UFO sewing,Burda 6855 again,recycle, sewing sideways and inspiration. All in one!

Burda 6855 again was almost bound to be another UFO but I gathered up the will and somehow got them done. I'm so glad I did. They fit perfect and I know I will wear them often.

Okay- things got so out of control in the sewing room, I couldn't even find my cutting table! Every time I wanted to work on some thing I had to move my cutting mat off the table which was piled high with this project. All the prep work was done, I just had to hunker down. It just seemed too daunting. All that top stitching and a zip and rivets......bla! When in the beginning I had so much enthusiasm.

I had been inspired by this lady's pair of pants. I snapped a pic when she was heading out the door of my fave fabric store- Fabricana. What I liked was the camo fabric mixed with denim.

 

I had a pair of Miss Me camo linen shorts that I wore for years.... I loved them but some how they grew about 4 sizes to small for me and yet I still could not bare to throw them out. I knew I wanted to recycle them so this was my new brain wave.

I've made this pattern a few times so I knew it would fit. I used a medium/heavy weight stretch denim that I've had for eons. The camo shorts were mostly pockets and the larger portions were quite thread bare so I had to settle for small details with the linen.

I added a strip to one back pocket and used a fancy stitch to applique it on.

 

Lola motivated me by keeping a watchful eye on things.

 

It's difficult to make perfect top stitching when she has to sit on everything while I'm working....wouldn't have it any other way!

As I mentioned there was not a lot of fabric. I really wanted a camo cuff like my inspiration lady's. No such luck. What I did manage was to cover up the white serger thread on the roll ups.

I had already sewn up the legs and top stitched at this point, so how was I going to do this? Then I remembered I had this sideways sewing ( multi directional) feature on my machine. Bingo! That worked well.

I Camoed a few random belt loops with fancy stitching. And added a useless decorative tab to one pocket,

.

Popped on a few rivets while watching the Grammys.

Snap closure. Done.

Additions- I added a non stretch tummy panel. Helps to hold it in. I used 1/4 inch seam allowances on the waist band to make it wider.

The only things I wished I would have done was two rows of top stitching on the back pockets and added a coin pocket with rivets to the front. Now I'm just being lazy.

Jeans can be hard work but worth it in the end. This project felt very rewarding.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Maureen.

 

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Making Jeans- My way. Part 2

I know in my last post I was all about my boot cut , dark denim jeans and now I'm making skinnys??? What? I'm still on my quest to make a great fitting pair of pants that I can just whip up in a day or two. I figure if I can morph together all the things I love from these pant experiences into one pattern, at the end of it all I will have my go to TNT!

Enter Burda 6855!!!!!

 

These are the first pair of pants I have ever made that I did not have to alter- at all!! Okay- maybe the length. It's like they were custom made for me.

 

I'm a happy little sewer. If you kiss enough frogs your Prince will appear. Right?

This is pair #2. I made them with a light weight polyester stretch twill. It's not the kind of fabric I would normally buy but I just loved the print. It went from shopping bag to cutting table within minutes of purchase.That almost never happens!

I thought the poly might not work. I was wrong. It could be mistaken for denim.

This pattern went together just beautifully. It was so much easier to sew with then the heavy denim, and I could still use all the jeans style topstitching details - or not.

This pattern has a shaped waistband so there was no gaping at the back.

I have a feeling these fit me so well because they are a "young" size which translates to old school Misses size. I'm not small enough for petite size and most average woman's are too big so I'm thinking it's almost a 1/2 size- like a size 9. I'm curious to know where all the half sizes have gone!!! It must be a manufacturing cut back of some sort. Trying to find shoes with 1/2 sizes is getting harder and harder these days too.

Oops, I fibbed, one other thing I changed was to make the back pockets a 1/4 inch larger all the way round.

I opted not to put belt loops on so it would present a flatter face when I wear them with form fitting t-shirts.

I used Mettler topstitching thread and had a few issues. It kept shredding when I went through a few thicknesses of fabric. I was using a new Jean topstitching needle too so I'm thinking maybe it just didn't like the polyester?? Any Ideas?

The only thing I didn't love about this pattern is the fact that it does not have a back yoke, which would give them a true blue jean styling. I'm hoping as I gain proficiency at drafting or grafting I will be able to frankenpattern my own yoke. In the mean time I can live with the back darts.

I have also learned how to fashion a non stretch panel, or front facing that acts as a tummy suppressor, I have used it with these. It is especially nice to use this technique with light weight fabrics as it gives body and camouflages my body at the same time;)

This is my first pair. They also fit great but they SHRUNK. Yes- I pre washed. But next time I may have to pre wash 2 or 3 times.

I have to do a few deep knee bends when I first put them on ....... I'll just have to wear a tunic with them!

For topstitching thread I used Güttermann this time and it did not shred. It seems to have a tighter twist to it. This will now be my go to brand.

For a little added custom detail, I used 2 strands and did some cross stitch - by hand - on the belt loops. I really like how it turned out. I thought it needed something because of the absent yoke.

Here on the bum the pockets look like 2 bullseye targets. Another reason to wear them with tunics!! I have been doing a little research on back pockets. There is quite a science to them. Above all you want to avoid the dreaded "mom bum". This is a is something I will be studying further as I have a flat bottom and I get the mom bum look automatically. In the meantime I find myself checking out other women's tushes and back pockets- kinda weird, LOL!! Strictly research. I'd rather learn how to make perfect back pockets then take up the Brazillian Butt workout any day.

Thanks for stopping by:)

 

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