Multiple apologies for taking so long to post about these (both!). 11 months in and I’m still struggling massively with Long Covid, not just sewing in small bursts, but also less keen to take photos, or have the energy to sit up to write blog posts, etc… Anyway, I startred these jeans back in June, had them mostly finished before we went to Brittany in early July, and then they’ve been just waiting for a photoshoot for like a month. And yeah, I know these photos are weirdly dark and foggy but forgive me for not caring enough to retake them. I hate looking in the mirror or looking at photos while I’m sick, so I really don’t want to make this blog post wait any longer!
I haven’t been able to fit into any of my jeans since I got covid last September, so it was high time I filled that hole in my wardrobe, anticipating the cooler weather around the corner.
When I saw the release announcement for the Itch to Stitch Belleville Jeans, I bought them immediately. This is my first Itch to Stitch pattern that I’ve sewn (having bought a few before but not made them) but I bought it immediately when it was released cos I love the shape. Quite similar to my StyleArc Bob trousers now that I think of it…
I love the barrel silhouette, which I’m hoping might be more flattering to my current, larger waist, apple shape. There’s knee darts front and back plus a dart at the front hem to add volume. The darts aren’t topstitched though like I did with my cycling jeans (which are still going strong despite being made 5 years ago, I just can’t fit into them anymore).
Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough heavy, nonstretch denim in my stash, since my TNT jeans take 1.5m and these take considerably more due to their wide leg pieces! So I bought some “Signature 12.05oz indigo denim” from Dalston Mills (thanks craftyclyde for the rec!). I wanted medium weight denim, with no stretch which is surprisingly hard to find but DM has loads! However, they only seem to have it in the black now, but they have a ridiculous amount of other denims in every weight and colour imaginable!
I also tried the new-to-me technique of soaking the denim thoroughly before each prewash to prevent cracking (those pale creases you can get in denim after washing), and it worked! So it was worth the effort of having a big trug in the bathttub for each of the three pre-washes (indigo denim likes to bleed AND shrink!). I prewashed this three times before sewing, so I’m hoping I’ll be safe to sit on pale sofas right away.
But back to the Belleville pattern! I made size 18, and lengthened by 6cm at the thigh marking. Seeing as how I’m still gaining weight while I’m sick, I also added a future-proofing security of extra 1cm at the side seams and 2cm at CB (and I used most of this!).
I also split the waistband at the CB to facilitate easier waist changes like in menswear. To do this I changed the construction order slightly – I sewed up the upper CB seam between Back, Back Yoke, and Waistband as the last fitting step. It means I can take it in easier as I lose weight in future too!
I actually followed the fly front instructions for a change instead of just doing it my usual way. So I can say that these instructions are exceptionally good and precise! They’re similar to the Closet Core Patterns method, but ended up with the zipper in the right place, unlike last year’s jean shorts…
I used some bat quilting cotton for the pocket linings and fly shield, bought from Like Sew Amazing before they closed.
I also used my vintage hand crank Singer for all the topstitching, as per usual with all my jeans! It works well to have two machines when you sew jeans, one threaded in navy and the other in bronze, rather than having to re-thread one machine constantly.
I was nearly done with these when I ended up having a nightmare time with the buttonhole! My Singer buttonholer attachment for the vintage machine is usually very reliable at making perfect keyhole buttonholes, but this time it just snarled every time, requiring me to unpick it all before I could try again. I eventually just gave up and made a regular (non keyhole) buttonhole on my regular sewing machine just to finish the sucker.
You may have also noticed that the shirt I’m wearing here is new, too – I actually made it back in March(!!), but just haven’t documented it properly yet (see first paragraph again). I actually sewed this before my celestial Gina tee, believe it or not!
The pattern is the Erica tee, in size L from the Fibre Mood 3/2024 issue, the same one that the Gina pattern is in.
I used the Emerald organic cotton jersey from Like Sew Amazing (gone now they’ve closed down!) which was £14/m (250cm wide, 225gsm, 95% organic cotton / 5% elastane) and has a lovely weight, stretch and recovery! Perfect for a classic teeshirt!
I used the 20% stretch neckband option (a nice FB feature, as with the Gina), though the neckbands are a bit wider than I’d usually choose.
I always appreciate it when a pattern has nicely drafted sleeves! These sleeves went in super easily with minimal fuss. I didn’t even look at the instructions – once you’ve sewn as many tees as I have, it becomes second nature. This shirt sat around for a while, because I felt that it needed something in heat set vinyl on the front, and then I found the perfect cute monsters design at the Noun Project, and it finished it off.