Jalie Jeans and other things

 Jalie 2908

I would really like to make myself some jeans this year.  To prepare for this I purchased the Ginger Jeans pattern and I already have Jalie 2908.  Surprisingly Miss K asked me to make her a pair of jeans because “the stuff you make fits better.”  Yay!  Since children take less fabric I thought I’d make Miss K a pair first to iron out any kinks in the pattern before moving on to my own pair.  Also, to make them before she changes her mind.  Miss K hates jeans and never wears them.  She is a yoga pants girl. 



Jeans are made with negative ease so I started with Miss K’s actual measurements.  This meant I cut a size “Q” for her (13 US).  I had to take 3 inches off the height because her inseam is 26, not 29 like the pattern is drafted for.  I learned from
The Perfect Fit: The Classic Guide to Altering Patterns
that the proper way to shorten pants is to fold the hem to the thigh (crotch) line and make a crease; this is the knee line.  Then fold from hem to knee line and make a crease.  Finally from knee to thigh (crotch) line and make a crease.  You will shorten equally on the last two creases you made (between the thigh and knee, and between knee and hem).  As a side note, I highly recommend this book.  It has tons of fit information with pictures for lots of fit issues.  It also gives an easy fix as well as a more complex fix. 



I spread my sewing out between 4 days.  I had my regular machine with normal thread and my vintage Kenmore with top-stitching thread.  This worked perfect because I didn’t have to keep switching out thread in the same machine.  The instructions for these jeans are great. I read the words for each step, then looked at the pictures.  I had no issues sewing these up.  I’m very surprised at how RTW these turn out.  Jalie drafted a great pair of jeans!  I am now confident in making some for myself. 

                         

The fit turned out great for Miss K.  The inseam was perfect.  I think the waist is a tiny bit snug on her but that is all.  She of course isn’t used to jeans so she thinks they are tight and decided she won’t wear them.  I’m glad she at least tried them and I call them a success because I was able to try out the pattern before I made them for myself.  I snuck the completed pair into her drawer… one can hope right?

                             



In other craftiness, I have made more things with my Silhouette cameo.  I will most likely just show you once a month what I’ve made with it.  I like to keep an online account for my own personal reasons. 

Miss K and I love the Pixar movie short “The Blue Umbrella” and she asked me to make this design with these words.  She picked the color of the words.  “Rain showers my spirit and waters my soul”

Before the utterly tragic loss of David Bowie I made Miss K this shirt.  

We both love the Labyrinth movie. Here is the front:

and here is the bottom of the back of the shirt.

Miss K designed this tee.  I weeded out the red for the fox and the blue words, she weeded the yellow.  She pressed the design into the shirt.  The “O” in the fox is a monocle. . . She’s a creative child.  This tee used to be Mr. T’s but he didn’t wear it much and K likes it. 

Mr. T got a surprise when he went to turn on his light one day (Link from Legend of Zelda)

I’ve been working on a line of Studio Ghibli characters above Miss K’s bedroom door.  Here are just a few from L to R: Turnip head (howl’s moving castle), the cat, Jiji, from Kiki’s delivery service, Catbus (totoro), and Sophie and Calcifer (howl’s moving castle).  We hope to do a lot more.

My laundry room got a cute design.  Mr. T picked it out.

I added this above a door frame in our living room.  Our other door frame has “family” above it.

This shirt is hot off the press as you can still see the iron marks.  Mr. T has these moose pajama shorts that this shirt goes with as a set.  So I added a moose to the shirt to match the shorts better. 

Mr. T also picked this crazy Pokemon design (left).  As well as a Fallout 4 Vault Boy picture (right). 

                         

As you can see the Cameo is loads of fun. I learn something new each week, too.


I’ve rearranged my sewing room 3 times since the New year.  Funnily, I have it back where it used to be; that seems to work best for me.  I can’t sew in a cluttered area.  It stresses me out.  I will start sewing the jeans for me next week.  I also have 2 tunics that I want to sew up.  I have a medical procedure going on this week so I won’t get any sewing done.  I think I’ll just browse all my patterns if I’m able.  I usually get loads inspiration that way. 

Take Care and Happy Sewing!

~Kristin~