors chalk or a Clover Chaco Pen (I will never stop raving about how amazing this tool is, especially for pattern tracing!) I extend the notches onto the outside denim so I know where to cut later. Make sure you note any other construction markings like so:

Once you have your first front and back leg traced, start on the other side of the denim and line up your pieces again, this time turned 180 degrees and flipped upside down. Depending on your size and the width of the denim you may be able to squeeze these all in next to each other. I use a yardstick and a pen to trace the grainline on a hard surface. When you turn it wrong side up you should be able to see the grainline depression on your paper.

Once all four pieces are traced, you can cut out your legs with rotary cutters or scissors - make sure you clip 1/4" into each notch.

With your legs cut out, use the leftover denim to cut your remaining pieces. Facings and pockets can be cut on doubled fabric if you'd prefer to just weigh them down and zip around with a rotary cutter. The waistband should be cut on the fold - ignore what it looks like below because I updated the pattern piece after shooting this. Remember you only have to cut one each of the fly shield and coin pocket.

WAISTBAND OPTIONS

Traditional wisdom says that the lengthwise grain is the most stable and thus the best option for waistbands. I've come to disagree after reading this excellent post on Fashion Incubator. Basically, denim shrinks more on the lengthwise grain, so it is better to cut it on the crosswise. If you're stabilizing it with fusible, it doesn't make that much difference in the end. Cutting it on the fold ensures your waistband will shrink at the same rate as your legs (which shouldn't really shrink at all if you're washing them in cold water and avoiding the dryer, ahem).

I've always been finicky about how waistbands feel in jeans, so I've experimented with a few options. If you want something soft and non binding, use two layers of denim and don't stabilize. If you want something that will hold it's shape and stay put over the course of the day, stabilize with a medium weight fusible and use lining or denim for your facing. If you want something in between, don't stabilize at all and use a non-stretch cotton lining. This is my preferred choice for the high-waisted version where I want a little stability but don't want anything really digging into my tummy when I sit down.

LINING

You can use any non-stretch, lightweight fabric you want for your pocket lining (and waistband facing if you are going that route). This is the perfect time to pull out your scrap bag and have fun with colour and texture.

FUSIBLE INTERFACING

For your fusible interfacing, use something medium weight. I always just use whatever I have in my stash; as long as it's not too lightweight it will do the trick. Since the point of the interfacing here is to prevent stretching, you don't need a knit fusible interfacing.

Once you've cut your interfacing, let's take a little time and apply it to your pieces now. Apply the long strips of interfacing to the top edges of your coin and back pockets, and your waistband if you are interfacing it.

We will also press our pocket edges so we are ready to go when it's time to sew them. Using a seam gauge or ruler. press the top edges of your pocket down 3/4". Press the raw edge under about 1/4".

Attach the crotch extension interfacing to each front leg. Ensure your mark for the crotch pivot point is visible on each side.

And that's it for today! All your pieces are now cut and ready to be assembled.

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

Personalizing Your Jeans | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

10 November 2014 by Heather Lou 21 Comments

One of the best things about making your own jeans is the endless ways you can make them uniquely you. Having fun with the details of your Ginger Jeans makes them even more personal and exciting to wear. Here are a few suggestions.

WAX ON, WAX OFF

Image source: Get Plenty

Waxed jeans were all the rage last year, and since you are making your own, you don't need to pay $200 to get your hands on a pair (lucky you). It's a very simple process that creates a waterproof, leather-like finish to denim. You'll need a large bar of Otter Wax (also available at Thread Theory) and a hair dryer. Once your jeans have been sewn, use light to medium pressure while rubbing the wax on the entire surface of the front of your jeans. They'll feel pretty sticky until you use a hair dryer to melt the wax and let it soak into the denim. Repeat for the back side. Once your jeans have gotten the full Brazilian, hang them to cure for 24 hours; you can also rapid-cure them in the freezer. One thing to note is that regular laundry soap will strip the wax right off. You'll want to minimize washing (throw 'em in the freezer to kill the stink) or turn them inside out and wash on the gentle cycle in cold water with Dr. Bronner's or another gentle castile soap to protect teh finish. If you have any wax left, hang on to it if you need to do touch-ups down the road.

ADD A FLY FRONT

NF-buttons-770x515 — Image source: Rawr Denim

The zipper hadn't been invented when Levi Strauss invented jeans, and for denim purists, a button fly is the only way to go. If you want to add a classic vintage touch to your Gingers (or if you can't find a metal zipper), check out Peter's button fly post on Male Pattern Boldness for a great DIY tutorial.

PLAY WITH BACK POCKET EMBROIDERY

I like my back pockets like I like my make-up routine: uncomplicated. That said, there is a whole wide world of options out there if you want to embroider something fun on your bum. A google or Pinterest search will give you a million ideas, but I also love the Jean Pocket Project. They have photos of pocket designs for dozens of cult denim brands. A great place to find inspiration! Just make sure you interface the pocket where your design will go - otherwise your stitching will stretch out and not look very pretty.

ADD AN ANKLE ZIP

Add ankle zip to Ginger Jeans — Source: Barefoot Blonde

For my next pair of jeans, I want to do a waxed, cropped, super skinny mid-rise using black denim with ankle zippers, for all the obvious reasons. Adding zips at the ankle is actually quite easy. Before you sew your side seams, figure out where your zipper will start at the ankle and, if you're serging your seams, stop a few inches above the start of the zipper. You'll still need to finish the raw edges, but you want to be able to fold your side seams flat to properly install the zip. There is a good DIY tutorial here if you need a little more help.

FUN WITH THE GUTS

One super easy way to make your jeans a true extension of yourself is to have fun with the insides. You'll need a little bit of cotton lining for your pockets (and possibly your waistband) so why not choose something pretty? This is a great way to use up scraps, and they'll make you smile every time you put them on (Suzy used donut print quilting cotton and I just about died). I'm also partial to contrasting serger thread. Since you're sewing a straight seam on your sewing machine first, the thread won't peak through. You can also choose to use some contrast bias tape around the fly shield and pockets, like Reana did on her pair of Maritime shorts.

DISTRESS YOUR DENIM

DIY distressed denim for Ginger Jeans sewalong — Source

Full disclosure: I am way too emotionally attached to my me-made jeans to take a razor or cheesegrater to them, and I like the way jeans age organically. But, if you want to take some shortcuts and like your jeans to look a little more weathered, you can totally DIY it. There are zillions of online tutorials: see here, here, here and here.

Some basic rules:

Test before you distress! Each denim will respond differently to being manipulated, so sew a sample seam and experiment before you go at your Gingers.
Distress before you topstitch. You will destroy your topstitching if you sand them after the seam has been finished.
For a faded, worn in look, use medium grit sandpaper (150-220) on a block and gently rub it on the locations where you want to create a little dimension (center of thighs, calves, bum). Use the edge of the block to sand your seams and pocket edges before you've topstitched them.
For a "whiskering" effect, crumple the fabric and sand it. This is kind of risky so I would definitely test the effect first!
If you want to create a really distressed, ripped up look, you'll be working with sandpaper, an exacto knife and a cheesegrater. See any of the tutorials I linked to above for help getting the torn-up "I AM rock n' roll" look.

Finally, why not embroider a kind message to yourself in your jeans? If your sewing machine can stitch letters, it would be pretty rad to write something only you can see on the waistband facing - like a positive affirmation but not lame. For my next pair, I'm sewing "BABY GOT BACK" on the insides.

There we have it - a lot of interesting ways you can play and have fun with this pattern. I'm super excited to see what you guys come up with. Any other possible denim modifications I left out? Let me know in the comments!

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

Sourcing Jean-Making Hardware and Supplies | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

4 November 2014 by Heather Lou 21 Comments

Hola amigas! Today we are talking denim supplies. You could probably make a basic pair of jeans with what you currently have in your sewing arsenal, but there are a few tools and additional pieces of hardware that makes the process a little easier, and your jeans a little more professional looking.

THE BASICS

Rotary Cutter - you can totally use a pair of shears for this pattern (especially if you're tracing your pieces before cutting) but when I'm feeling lazy I use my beloved Olfa Cutter.
Glass Head Pins - you will do a lot of pinning with Ginger and it helps to have pins you can iron over without fear.
Marking tool - my preferred method for cutting this pattern is tracing around the pieces with this amazing Clover chaco pen. It has a little serrated wheel inside it and it's the easiest way I've found to make pronounced (but washable) markings.
Denim needles - having a few of these is a lifesaver in case you break some. You can use heavier weight universal needles, but denim needles are specifically designed to sew through heavy twill. I use size 16, but if you're sewing a super heavy duty denim you're better off with size 18. You can also buy denim double needles, but they are pretty pricey and you'll cry if they break. I prefer just taking the time to sew two rows of topstitching.
Shears - nice and sharp to prevent fraying!

THE EXTRAS

Tailor's Clapper- this is a tiny, unassuming miracle. I wish I'd bought mine years ago - it really makes the most beautiful, flat seams. After you're done pressing a seam, you hold the clapper on it - it locks all the moisture and heat into the fabric. It's especially helpful sewing jeans since your seams can get quite bulky, but I also use my clapper in my daily sewing practice. You can also DIY your own with a scrap of hardwood.
Hump jumper- this little piece of plastic looks weird and has a silly name, but I use it all the time when I am sewing over thick bumpy areas like belt hooks or side seams. As you are approaching a "level change", you put the hump jumper under the back of your presser foot to lift the foot to the same height as whatever you are sewing over. After you sew past the high point, you slide the hump jumper out. You can also use a folded piece of cardboard in a pinch.
Presser feet - Full disclosure, I use my regular foot for all topstitching, so there is no need to buy additional ones. However, if you have an edgestitch foot, you can use the central guide to help keep your lines straight. You'll also need a zipper and buttonhole foot.
Awl - another indispensable general purpose tool I wish I had much earlier. This is a sharp, pointed tool that makes perfect holes for your denim buttons and rivets. You can also use a hammer and nail, but I think this is a more elegant solution.
Point turner- really helpful when you are trying to make even corners on your waistband.

ZIPPER

You definitely want to source an all metal denim zipper for your Gingers. Regular zippers are just not strong enough and will inevitably break under their denim burden.

Denim zippers generally come in two gauges - #4.5 and #5. The #4.5 is slightly lighter weight and may also be called a metal pants zipper. I used YKK zippers exclusively so I can't say if it's the same with other companies, but the #4.5 may also have a narrower zipper tape. Unless you are sewing with denim over 12oz, you are fine to use the #4.5. I prefer it because the zipper pull is less bulky and the narrower tape makes it easier to line up with your enter front seam when you install the fly front.

THREAD

I prefer Guterman topstitching thread since they have so many colour options, but any good quality topstitching thread will do. I would get at least 200 yards just to be safe. I've seen some great jeans that use two alternating colours for the topstitching, so buy a few hues if you want to personalize your jeans a little more.

You'll also need a spool of regular thread to match your denim for sewing all the seams. If you are serging your seams, I recommend using a fun colour in your serger. It's a nice detail that only you can see.

JEANS BUTTONS

Jeans buttons are a very durable pants closure. You create a hole in your waistband to put the metal post into. You then hammer the button into place. You should be able to find these at your local chain fabric store, but they generally only carry the plastic ones, which are cheap and not meant to last. I highly suggest you get some all metal buttons - I will provide sources further down in the post. Finishes are generally nickel, brass or copper.

RIVETS

Rivets are awesome. They help strengthen seams at points of stress, and make your handmade jeans look really professional. They are also really fun to install. There are generally two kinds: ring and nipple. Unless you have a rivet press, I would not suggest using nipple rivets. They are hard to install without special equipment. Ring rivets, however, can be installed using nothing but a hammer and cast iron frying pan (as we will see later).

Depending on where you buy your rivets, the backs will be either a hollow or solid metal post. I prefer the solid posts since they are easier to cut down to match the thickness of your denim. If you are planning on installing rivets you'll also have to pick up a wire cutter to trim them down.

Most of the sources below are for commercial quality hardware. You can also buy the kits at your local fabric store but I've never used them so I don't how the quality compares.

RIVET AND DENIM BUTTON SOURCES

- Tailor Taylor - this is a great source for all of your denim making needs; Tailor also carries zippers and topstitching thread. I've ordered rivets and buttons here and can vouch for the excellent quality.
- Cast Bullet - I haven't personally ordered from this company but I've heard great things about the quality. Lots of finish options.
- Grommet Mart - only for bulk orders but they also carry machines to install rivets and buttons.
- Thread Theory - They stock two different hardware and zipper kits - I love the colours!
- M. Recht (AUS) - This company has a great selection of rivets and buttons.
- Jaycotts (UK) - Kits only.
- Minerva Crafts (UK) - Kits only.

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

Understanding and Buying Denim Fabric | Ginger Jeans Sewalong

3 November 2014 by Heather Lou 54 Comments

I truly believe jeans get an unfair rep for being "scary" to make. The reality is, if you can sew a straight line, you can make jeans. You don't need a fancy machine or years of experience and chances are you already have a lot of what you need to get started. In this post, we'll be covering a bit of jeans history before we jump into where to source denim for sewing your own Ginger Jeans.

Jeans History

Jeans have a fascinating origin. They were invented by Levi Strauss during the California Gold Rush in the 19th century. He was an entrepreneurial genius - he saw the need for durable, rugged work wear that could withstand the rigors of gold mining, and developed most of the typical details we equate with jeans; metal rivets, functional pockets, durable topstitching and bar tacks at areas that see a lot of stress. The first jeans were made from a cotton canvas called "serge de Nîmes" which Strauss imported from France and dyed a deep indigo (de Nîmes = denim, get it?)

Even after the Gold Rush ended, jeans remained a part of the American lexicon - they became the uniform of cowboys and working men, a symbol of sweat and hard work. It wasn't until the 1950's that jeans came to signify something else; with the advent of youth culture and rock and roll, jeans became rebellious. Wearing a pair was a way to subvert the conformity expected at the time. It was the fashion choice of beatniks, punks, musicians and later, hippies and feminists.

Over time, jeans have become an irrevocable part of American fashion. I would argue that they may be the most iconic stylistic innovation to ever emerge from the US, and they are now worn every day by every imaginable sector of society. They are no longer a symbol of non-conformity, but they are still one of the most functional and stylish articles of clothing we can choose to put on in the morning.

In the late 70's, a designer named Peter Golding started blending denim with lycra. Adding stretch to denim made it possible to create a much tighter, more body conscious fit, and his innovation sparked a revolution in denim that eventually led to jeggings, which is a boon or a bane depending on your point of view. Most women's jeans now include some degree of lycra, which is what we'll be looking for when sourcing fabric for our Ginger Jeans.

Stretch Denim for Ginger

You can make your Gingers from any stretch woven fabric - if it contains lycra it will work, although a higher percentage of lycra means you will likely have to go down a size. I am going to focus on actual denim since it's become a bit of an obsession of mine over the past few months.

Any stretch denim will work for this pattern. Two percent lycra is the ideal ratio. One percent will work as well, although they may not have quite as much give. I've also made pairs with upwards of 10% lycra, although I had to go down a size or two in the hips and legs. You're looking for denim that has approximately 15-20% crosswise stretch - if it has more or less you will likely be modifying the sizing. Although most of us generally dislike polyester, seeing it in denim is actually not a bad thing. It helps prevent it from stretching out too much with wear.

Here's the thing about denim; it stretches out. It just does. It's in the nature of the twill weave to relax over time. You can get around it a little by sourcing really high quality denim which will stretch less, but no pair of jeans, no matter what it's made of, will look exactly the same 12 hours after you started wearing them. If you want a super snug fit, make a size smaller. The waistband should be snug without creating crazy muffin top, and the legs should fit very close to the skin. These will relax over the day into a more natural fit. The Ginger Jeans run on the generous side to accommodate as many bodies and types of denim available, but going down a size is suggested if you want to minimize stretching.

When sourcing your denim, some retailers will list the weight of denim. I suggest using 7-12 oz denim for your Gingers. Lighter, drapier denims should only be used for the skinny leg version - you want something with a little more heft if you are making the stovepipe leg. Anything over 12oz may be too thick for this pattern - since the cut is so closefitting, you want to be able to move around!

Whatever you use, if it's your first time making the pattern I highly suggest making a muslin. Ordering a few extra yards for this purpose is wise.

Understanding Denim Weave

Traditional fabric is woven using a 1x1 ratio, which means there is one weft for every warp thread. Denim twill uses a 2x1 or 3x1 ratio, which means there are more warp threads for every weft thread (generally the 3x1 is for denim above 10.5oz ). The weave is staggered to create the diagonal pattern you probably equate with denim.

The most common weave is Right Hand Twill. This creates a diagonal pattern that starts in the bottom left and moves up to the top right. Less common is Left Hand Twill, where the diagonal starts in the bottom right and moves up to the top left of the fabric.

If you come upon a denim that doesn't have this diagonal pattern, it is called broken twill. The diagonal threads alternate to create a zig zag pattern. Why is this important? Broken twill was developed to prevent leg twist. While there are ways to cut your pieces to minimize this phenomenon with traditional denim, a broken twill will not twist around your leg since it doesn't have the mechanical weave pulling it in any one particular direction.

Occasionally you may come across the term "slub" denim. This means that the warp thread is not an even thickness throughout, and creates a textured finish in the denim.

Most commercially available denim comes undistressed - if you want to add some dimension to your jeans you'll have to do it yourself. I'll be covering this in the sewalong!

Sourcing Denim Fabric

The best quality denim in the world comes from Japan, Italy, and Turkey. Most American mills are now closed with the vast majority of denim being produced overseas. Unfortunately, most fabric stores don't list the source but smaller retailers may be able to tell you where their denim comes from. If you can't identify where it comes from, I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. Try to find something that has decent recovery and you should be okay. If you can get your hands on the denim in person, try tugging and pulling on it. If it more or less springs back to it's original shape, it means the recovery is good. Cheaper quality denim is likely to bag out at the knee and may stretch with wear. If this is what you're working with, you may want to go down a size in anticipation.

Where to Buy Denim Fabric

Our sister brand Core Fabrics always has a wide variety of denim fabrics in stock. I personally hand-pick each denim we carry based on quality and the mill that produced it so you can always count on excellent quality from us.

Caring For Denim

You definitely want to pre-wash your denim before you cut out your pieces. You want to remove the chemical sizing and soften up the fabric - it's often quite stiff off the roll. If you plan on putting your finished jeans in the dryer, you should dry your denim to pre-shrink them as much as possible BUT.... keep in mind that heat is the enemy of lycra. If you want your jeans to last as long as possible, you should air dry them whenever possible.

Wash the raw denim with a cup of vinegar to prevent bleeding. You should also add vinegar to each wash for your completed pairs. And ix-nay on the fabric softener - it's really hard on the lycra. If you want to preserve the dye, try not to wash them too frequently and when you do, turn them inside out. I try to get at least 4 wears out of my jeans before washing them. If you want to be really hardcore about it, you can throw them in the freezer whenever they get stinky.

Finally, I read an interview with a Levi's designer who said she put baby oil on her legs every time she wore her jeans. It apparently gives them a sheen over time - something to try!

If you’d like more help sewing professional-looking jeans, consider taking our online video class. The Sew Your Dream Jeans Workshop will give you the tools and techniques to design, sew, and wear your very own custom pair of jeans with confidence.

SIGN UP FOR JEAN-MAKING WORKSHOP

Pattern Debut: Ginger Skinny Jeans

23 October 2014 by Heather Lou 146 Comments

I'd like to introduce you to my new best friend: meet Ginger. She's been a constant presence in my life for the last 4 months, something I've obsessed over, dreamed of, fell asleep thinking about. Like many great romances, this affair was all the more intense due to many fruitless years searching for "the one".

The one perfect pair of jeans.

I think a lot of us are searching for the one. The one that hits at just the right place on the hip. The one that clings just right. The one that looks as good with a t-shirt and Chuck Taylors as it does with a blazer and a pair of heels. The one that we reach for every day, knowing it will always make us love our butts.

Like Nettie and the Bombshell, Ginger was born when I couldn't find a great 5 pocket skinny jeans pattern. The patterns I did find required major redrafting, or were so lacking in practical instructions that it required reading 20 blog posts to figure out the basics of jeans construction. I started tinkering with a jeans draft, and came up with something that I think is super flattering and flexible, along with writing really clear, detailed instructions that will allow any level of sewist to make a pair of perfect custom fit jeans.

View A is a low-rise stovepipe jean. It sits a few inches below the belly button, but has a higher rise in the back so you don't have to worry about peekabooty when you bend down. It features a narrow back yoke, and slightly curved back pockets to highlight the bum's natural curve. The legs are narrow but not super tight; this option is divine in a medium to heavy weight stretch denim.

View B of Ginger is a treat; a sexy, 70's inspired high-rise jean with a modern cut. It features a skinny, "jegging" style leg, along with slightly elongated back pockets to avoid the dreaded mom butt. These sit around your belly button. While I was developing this pattern, I found that jeans that ended too high on the waist were not designed for sitting (or eating, haha) so View B has a medium high rise that still let you feel comfortable, although these can be very easily modified to sit higher if you desire. They are super flattering and easy to wear; all my testers who chose to make this version looked like total knockouts (bombshells, even!)

The Ginger Jeans pattern is designed to be made with stretch denim. I recommend anything with at least 2% lycra. I've successfully made pairs with 1% lycra, although the fit is a little more snug. Similarly, anything with more stretch will work great as well, but may require going down a size. These fit with zero ease at the waist, and minus 1" ease at the hip. I could have made them even snugger, but since there is so much variation with denim I felt it best to play it somewhat safe with sizing. I highly recommend you baste together your pieces before finishing your seams to get the exact fit you want. If you have shapely calves, you'll want to definitely test that View B gives you enough room in the leg.

I also want to make a special note about fitting... I know pants fitting gets a bad rep, but fitting stretch denim is MUCH easier than traditional non-stretch fabric. Most of my testers got a good fit off the bat without much fiddling. Rest assured, we will cover everything you'll need to know to get a great fit in the sewalong.

DENIM KITS

Now here is something I'm REALLY excited to offer you. I am collaborating with Jennifer over at Workroom Social to produce exclusive denim kits for your Ginger Jeans. These include everything you need to make TWO pairs of jeans! I went deep down the denim rabbit hole when I was in the research stage of this pattern. As most of you have probably discovered, jeans live and die by the quality of the denim. If you've ever bought a pair of cheap jeans only to find them 2 sizes too big at the end of the day, you know exactly what I mean. I looked into what my favourite cult denim brands were using for fabric, and discovered one of the greatest denim manufacturers in the world.

Cone Mills is an American company that has been making denim for over 120 years. They recently patented a denim process that weaves cotton and polyester together to make incredibly strong, resilient stretch denim with amazing recovery. It's called S-Gene, and it is not available in fabric stores since Cone Mills only supplies to the commercial industry (you can read more about S-gene denim here). I tracked down a source and have made over 8 pairs of jeans using this stuff. It's fabulous. As I type, I am wearing the low-waisted jeans you saw above. I've had them on for three days straight and they still look and fit great! This is the same type of denim used by companies like Imogene + Willie, whose jeans retail for over $200 US.

I wanted to be able to offer this denim to you as well. Unfortunately yardage is limited, so if you'd like to purchase a kit, you'll have to do it quickly to guarantee you can get your hands on one. We are offering these as a pre-sale. This means when the sale is over on October 31 we will then gather what we need to fulfill your orders; you can expect to receive your Ginger kit in December.

The kit includes the following:

A pdf copy of the Ginger Jeans Pattern
2 1/2 yards of 11.5 oz dark indigo S-gene denim (the same fabric I used in View A above). I'm calling this denim "winter weight". It's on the heavier side, but still has a good amount of stretch (92% cotton, 6% polyester, 2% lycra)
2 1/2 yards of 9.5 oz indigo S-gene denim. This is a medium weight denim with slightly more stretch than the above and a little more white running through the grain (89% cotton, 8% polyester, 3% lycra)
8 x high quality metal rivets in copper
8 x high quality metal rivets in bronze
1 x jean button in copper
1 x jean button in antique bronze
3 x Schmetz denim needles
1 x spool of Gutterman denim topstitching thread in your choice of gold or copper (328 yards)
1 x 7" navy YKK denim zipper
1 x 9" navy YKK denim zipper

We are giving you hardware in two finishes, but you'll have to decide between bronze and gold topstitching thread when you place your order. Your pdf pattern will arrive immediately in your inbox, and we will message you in December when your kit is on its way! You have until next Friday to place an order, unless we sell out before then. We are shipping from New York, so shipping rates within the US should be affordable (we are also happy to ship internationally). Since you are buying everything in one shot, you will be be able to save money by not shipping from several suppliers.

SEWALONG

I know many of us fear making jeans. It can seem a little overwhelming at first, but I PROMISE you, it is 100% something you can do. And you'll have fun! Making jeans is so incredibly satisfying and you'll get to learn some new skills. One of my testers successfully made a pair of Gingers and it was only her 8th make! If Sena can do it, so can you! Plus, the street cred you'll get from family and friends for making your own jeans is pretty priceless.

While the included instructions for this pattern are very comprehensive, there are a lot of things I wanted to expand upon. The sewalong will not only include step by step instructions on making jeans, but also lots of information on things like sourcing materials, fitting, pattern hacking, distressing denim, back pocket placement for maximum booty goodness, etc. I will be starting the sewalong the second week of November if you'd like help making your very own jeans. We'll have a blast, pinky swear.

NAMESAKE

Finally, I am continuing the Nettie tradition by naming this pattern after one of the many sewists who inspire me. You likely all know Sonja from Ginger Makes. She's a wise-cracking, whipsmart ball of positive energy, and over the last few years she's become a great friend. When Ginger started taking shape, Sonja was on my mind. She wears skinny jeans all the time, but has said on more than one occasion that she was intimidated by jeans making. I knew she could do it, and figured the best way to get her to tackle jeans was to name some after her (hee hee). The universe must have approved, because her first pair fit her pretty much perfectly right outta the gate.... Big love to Ginger/Sonja for encouraging me through this process. She was the perfect muse!

So that about winds it up for this post. If you can't tell, I'm pretty passionate about this pattern. I got to see some gorgeous Gingers from my testers over the past few weeks and I think you guys will really dig making them. You can purchase Ginger here and the kit here. Just a heads-up that my new webstore now takes Paypal so you no longer have to use Etsy if you want to pay with that method. Let me know if you run into any problems on the site since I only switched platforms a few days ago.

I'm so excited to hear what you think! Any questions? I'll answer in the comments below.

SIZE CHART VS. FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

USING EXISTING JEANS TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIZE

ADDITIONAL FINISHED GARMENT MEASUREMENTS FOR GINGER JEANS

GRADING BETWEEN SIZES

ADDING REVERSE BACK POCKETS

GINGER GRAND PRIZE

MOST CREATIVE GINGERS PRIZE

HOW TO SEW FLY FRONT ZIPPER

PREPPING FABRIC

WAISTBAND OPTIONS

LINING

FUSIBLE INTERFACING

WAX ON, WAX OFF

ADD A FLY FRONT

PLAY WITH BACK POCKET EMBROIDERY

ADD AN ANKLE ZIP

FUN WITH THE GUTS

DISTRESS YOUR DENIM

THE BASICS

THE EXTRAS

ZIPPER

THREAD

JEANS BUTTONS

RIVETS

RIVET AND DENIM BUTTON SOURCES

Jeans History

Stretch Denim for Ginger

Understanding Denim Weave

Sourcing Denim Fabric

Where to Buy Denim Fabric

Caring For Denim

DENIM KITS

SEWALONG

NAMESAKE

Elevated sewing patterns to create the wardrobe of your dreams.

Navigate

Support

Get Sew Inspired