blog tour

Small Fry Skinny Jeans

March 11, 2014


Today I am pleased to be participating in my lovely friend Laura's pattern tour for her second commercial pattern - Small Fry Skinny Jeans.  Laura blogs at Craftstorming in the UK and sells patterns in her shop - Titchy Threads.


Here is my little Emily - just turned two, in her first pair of jeans.  What an amazing pattern this is.  When I first opened it I was compelled to email Laura right away and tell her how amazingly professional, thorough and correct it all was!  I cannot believe she has only been sewing a couple of years!


The jeans took me over two hours to put together but they were lots of fun.  I cheated with switching between regular and top stitching thread and ended up sewing most of the jeans with top stitching on the bobbin - which means I have a mighty strong pair of jeans and had only 20cm of thread to spare when I sewed my last little belt tag down! Great success...

More about the pattern:
  • Totally awesome explanations of each step
  • Amazingly clear photos with annotations
  • Tips galore - every angle is covered
  • Option for half or fully fly ( I sewed half fly)
  • Option for adjustable elasticised waist (which I used)
  • Exposed  patch pockets or regular jeans pockets with coin pocket
  • Flat felled seams
  • Option for long shorts version
  • Size 0-3 months - 12 years
If you are after a jeans pattern, I cannot recommend this pattern enough and cannot imagine the headaches Laura must have had putting this baby together - well done Laura!!!


I used a very soft spotted denim I picked up from my local fabric store with hot pink top stitching thread.  I sewed the 18-24 month size.  Emily is just two and usually measures a few months below standard height.  I started the jeans when Emily was in bed and was too impatient to wait til she woke to measure her for a custom fit.  If I sewed these again for her now, I would sew the size 2 as they are a little 'toight'- mostly around her bottom...encouragement for me to start toilet training her so I can get her out of her nappies to allow a little more room!  So Emily will be getting around her skinnies for the next bit of time til her tummy and bottom are busting out!


You can purchase this fabulous pattern at Titchy Threads and until the 15th of March can receive a 20% discount with the code: TOUR20.

Don't forget to check out the other great bloggers on tour...


Thanks for having me Laura and for offering me your great pattern to review.  I love it!

Jeans

A little pair of jeans - a tutorial

September 29, 2011


I just whipped up this little pair of jeans for Juliette out of some left over denim I had.  I was inspired by this really cute pair I found on flickr and found the perfect green and white striped jersey here to match.

Here is how to make them!

You will need:
  • Your child's length from waist to ankle (plus hems) in denim
  • 15 cm ribbing or stretch jersey
  • Matching thread ( I just used regular thread although the top stitching would look more effective had a gone out and purchased top stitching thread - I was just lazy and wanted to use what I had).

Step 1:  Find a pair of pants that fit your child and turn them inside out.  Place one leg inside the other and position on top of folded denim (back shown first).  Trace around shape with chalk - making sure you pull pants down to fabric around crotch area so as to get the correct shape.  Allow for 1-1.5 seam allowance and hems.  Don't trace right up to top of waistline as this will be added when you attach the stripe.  I added a bit of lenght to these pants too as they are getting a bit small for Juliette.

Your traced outline should look something like this...

Step 2:  Flip pants over and repeat process for front of pants (ensure tracing and cutting on folded layers of denim so you end up with two of front and two of back).


Step 3:  When put on top of each other, difference in back and front legs should look something like this (back is underneath)...


Press leg pieces and set aside

Step 4:  Cut two pocket shapes - I chose rectangles with a rounded bottom.  My rectangles were 13 cm in width by 15 cm in length before seams.  Overlock or zig zag around edges and press side and bottom edge under 1cm.


Step 5:  Turn pocket top down approx 2 cm and sew two rows of top stitching approximately 6mm apart. 


Step 6:  Also top stitch around sides and bottom of pocket 1cm away from edge and pin both pockets into a position roughly like this.


Step 7:  Top stitch pockets to pants approx 1-2 mm from pocket edge.


Step 8:  Pin front and back of pants right sides together along side seam.  Sew.


Step 9:  Overlock or zig zag this seam, then open pants up and overlock or zig zag bottom edge.


Step 10:  Pin and sew along inside leg seams and turn one pant leg right side out. 


Step 11:  Place right side out pant leg inside other pant leg and pin around crotch edge.  Sew and neaten this seam.  Press.



Step 12:  Cut jersey/ribbing piece.  Decide on desired band width, then double and allow 2-3 cm for seams.  Measure your child's waist and subtract approx 5cm from this length to work out your length of fabric.  (Juliette was 50cm waist so I cut a piece 45 cm long and approx 20cm wide).


Step 13:  Double over width wise right sides together and stitch along edge seam.  Turn right side out and fold halfway down so wrong sides are facing.


Step 14:  Place a pin at each quarter of ribbing piece then match these pins up with front, side and back seams (ensure seam in ribbing matches up with back seam).  Pin to pants - it will look wobbly but ribbing will stretch as you sew.  Sew along waistline and neaten ( I also top stitched along denim 1mm from ribbing).


Step 15:  Hem jeans 1.5 cm from bottom edge (not pictured).  Press again and you have a cute little pair of jeans!!


I'm sharing today over at Kootoyoo.