Jeansdraft

I most often wear jeans. Even though it is very hard for me to find a decent fitting pair - if they fit me at my bottom, they are usually much too big at the waist. So I really wanted to learn about drafting a jeanspattern. And just when my teacher, sewingbuddy and I decide on this, there´s a jeans-sew-along started on Stitcher´s Guild. So I happily jumped in!

Today I want to show you an approximate of my jeansdraft. The black lines are the front pant, the pink lines are the back pant. The back is drafted on top of the front, you have to copy it off afterwards. I wanted a bootleg jeans.


As you can see, the back leg is wider than the front, 2cm on each side. As its a jeans, there are no waistdarts in the front (in a regular pant I would include darts). I have two darts in the back, which later go into the yoke (well, with my curves not the whole dart goes into that yoke, but I will do the rest in one dart about where the backpocket sits). The CB is much more on the bias than the CF. The back crotch is deeply curved, the front rather flat. The lines going at 90°angle from CB are just auxiliary lines (as are some of the black lines, but I hope you see the pantshape). I didn´t adjust the width of the jeansleg yet. I measured a RTW jeans I liked accross the leg at the crotch point. My draft is wider. I divide the difference by 4 and take this amount off each side of the pant (front and back, inner and outer side) and then redraw the lines between waist and knee.
Please excuse the lack of detailed information on this draft. The instructions I wrote down for myself (teacher doesn´t have anything written down -it´s learning by doing with her) are long and complicated and in german. Just don´t have the time right now to translate...
I start working on these jeans next week in class, it will surley take some time until it is finished. Only then we will see if this draft really works... ;)

Long time no see

I have been hibernating this summer - from sewing, that is. I just don´t get to sew in summer, there has been so much going on that distracted me.
But slowly slowly I´m getting back to the sewing room. I worked on a dress back in August, but I wasn´t satisfied. I thought I could work out a fitted dress with a wide midriff that is cut in one piece (the midriff, that is). But it just doesn´t work out. Now if I wouldn´t want it fitted... anyhow, I lost interest.

In September I was on vacation, trekking in the eastern Alps (Austria). One week of only hiking from alpine hut to hut. Beautiful landscapes, lots of wild animals, very few people, many meters up and down. Wonderful! Afterwards we drove south into Switzerland. My boyfriend had planned something "sewing related" for me, so he called it. You will never guess what it was: Piz Bernina, the epotoponym of the sewing machine company! Well, it was beautiful and I was content.


Coming home to northern Germany, fall had started. Just like last year I am in the mood to wear dresses with tights and boots. Last year I made a brown wool jumper. This year it was to be grey, as I want grey to be my basic colour for the time being. So I finished two grey wool jumpers (self drafted pattern) and love wearing them! It is so versatile. If it is warmer, I just have a longsleeved tee underneath, turtleneck or roundneck. If it gets cooler, a knitvest or a cardigan on top looks great. I get to show off necklaces or a scarf with this. And its either boots or heels.

I don´t have a photo of the first jumper yet, but of the second I made. I wanted to do colourblocking (just not with colours! grey has to do) and wanted a curved silhouette. It turned out to be a nice line. Its just that I would make the midsection less wide at the bust point next time. And make the shoulders narrower. But apart from that, I really like that jumper!!

After that and with grey thread in the serger, I made a skirt for my mother. It is Burda 8213 and I have made it once before. She is really content with the fit and was begging for a second one. How nice, someone who appreciates my sewing!


Right now I am working on a white blouse. Up to now I have never owned one (light blue, light pink, yes, but white?). I wear uniform at work and usually jeans/tee/sweater at home. So up to now the need for a white blouse never occurred. But the jumpers just scream for the like of it. So here´s a sneak view of my latest project.

And the best for last: My parents are in town (our old house is being renovated) and my mother brought me loads and loads of pattern. She got them from a friend, who worked at the pattern department of the KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens), probably the most famous german departmentstore, in Berlin. If a pattern was discontinued, it was too expansive to send the envelopes back to US/UK. And so the staff could take them! Oh, those golden times...

The patterns are all from the end-70s and 80s. In smaller sizes (34-36, 10-12). There are Vogue, Butterick, Simplicity, Burda, Neue Mode and Ullstein patterns. I was surprised by the Simplicity patterns, as those are only sold here via Internetsources nowadays. Well, I will need some "me"-time at the weekend to look through those boxes!