Ginger Jeans: The Kaufman

ジーンズ作成が続きますが、前回のジーンズは、今回のジーンズを作るための試作品だったのよ。今回のが本番なのよ。

私、足が短いからスキニージーンズが似合わないのでやっぱりジーンズは昔ながらのブーツカットが好きなのです。まだまだフィットに問題は残るけど、自分でジーンズが作れるということにもう大満足です。

ちなみに在宅で仕事するようになって、全くヒールのある靴を履かなくなったのでこの赤い靴履くの2年半ぶりぐらい？なんか、キツイ。

I was happy with the muslin, so I made the full-length Ginger Jeans that I originally intended to make.

The pattern is, as you know, the Ginger Jeans from Closet Case Patterns. I used the mid-rise version pattern for the waist/hip, then the flare pattern for the thigh down.

I cut a size 8 and shortened the flare pattern by 4". (The pattern says it's drafted for the height 5'6". I am 5'3" and particularly short legged.)

One of the good things about this pattern is that the back pocket pattern also comes in multiple sizes, it's not one-size-fits-all. I am using a size 6 back pocket pattern and size 6 back pocket placement.

While I wanted the flare version and loved other people's flare version, the pattern looked a bit too flare for me, so I reduced the flare by 1" each side (4" total reduction in circumference) for a more boots cut style .

I ended up letting out the top of the side seams for more room for the waist but I think I overdid it, it is now a bit too loose.

I also trimmed about 1/2" at the top of the yoke at the center back for sway back and deepened the back crotch curve just like I did on my muslin.

Still got a lot of problem with back legs but that's for another day.

The fabric was Robert Kaufman stretch denim, 8.6 oz, which has 4% Lychra. I washed it twice before I cut the fabric but still it made my hands blue every day while I was sewing. I will have to wash them a few more times before I can wear them safely without transferring dyes everywhere.

The lining fabric happened to also be Robert Kaufman fabric. It was a leftover fabric from my Butterick B5526 shirt.

The legs of the flare pattern are looser fit than the skinny pattern and they feel a bit more trouser-like because of that. I think the next time, I will use the skinny pattern and just flare out the legs from the knee.

I have joined the Pattern Review's jeans/pants contest and I'm really glad I was able to finish this pair on time!

Storm Shelter

竜巻が通る地域に越してきたので、我が家にはストームシェルターがあります。地下室の一番奥深い部分にある、畳2畳ぐらいのいわば物置みたいな部屋です。小汚いし、暗いし、大昔の牢屋みたいなだったので、ペンキ塗ってきれいにしました。

When I was looking for a house in the Deep South, I was surprised how many houses had a storm shelter. I never lived in the area that needed a storm shelter so it was a new thing for me. There are many earthquakes in Japan but there is no prior warning for earthquakes so a shelter is useless, there are hurricanes in the coastal South but a storm shelter is probably an overkill, then there is almost no natural disaster in the Desert Southwest or in England.

Anyway, now we have one. It's a very narrow, unfinished room with a heavy door in the deepest part of the basement. It originally looked like a windowless prison cell from the 1920s. Dark, dusty, and cold.

Since we are in the tornado season, we wanted to make this room a bit more "habitable" so we switched a light bulb to an LED light, sealed the cinder brick wall with Drylok and painted with a semi-gloss paint, and Epoxied the floor with freckles.

Really happy how it turned out. Nice clean room. We just need a couple of chairs and a 72-hour kit.

Ginger Jeans Day 7: Trying On

ジーンズはいてみたとこ。とてもジーンズらしく出来上がって、うれしい。
スキニージーンズの型紙を布が足りないのでカプリ丈にしてあるんだけど、普通のジーンズ丈だったら多分ふくらはぎ入らないだろうな、と思う（爆）

The weather was perfect for capri-length pants so I wore my finished Ginger muslin all day to try them out.

The front belt loops look unbalanced but they are in fact equal distance from the center front...

The pattern is Ginger Jeans from Closet Case Patterns. There are variations to this pattern, but I bought the mid-rise version, and used the skinny leg pattern.

Fabric is a left-over stretch denim from my Jalie Eleonore: 5% Lycra. I had less than a yard left so inevitably, the jeans were turned into capris.

I cut a size 8 at waist, tapered down to 6 around the hip, then back to 8 for legs. However, it turned out to be too tight around the low butt, so I ended up letting out the side seams next to the back pocket. I will cut a straight size 8 next time.

I used the pocket placement for size 6 and I think it worked.

(Please ignore a plastic bag stuck in my back pocket. I was on the way to take the dog out for potty.  My photographer never tells me these things...)

I trimmed the top of back yoke about 1/2" at center back for sway back, but the top of the back waistband is still slightly too loose so I will have to adjust the waistband pattern next time.

I also deepened the back crotch curve for a more L shaped curve to fit my low butt.

I still have a lot of wrinkles on my back leg, but I'm fine with that at this point.