Jeans #9 (Part 8 - Waistband)

Despite having made several pairs of jeans and pants, I still have to improve my waistband-finishing technique.  It's not as neat as I'd like it to be and I know I can do better.  The thing is, I don't quite know where I go wrong in the process to not produce a nice clean edge.  I don't know if I stitch too far or not far enough.  In any event, this part always takes me longer due to the amount of unpicking I have to do.

Waistband (125 minutes)

The Jalie waistband is a rectangle cut on the bias.  In all of the jeans I made, I never cut my waistband on the bias because that would give way more stretch than I wanted.  So I cut mine on the crossgrain.  Once the waistband is attached to the jeans, it is folded lengthwise over the waist seam and topstitched.  Most pants patterns have you cut two waistbands and stitch a seam along the top edge, but this pattern's waistband has a built-in facing. 

The advantage is that there isn't additional bulk along the top edge of the waistband.  You can get a good press and have no problem topstitching along this edge.  I see two disadvantages:  (1) I don't think the gaposis fix (briefly described below) is as good as it can be and (2) one can't have a cool contrasting fabric on the inside.  Having made these jeans multiple times, I might try to alter the waistband to address the disadvantages.

As part of Jennifer Stern's "Blueprint to Better Jeans" class on PR, I developed a contoured waistband to help eliminate gaposis at the back.  It is created by removing small vertical darts from the waistband and yoke simultaneously.  I'll detail the process I used to contour the waistband in my next post.

Once interfacing is fused to the wrong side of the waistband, stitch the center back seam.  Next sew a guideline along the seamline of one long edge and press under along this line.  Since my waistband is contoured, I sewed my guideline along the inside (shorter) curve.  Press to the wrong side along this line.

waistband after the CB seam is sewn

(As I write this, I am starting to wonder if I attached my waistband upside down.  It didn't seem like it as I was sewing, but now I have doubts.  When I tried on my jeans to assess the fit, I noticed that I have some  gaping at the back and this never happens.  It's possible that the waistband stretched a bit while sewing.  I'll wear a belt and pay closer attention next time.)

Pin the right side of the waistband to the wrong side of the jeans matching notches and center front.  Stitch.

front view with waistband stitched and ready for folding

At this point, I shorten the zipper and place a safety pin across the zipper teeth to prevent from pulling the tab off. 

Fold waistband right sides together near the center front.  Stitch, trim the seam, and clip the corners.  My waistband is a bit longer because I added some width when I first cut it out.  I like to have a little extra allowance, just in case.
 

After sewing the waistband's right side to the jeans' wrong side, fold the waistband over top and topstitch.

view from the inside with waistband folded over

finished waistband

Time recap:

1.  prep - 33 minutes
2.  back pockets - 91 minutes
3.  back - 30 minutes
4.  front pockets - 61 minutes

5.  fly - 87 minutes 

6.  in/outseams - 80 minutes

7.   belt loops - 29 minutes

8.  waistband - 125 minutes

Total time:  8 hours, 56 minutes

I finished the jeans completely yesterday!  I need to snap some photos of the belt loops, button, hem, and of me wearing them.  I hope to do that and write the final post in this series this week.


Until next time, peace!


L

Blogger Awards

I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth!  The end of this semester was particularly busy and I was exhausted every day.  I only recently resumed working on my jeans and finally finished my last UFO.  I'll post updates soon.

For now I'd like to extend much love and appreciation to Dorothy from Sewingfunthings and SarahC from Musings of a Seamstress for nominating me for the Lovely Blogger and Liebster Blog Awards.  I am so thankful to be a part of such a warm community of sewing folk. =)  

Acceptance of both awards involves thanking the individuals for the nomination, sharing nuggets of information about me, displaying the award badge on my blog, and passing the honor along to other bloggers.

Sarah asked ten great questions about sewing that I will answer below. 

1.  Why did you decided to start blogging?   I needed an outlet to release all the crazy that was going on up top.  =)

2.  What are your goals for your blog?  I don't have any defined goals for my blog.  I just like to talk and this one way for me to get my fix.  I hope to continue sharing my sewing adventures while developing friendships with other like-minded folks.

3.  Do you gravitate towards fabrics with texture, pattern or solid colors?  Hmm.  Good question.  I never really thought about it.  I gravitate to what doesn't itch and will look good on me.  I tend to pick natural fibers over synthetics, though.

4.  What is your favorite season to sew for?  I like sewing for spring.  I love linen because it's so easy to sew and handle.  I love making skirts and in the Arctic north that is Michigan, wearing skirts in the winter doesn't work out too well.

5.  What is your favorite fabric store to shop?  An easier question to answer is what is my least favorite fabric store to shop!  JoAnn's.  Sorry hon, your store is terrible.  There aren't many brick & mortar sewing shops around here anymore, so I look for fabric other ways.

6.  What do you call yourself (sewcialist, sewer, seamstress, sewist…) and why?  I am a sewer (sounds like sower).  While I understand the push back against 'sewer' as in the place raw sewage, rats, and C.H.U.D. resides, the English language affords us the opportunity to pronounce differently words that are spelled exactly the same and have completely different meanings.  Why not take advantage of that? =) 

7.  Yes or no to sewing for others?  Why?  No!  It's hard enough sewing for myself.  I don't need the added drama.  Then again, a student offered me $50,000 to make him a pair of jeans once he becomes rich.  In that case...

8.  What is your favorite garment sewn thus far? Why?  I have lots of favorites, but if I had to narrow it down to one pattern/garment, it would have to be my Jalie jeans.  At 5-feet tall with trunk-junk, it is hard to find a good-fitting pair of jeans. 

9.  What is one thing you hope to sew this month?  Given that April is almost over, I'll project this answer onto next month.  I've assembled a set of fabrics inspired by pictures of Forsythia.  My neighbor used to have the most beautiful forsythia bushes on which little wrens would sing their hearts out.  I love this color and think it screams of spring.  This month, I hope to sew several of the planned garments in my mini SWAP.

10.  What is one thing in your must sew list for this year?  I want to make a full-length tailored wool winter coat complete with wool interlining and flannel-backed lining.  I have a down coat that keeps me quite toasty, but I look like the Stay-Puft marshmallow man.  It's a lot of coat for a short person and I want something that's a little more stylish.

Thanks for asking these questions, Sarah.  You gave me lots to think about and I enjoyed sharing my answers. =)

Now that I've shared some of my sewing thoughts, here are a few things about me.

I throw just as much as I sew.  I love making pottery and since taking my first class, have made two sets of dishes, two drums, flower pots, coffee mugs, etc.  I need to update my Pottery Page to show my latest creations.

I've been roller skating off and on for over 30 years.  More recently (2008), I started going back more consistently.   I used to skate three times per week, but osteoarthritis in both of my knees got the best of me.  Now, I get my roll on once a week.  I just learned a new skate move on Friday and my thighs are still ON FIRE.  I need more practice!

I love dogs and always have.  I can't remember a time when there was never a dog in the house.  We had a chihuahua, German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Pit Bull, yellow Lab, and a couple of random strays.  Dogs are wonderfully loyal and are the best of friends.  Pictured here is Maya, a Pit Bull, in her usual stance:  out cold and snoring.

I love driving manual transmission.  I bought my first stick not knowing how to drive it.  After two hours of practicing with a friend in a parking lot, I hopped on the freeway and the rest is history.  I've been driving manual for so long, I sometimes forget how to drive an automatic.  Seems counter-intuitive, right?  I forget that there is no clutch and "Park" sort of freaks me out.  Whenever I drive an automatic, I seriously have to think about what I'm doing! 

I have always loved math and majored in it in college (undergraduate and graduate).  Math was always the first homework I did and the subject that interested me the most.  

To receive both the Lovely Blogger and Leibster Awards, I'd like to nominate all of the participants of the Sew Your Own Wardrobe for a Year challenge.  To commit to sewing all of your clothes for one year is a feat nothing short of remarkable.  I commend everyone who's signed on and look forward to seeing the garments they create.  In particular, I would like to nominate Vita (Pattern Therapy) and Natalea (The Fearless Seamstress) for initiating this challenge and welcoming all of us to join.

 I also nominate Velosewer (How good is that?), Kristine (Just Keep Sewing), God'sGirl T (Virginia's Sew Blessed Daughter), Ruthie (RuthieSews), and Reethi (Weekend Crafting).  I enjoy reading their blogs and adore their creations.  Check them out if you haven't done so already.

 Until next time, peace!

L