I’m not sure that a pair of olive green cords would have been on my shopping list, but I had the fabric in the Shed, and I wanted to test out Vogue 1034. This time I’ve been able to make a pair of trousers that actually fit me, and with only a minimal amount of adjustment to the pattern.
These jeans are a “today’s fit” design, which means that the measurements are given in actual inches rather than spurious dress sizes. I looked at the body measurements given on the pattern envelope and the garment measurements given on the pattern, and decided to make a size E. For the trial run I left out all of the pockets, and made a very simple pair of trousers.
Once they were ready to try on, Paul very carefully helped me to stick pins in my backside until I had the perfect fit. I graded down to a size D from the waist to the hips, and then made a sway back adjustment. Perfect! Even the length was just right.
The method for making the fly front seemed rather fiddly, and at times the instructions were a little bit difficult to follow. It does make a lovely neat front though, with much less bulk than you might find on other jeans. I’d definitely use this method again.
The order of construction was also different from other trousers that I’ve made, but this allowed for decorative topstitching on more of the seams. I didn’t add any topstitching on these trousers, apart from on the waistband and fly, but I probably will on the next pair.
The waist is much higher than you’d find on most jeans that are in the shops at the moment, and that’s absolutely fine by me. The back of the waist has a deep triangular yoke rather than a normal waistband, and this makes the fit of the centre back much better than on mass-produced jeans as well.
I have several metres of pinstriped cotton velvet, which I think would be absolutely perfect for this pattern. Topstitched in white, with a silver button, I think they’d be really dramatic. They’d also look great in a stretch denim, or maybe a nice wool tweed.
I’m so happy with this pattern that I may never have to buy a pair of trousers again!
Gosh, you work fast! These are beautiful 🙂
they are gorgeous!
Thank you!
I spent about ten hours on these, I think – although I did leave out the complicated pockets which would have taken much longer!