Sewing the Ginger Jeans

Ginger Jeans! I made a pair and love them. These were fun to sew and I learned a few things along the way.

Living in comfy clothes seems to be the new norm. Cozy pants especially. Fleece-lined leggings, flowy lounge pants, soft cotton harem pants, and PJ's of course. Gimme all the couch surfing pants.
Jeans don't really fit into the cozy pants category but, I'm going to talk about them anyway. Jeans are something I rarely reach for when I get dressed in the morning (afternoon?). If I do wear jeans, I reach for my Calvin Klein high-waisted skinny jeans. They fit my body like a leather glove. So, when my friend told me about the January Jeans sew-along, I jumped on board! 

The Jeans Fitting Journey

This post is a little different than my usual pattern posts. Hundreds, if not more, Ginger Jeans tutorials already exist. So, I wanted to do something different. I'm taking you through my jeans-fitting journey. Beware though, it's gonna get ugly before it gets pretty.

The January Jeans sew along was hosted by some lovely ladies in the UK, on Instagram. They set up a Slack app group for all of us to post and share photos to. We had live Zoom calls every Monday and then we were put into smaller Zoom groups. It was a whole jeans journey. We helped each other with fit issues and got feedback on our own jeans.

If you've ever wanted to dabble in jeans sewing, you really need to get the fit correct. Here we go!

Materials Needed

• First, you need a pattern. I chose Closet Core's Ginger Jeans pattern in View B. It's a skinny leg, high waist pattern. My favorite style of jeans. But, you might want a low rise, wide-leg style. Scour the interwebs for a pattern that fits your specific taste. 

• 2-3 yards of Denim (check what % of stretch you'll need too)

• Cotton fabric for pocket linings

• Interfacing

• A jeans zipper (*it needs to be a metal jeans zipper so the pull will lay flat against the pants/ your body)

• Denim thread, regular thread, topstitch thread (optional)

• Jeans needles

• Fabric for a muslin (preferably denim)

• Jeans button

• Rivets (optional) 

• Awl and hammer for inserting buttons and rivets

• Rulers, a chalk marker, scissors or rotary cutter, etc.

• Sewing machine

• Patience and time

• Serger for finished seams (optional)

Make a Muslin

Jeans sewing is an easy process. I've made a few pairs of “jeans” from Gertie's book, Gertie Sews Vintage Casual. However, this was my first time making a zipper fly and I was a little bit intimidated. Sewing your muslin fabric is a great way to practice a new skill or technique. It wasn't hard at all! 

I really do recommend sewing a muslin first. It's a trial run. You can rip out seams, cut fabric to make space for your hips and legs, and practice topstitching. Use it as your "scratch piece of paper." Through my first muslin (that I made with 0% stretch fabric), I found that the so-called high waist wasn't high enough for me. My first adjustment would be to add length to the rise. 
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The first muslin fit, almost. I cut out a straight size 12. I like to cut one size that is the closest to my measurements and go from there. 

The jeans were snug around my bum and tummy area. An easy adjustment would be to grade up to a size 14 or 16 in the waist area. However, I knew I was going to add height to the tummy area. 

Here’s what I did:
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1. Added 1.5" to the length of the rise, to create an authentic high-waist pair of jeans. 

2. Full tummy adjustment. This adds room for those of us with mom bellies or bloaty bellies -that's a very technical term. ;) 

3. Took out length in the legs but, not more than an inch. I'm short but, I have long legs. Thanks to weird genetics!

4. Low bum adjustment. Although, I didn't end up needing this in the end. 

Second Muslin

Yes, if your first muslin was a total bust, do a second one. You could easily unpick seams and go from there. However, I was changing the pattern, so I needed a second muslin. The second would be a wearable muslin pair of jeans. I grabbed some clearance denim, made my adjustments to the pattern paper, cut the new fabric, then sewed the second pair with the adjustments.

And WOW! What a difference from the first muslin. I loved the waist height. I loved what the full tummy adjustment did for me. I did not love the low bum adjustment because it added excess fabric in my rear and in the back of my thighs. You can see all the bulk in the photos below. This pair was cut in a size 12 just like my first muslin. You can see how my pattern adjustments really changed the fit. 

Leg Twist Hack

I had a serious leg twist issue with one leg. I followed the cutting directions to a T, too. I cut on the single layer and alternated each leg just like the pattern recommended. Ugh! 
I unpicked the inseam and side seams and sewed them back up. No more annoying twisty leg. So, if you do have this issue, I recommend unpicking the seams. Sew the inseam by starting at the cuff of one leg and go up. Backstitch at the crotch seam. Then, sew the other leg by starting at the cuff and sew up to the crotch. This may or may not be the correct way but, it fixed my issue. 

Photos below are of my wearable muslin pair of Ginger Jeans. I've worn these around a few times and they fit well enough. The denim only has 1% stretch while the pattern calls for a 2%. They are a little stiffer than I'd like but, no seams have popped open when I bend over. Yet! LOL

I actually like the fit of these better than my final pair. Shhh, don’t tell anyone.

One back pocket is lower than the other but it didn't bother me enough to re-do it. Shhh, it'll be our little secret. ;-)

There is extra fabric and bagginess on the back thighs because of the low bum adjustment. It wasn't needed. I guess I have a high bum. Who knew? Hahaha!! And again, it didn't bother me enough to rip open the seams and fix it. This pair was supposed to fall into the "good enough" category. And they do just that.

Red cotton fabric was used for the pockets, you can see it peaking out a bit. I also did red bar tacks in place of rivets.

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Whew, I hope you're still with me. Now, it's time for the final pair! 

Final Pair of Ginger Jeans

I chose dark grey denim for my final pair of Ginger jeans. I love a red accent too so, I used red topstitching in place of rivets and made red pockets again.

Red pockets. Red zipper.

Embroidered back pocket designs.

Bar tacks instead of rivets.

For the final pair, I did the adjustments that seemed to work best for my body.

• Full tummy adjustment

• Added 1.5" to the rise to create an authentic high waist

• Shortened my leg length by 1 inch

• Placed the pockets higher to accommodate the rise adjustment

I love the fit so much! My bottom half isn't very curvy due to my apple-shaped figure. Therefore, these jeans fit so much better than any RTW pair I've ever owned. They fit my legs and waist perfectly. I'm truly happy with the fit.

I’m pretty excited about my new jeans!!

Pastel Denim

This pastel peachy denim will make a perfect pair of Spring jeans. I might even roll the hem up and wear them with flats. A flowy white top and large straw hat too, yes, please! 

I love the 3D stitching on this denim. It's not something I've ever seen. I'm not sure if I'll do a white or pastel yellow contrasting thead. 

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Now that you followed me through my fitting fun, are you going to make your own jeans? I really do encourage you to make a pair. I've made pants before but they didn't have all the stitching detail. These taught me more about fitting your own body and how perfecting the fit really does make all the difference. 

If you're still on the fence about jeans making, maybe these trousers are more your speed. They're wide-legged and flattering on everyone. 

Or, would you rather stick to an easier project? Sew up a little something here, here, or here. 
Either way, go sew something! You deserve it! :D

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Happy jean sewing,
Annette

Sewing the Bombshell Swimsuit

Love vintage bathing suits but, not the authentic vintage price-tag? Grab this pattern and some swimwear fabric to create a OOAK vintage swimsuit just for you. It's not technically vintage but, it is vintage style which is the next best thing. Amiright?

We've spent plenty of time in our backyard this summer. Sprinklers, popsicles, and slip n slides, takin' it back old school style.

This month started with me participating in the #BRAugust challenge, hosted by Ying from Tailor Made Shop. She has a website, a blog, and an Etsy shop. I purchased bra making kits from her in the past. She is a sewist who creates and sells beautiful things for the lingerie sewing world. Yay for bra making!! Although, for the challenge, I did not make a bra. I opted to make a swimsuit. I've never made a swimsuit and I needed a new challenge.

PDF pattern online. The swimsuit comes in a PDF only. I love the style and have several RTW swimsuits that look the same as View A. I had some mint green lycra and knew I wanted to use it for my new swimsuit. Minty green 50's Bombshell, yes, please!

Okay, so you know the PDF drill: print out the pattern, tape everything together like a madwoman, and cut, cut, cut. Decide on the size you want to cut out first. I went with a size 12 and I had just enough fabric. The measurements were spot on with my body, no need for grading. Yay! 

IKEA was sold out of desk legs but, I purchased the tabletops anyway. So, my sewing space was a hot mess. Just ignore all of the scenery behind me in the photo. 

Oh, do you see the top I'm wearing? You can read all about that here.

Follow along as I sew a 50s-style swimsuit.

Layout your fabric and place your pattern pieces on top. Be sure to follow the distance of the greatest stretch arrows or DOGS. I cut some pieces with scissors but found the rotary cutter and mat were easier. The fabric is slippery, so choose your favorite method.
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I only had one yard of 60" wide fabric so, I couldn't do the ruched backside. I had to make it work with the amount I had. #sewingwin

You'll have to ignore all the wrinkles in every picture. I didn't press them out and I apologize. I'm usually a stickler for getting out the wrinkles. If you squint, you might not be able to see the wrinkles. 

Materials Needed

• Stretch needles (Yes, you need these)

• Polyester thread

• Rubber or swimwear elastic- you cannot use regular cotton elastic. It will die in the salt and chlorine water.

• Swimwear fabric which is a blend of lycra and spandex. I buy my knits online from Girlcharlee.com. They have a swimwear section coming soon.

• Lining fabric (must be swimwear lining)

• Set of foam cups (optional)

• A sewing machine that can sew zigzag stitches

• Serger (optional)

• Rotary cutter and mat, scissors, measuring tape, ruler, and all your usual sewing notions

• Water-soluble pen

• Clips or ballpoint pins for pinning layers together

• PDF pattern of the Bombshell bathing suit

Make sure you practice stitching on your serger and or sewing machine first. My differential feed was on, on my serger. Below is a picture of the serger settings I used. I have a Brother Lock 1143DW which I believe is similar to the 1034D. Even if you have this machine, test the stitch on a swatch piece first. Every machine is different. I mainly used my serger but did have to use the sewing machine to make gathering stitches, basting stitches, and to sew on the elastic.

These were my serger settings I used. I’m not a professional, so here’s a photo. LOL

Settings I used to make the Bombshell swimsuit with my serger.

Front of the suit sewn, ruching and knot sewn on.

Back piece and lining serged together.

First, you need to make gathering stitches along the sides for the ruching. I opted for the non-ruched backside because I was limited on fabric. You need to make gathering stitches for the front knot area later on. When you do attach the tie knot, make sure you sew it onto the right side of the bathing suit. I did it on the wrong side the first time around and had to unpick it. Face-palm.

Once the front piece and back pieces are sewn together, set them aside.

You will then sew the lining to the front crotch piece. It starts to look more like a swimsuit at this point. Then, sew the 2 crotch pieces together per the instructions.

Clip lining to the crotch piece. Baste. Then zigzag around the whole area.

So far, so good... I ordered rubber elastic and foam cups from Etsy shops and had to wait for those to arrive.

So, I decided to jump ahead and sew what I could until I needed those pieces. I made the straps, darts, and tie knot.

Elastic Time

You put the elastic in the legs partially so that they will be enclosed neatly and discreetly. The recommended zigzag stitch is on the pattern. I tried sewing elastic with my serger once and that was a mess and a half! So, back to my sewing machine for this part.

Measure the leg opening, this will be the length of elastic you cut.

Sew the elastic onto the lining close, but not on the edge for 3". Then, fold over and top stitch an inch or two. Leave the elastic dangling for now. Ignore the purple thread I had in my bobbin. Oops!

Sewing foam cups to your Swimwear

Here's where I went rogue:

1.  I attached a piece of elastic to form a shelf bra. Zigzag over the elastic the length of where you basted the lining to the front crotch piece. 

2. I added the foam cups at this point. I am a little familiar with foam cups in other garments, so I did my own thing. Place them where you want them positioned on the lining and pin. Stitch them onto the lining  following their circular or triangular shape, using a zigzag stitch.

3. Cutaway the excess fabric- you're supposed to do this so the fit is better. And then zigzag over the foam cups again. You don't need to do it a second time, but I wanted to be safe. Ha!

Elastic isn’t stretched as sewn. It’s a 1:1 ratio of elastic and the seam length.

Pin in place, zigzag in place.

Cup is sewn on wrong side of cup. Notice the dart.

Cut the fabric, this creates a better fit.

If you have little gathers, you can leave them. They won't cause issues.

I did a second row of zigzag stitching for a clean look.

Finishing it up

Onto the next portion of the swimsuit.

Sew the gathering stitches for the knot tie, on the front of the swimsuit. This is barfingly easy. ;-) No photo though, sorry.

Use clips to attach the front to the back pieces matching the notches. I repositioned my clips, to clip the layers together. So many layahs (you gotta say it in a Boston accent). 

After that, take the swimsuit and make a sandwich. The instructions are easy enough on the PDF. You stick the back and front together, then swoop the front lining piece up and over. Serge the side seams together. Now is the time to try it on. And, fingers crossed it fits!

Serge the sides together. Make sure to catch all the layers.

Next up, finishing the leg holes. Start at on area where the elastic is dangling and attach it to the edge. There's a math measurement to get the correct stretch on each side. Follow their instructions and you'll be golden.

Zigzag around edges.

It will look like this when finished.

For the skirt, you will measure a piece of elastic the length from side seam to side seam. Zigzag this on without stretching the elastic. Sewing 1:1 ratio.

Remember 1:1 ratio for elastic.

Next, turn the elastic over and topstitch all around the leg openings and skirt to enclose everything. Start on one side seam and zigzag around the whole opening. 

You're almost done!! Woohoo!!!!

Time to sew the sweetheart neckline.

Be sure to get both layers. You can see where I missed an area. Ha! You’re going to fold this over and sew elastic on like the leg holes.

Sew the knot down by stitching in the ditch.

Your View A bombshell should look like this. It's 99% done. We just need to attach the straps. Can I get a Whoop, Whoop!?

Adding Straps

Grab your straps and get ready to zigzag them onto the swimsuit. 

I tried my suit on and decided where exactly I wanted my straps to be positioned. Clipped them in place and stitched.

I added a second row of stitches just to be extra cautious. I am not part of the itty bitty... committee. ;-) We don't need any free shows.

Use a medium zigzag stitch.

I added a second row of stitching at the straps. This is completely optional.

Hooray! We're done. See how easy it was to make a swimsuit! I learned a lot along the way and you bet I'm going to make a few more. I have some fun fabrics picked out from a few different Etsy shops. I better get crackin' if I want to parade around in my backyard, in all of them. 

I didn't do the halter top straps. I tried on my swimsuit and had my daughter help me mark where I wanted the straps to be attached at the back. I always wear halter strapped swimsuits and they kill my neck after a few hours. So, I was pretty stoked to be able to attach the straps in a criss-cross fashion on the back! Yay for comfort and holdability!!

Crisscross back straps are going to be so much more comfortable. I'm so excited!

Front

Back view

Now I just need to find a pool to hang out in. 50's Bombshell style. 

Are you going to make a swimsuit or have you ever thought about making one? I think this is right up there with bra-making. It's so fun and a lot easier than you'd think.  And... gasp, it might even be cheaper!! 

Let me know in the comments below what you think about swimsuit making.

XO,

Annette

Gertie Sews Vintage Casual (patterns from her book)

Do you have a fabric designer or pattern maker you simply adore? Maybe you have a few. 

Gretchen Hirsch aka Gertie is one of my favorites. 

There are quite a few fabric designers I'm obsessed with! Almost stalker-status. ;) I love almost every piece they design. And I must own it all. Insert evil laugh! Haha

As you might know, my favorite pattern designer is Gertie. She is a one-woman show and encouraged me (through her blog, TV, and books) to start sewing things for myself. GASP! Moms can sew for themselves? Yes, yes we can.

I was watching a PBS sewing show and she popped up. I can't remember what she shared on the show. But, I couldn't get past the fact that she didn't look like a typical sewing lady. She was young and had a fun style. I was instantly hooked! I found her blog, bought her books, and started a new sewing journey for myself. I still sew for my kids and shop, but I LOVE making things for myself more.

Gertie has her own pattern company, along with fabrics designed by her. She also has patterns with Butterick and Simplicity. Charms Patterns, Simplicity, and, Butterick patterns.  I love it all!

40s style Blouse from Gertie’s Book, Gertie Sews Vintage Casual.

40's Style Blouse

The top I'm wearing above is from the book, Gertie Sews Vintage Casual. It's the 40's-Style Blouse made using the Sleeveless Blouse variation, pg 134.

The fit is great in this top! Why haven't I made more? I don't know but, I need to.

It was an easy afternoon project. I made this top a few years ago. This was my first top with center buttons and a placket. As you can see, they should have been placed 1/2" closer to the edge.

Oh well. I still wear it all the time.

It's an easy style to wear over pants or tucked in. The darts are placed perfectly and make for a very flattering fit. 

The fabric is semi-sheer in black with pink bows and was purchased from Joann Fabrics. It is from Gertie's fabric line.

Pattern changes

I increased the armscye area. I don't consider myself to have large arms, but her patterns are usually tight in my armpits, so I size up with sleeveless patterns. 

Knit sweetheart top

Next up is the Sweetheart Top, page 151.

I made 3 of these in different variations. I love how easy the pattern was to sew up, plus it's soft and cozy.

I love the sleeveless knit top however, it's tight in the armpits. I could go back and unpick the bias bindings and make the armscye bigger, or just live in pain. I choose pain! I should just make another one because I have more fabric. That sounds waaay easier than unpicking.  Amiright?

Scoop neck sweater made with sweater knit fabric.

Another scoop neck, made with sweater knit that does not have a lot of stretch.

I cannot tell you enough how much I love this pattern. It's comfortable and easy to make. I made all 3 in an afternoon.

The Scoop Neck Sweater is a variation, on page 156.

I made the Scoop Neck Sweater in a black sweater knit with fun doo-doo balls all over it. The fabric I chose didn't have as much stretch in it, as it should have, but I made it work. ;) I wear the black sweater top a lot during winter.   

The Puff Sleeve Sweater is another variation, on page 158.

I made this version in a tissue-weight leopard sweater knit. I ordered the fabric online and had other plans for it. But, it was too flimsy for what I bought it for, so it got stashed away. The thin knit worked pretty well for this pattern. I would want something with more stability next time, but it works and I wear it often. Win-win.

Cigarette Pants

Onto a pants pattern. These were easy to sew. But, I don't usually have fitting issues with pants. I have a short torso and narrow hips/ booty. 

I made the Pedal Pusher variation, on page 166.

I made a muslin first, just to be safe. They are form-fitting and very flattering. They give me curves. Yay! The instructions were a little confusing when it came to the pockets, but I figured them out and forged onward.

I did end up splitting the crotch seam at one point while wearing them, AHHH!! Came home and stitched over that seam multiple times. Yikes! Nobody wants a popped seam, especially there!

Black and white polka dot pedal pushers, yes please!

I also made the Flared Shorts Variation, on page 167. They are my favorite, can you tell?

I have a few pairs of these shorts and love the style and fit. 

The flamingo pair has a tiki vibe and I didn't sew pockets in them. I regret that, of course. I made these to go on vacation, so I skipped the pockets. Don't skip the pockets. Haha

I made a red and white polka dot pair with pockets. I love these but don't reach for them as often. I usually pair the shorts with a black top and rock the Mickey Mouse look. 

Well, that's it from this book. Do you have this book or any of her books? I reach for this book more than her others. I like a casual vintage style for every day.

Have you made any of these patterns? Or do you want to? Please share in the comments below.

XO,

Annette