Success with the Ginger Jeans

This feels like a huge milestone and a great start to working on the ‘bottom’ half of my wardrobe.

What I didn’t realise is that by making these I have in fact produced the most comfortable pair of jeans I have owned in years. I’ve heard this said before from other bloggers/vloggers who had made up these jeans but I had never quite believed it.

The Ginger Jeans instructions were superb. I followed the guidance for basting for fitting at the beginning and followed the instructions for adjustments. As the seem allowance was a generous 16mm, I went straight in with my chosen fabric, a 11oz stretch (3%) denim in indigo. I didn’t want to make up a toile in fabric that wouldn’t react in exactly the same way.

In brief, my adjustments. I made the high rise skinny View B version.

Shortened pattern at the shorten line at the knee by 2 inches after noting I was 3 inches shorter than the drafted model.

Cut out an 8 on the hips grading to a size 12 at the waist, basted together (using a bright coloured thread)

Felt like a was wearing a huge nappy, so unpicked, and re cut to a size 8, grading to a size 10 at the waist.

Basted again. Much better but gaping at the small of my back. Unpicked waist band and yoke, recut yoke taking out a dart shaped wedge from both sides 2 inches from the centre.

Basted again. Again, much better. Took in 5mm each side from below the waistband to my hip.

Then made up with no further adjustments apart from another 2inches off the length although I now wish I had only taken off 1 inch!!

There’s more images and details on my Love, Lucie blog including my recommended jeans making tools.