Megan Nielsen Ash Jeans

It somehow seems that jeans making is a rite of passage in the sewing world and this wasn’t my first pair of jeans, but it’s the first pair that I have been really happy with.  I knew I wanted a slim leg, high rise (to my waist) pair of jeans and appreciate the extra bit of comfort of stretch denim, so having done my research, I invested in the Ash Jeans patter by Megan Nielsen.  This is a versatile pattern with four different leg styles: skinny, slim, flared and wide-leg and tall, regular and cropped lengths.  Megan Nielsen patterns are leading the way with size inclusive patterns with their Curve range covering sizes 14-30 and, although I am towards the top of their regular size range, I wanted the option of being able to make jeans for my daughters in future so chose the regular pattern.

The pattern booklet imparts loads of advice in preparation for making the jeans, including guidance on the amount of stretch in the fabric, tips on choosing the correct size and inspiration for customising your jeans.  Having cut out the pattern pieces from a single layer of denim, in order to avoid the risk of cutting one of the legs off grain, which may result in twisting, I got to work, dutifully practising my top stitching and bar tacks on scrap pieces of denim.

As a previous pattern tester for Megan Nielsen patterns, I have always found their instructions very thorough and this pattern is no exception.  While other patterns may seek to avoid the sewist changing from regular to top stitching thread by jumping from one part of the pattern to another, the Ash Jeans work logically through the process of installing the zip fly then constructing the front pockets to complete the front of the garment before moving on to the back.  It is always madeclear which type of thread to use and though this changes frequently, it only takes a moment or two to rethread a machine.

With the jeans in essentially three pieces – front back and waistband, I moved on to the fitting.  Rather than complete the inside leg seams, I basted both inner and outer leg seams before trying on.  Luckily, there were only minor adjustments to make to the outer leg seams and so the unpicking didn’tdelay me much.

The game changer for me was the curved waistband, whichreally helped to give the finished jeans a close fit at the waist.  Sandwiching the bottom of the belt loops in the seam between the waistband and legs made for a lovely neat finish. I also appreciated the attention to detail regarding sewing a keyhole buttonhole and came up with a beautiful practice buttonhole.  My sewing machine was less co-operative with the real thing.  The jeans shank button went on at the third attempt but I chickened out of installing rivets.

The label inside the waistband sums up my thoughts about this make; I am proud as punch and can’t wait to get started on another pair.

Best fitting trousers I've made!

I made the skinny version in a straight size 30 and they fit beautifully. I cut the tall length then took some off the bottom because I'd seen some reviews saying they were short. I'm 5ft 6 and ended up with 2.5cm extra, but I think I was overly cautious and didn't need that much!

The instructions were excellent and made it clear at each step which kind of thread and foot you need. I absolutely love the fly method and that it is the first step so it's out the way. This is the first time I've had a flat fly with no random bumps at the bottom so I'll be trying to use this method all the time from now on.

They also include a tip to use a keyhole buttonhole for strength, and they have a tutorial on their sew a long which I used.

I embroidered one back pocket using the tips on Megan's website, backing the pocket with a scrap of liberty cotton. I have a picture of this online @clariesews

These are so comfy I definitely want to make a lot more in different colours. The fabric is a gorgeous soft blue from Guthrie & ghani with excellent recovery.

I 100% recommend these.

I bought this pattern in December 2018 and it's taken me almost an entire year to overcome my fear of sewing jeans! If you're a confident seamstress, but have never sewn jeans before - the Ash pattern is a great place to start.

I used some beautiful bright blue 8oz stretch denim from Sew Me Sunshine for my jeans. I made sure I checked the stretch percentage very carefully after reading a cautionary tale on the Megan Nielsen blog!

I've used Megan Nielsen patterns before to make the Tania culottes and Flint pants and I knew I would be in safe hands. The instructions are very clear, detailed and thorough with accompanying diagrams. There is a whole wealth of further information on the Ash 'sew-along' online, but I only really referred to that when it came to installing the hardware right at the end of my project.

I decided to make the size 28 after reading all of the detailed guidance within the pattern. I followed the basting advice and decided to make a few small adjustments to improve the fit. To create a bit more space for my thighs I used a 1cm seam allowance between the hip and the knee at the side seam instead of 1.5cm. I also removed 1" from the waistband and pinched out 1/2" from each side seam to give a better fit around the waist. I rarely make changes to fit while sewing, but these minor tweaks were within my level of expertise and made all the difference!

I'm absolutely thrilled with the fit I've achieved on my first pair of jeans and I love how well the bright blue works with the top-stitch thread I chose and the copper hardware. They're super comfortable to wear and I know they're going to be worn until they fall apart!

If you're thinking of sewing jeans, but have the fear - just go for it!

The Ash jeans pattern is a great stretch jeans pattern to have. With FOUR leg options (slim, skinny, flared and wide), it has all your your stretch jeans needs covered.
I have a few Megan Nielsen patterns but the Ash was my first time actually making one of them. The instructions were outstanding. Very clear and easy to follow. These aren't my first pair of jeans, so I have an idea of what to expect now. But the instructions were so thorough and well laid out that I didn't need any Google assistance at all.
Where the pattern lost a star from my rating was the leg length. I'm only 5'6" (159cm), which is a pretty average height, but they hit well above my ankles. If I had hemmed them as the pattern suggests, they'd have been another 1.5cm shorter than they are now. There is an inseam measurement with the size chart and it's my fault for not double checking that measurement. I fully accept that, but I feel it should be made a little clearer that these are shorter than most.
Other than that, I'm very happy with the fit. I made a size 29 and changed nothing around the waist and hips. I did have to let the sides and inseam out a bit but that is as much to do with my shape and the stretch of the fabric as anything else.
Overall, a great jeans pattern that I will be using again. Just bear in mind the length of the legs and check the measurements before making these.
I have a full blog post about these here with more photos and in-depth details of the making process.

The first time I made the ash jeans, it was my 7 or 8 time sewing pants. Within these 7-8 pairs were included a wide variety of patterns including the ginger jeans, some burdas and mc calls patterns. With each pairs, I got better but I always had to do some alterations or had crutch fitting problems. All the headaches ended with the ash. I made a straight size 28 and they fitted well. Then to make them fit perfectly,I made a size 28 but with a size 27 waistband and I lowered the waist using her online tutorial (i am 5’2’’). For my third pair, I decided to try a size 27 for a really snug fit and I am very please with the result. The pattern is very well drafted and the instructions are excellent. I highly recommend this pattern and will definitely do it again!?
Check out my makes video where I share more about them: https://youtu.be/r1oQVFeZHXY