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Today is Day 8 of the halfmoon 101 JEANS Sew Along - the day where your jeans start to look like actual jeans!
Before we get started, I want to remind you (or, if you're just joining now, inform you) that I made a few modifications to my jeans, increasing the rise a bit, which is why the shape of mine may be slightly different to yours. I did this because I already have three fabulous pairs of 101 jeans, so I wanted to make them just a tad different this time around.
As always, remember that the seam allowances are all 1.5cm (or ⅝”) unless otherwise stated.
STEP 9
With your back leg pieces right sides together, match up the notches and place pins there first, before pinning along the rest of the back crotch curve. You'll want to pin just to either side of the flat-felled seam, where the yoke is attached, in order to keep this as well-aligned as possible when sewing.
When sewing over the bulk of the flat-felled yoke seam, I sometimes like to place the needle pack under my presser foot, just behind the needle. This helps to create a horizontal plain over which to sew. The little black button on the presser foot can also be pushed in to help with this.
Trim the seams of the wearer’s LEFT leg and zipper fly ONLY to 0.5cm (¼”). Do NOT trim the seam on the wearer’s RIGHT leg.
**Please note that I MADE A MISTAKE!!** I accidentally trimmed the right side rather than the left side. This is not the end of the world, but it does mean that my seams will not align when sewing the inseam. Design feature:)
Flat-fell your back crotch curve, just as you did with the lower portion of the front crotch curve, by wrapping the untrimmed seam over the trimmed seam, pressing well and pinning from the right side. Top-stitch using a twin needle or two parallel seams. (Hopefully you have not followed my mistake and your top-stitch seams are to the left leg rather than the right:)
STEP 10
Place your front and back legs right sides together and match up the seams and notches along the inseam. Place a pin at the crotch seam and notches first, then pin the rest of the inseam between the notches. You'll need to ease in some of the fabric leading up toward the crotch.
Trim the seam allowances of the back legs only (this time I did it correctly:) along the entire length of the inseam.
Then flat-fell the inseam by folding the untrimmed seam allowance of the front leg around the trimmed allowance of the back leg and pressing it all nice and flat. Pin from the right side and top-stitch, this time just a single line of stitching. (You can see my back crotch curve blooper here:)
These are starting to look like real jeans now!
STEP 11
As I am able to re-use the hem of my re-purposed jeans, I will skip this step. However, if you plan to hem the bottom of your jeans, now is a good time to press the ankles of your jeans. You won't be sewing these yet, but having the creases there already will making hemming easier at the end.
STEP 12
Place your jeans so the front and back legs are right sides together. Match up the notches along the side seams, from the waist all the way to the ankle, and pin.
Even though we've already baste-fitted, I like to do one last baste fit here, using a 4mm length stitch and maintaining the 1.5cm (or ⅝”) seam allowance. Then I try them on to see if this will work for me, with this particular fabric, or if I need to take a wider or narrower seam allowance.
As you can see, I needed to take a bit of a wedge out of the top of the back yoke before finishing the side seams.
Once you've identified and made any last adjustments, you can sew the side seams with a regular 2.5mm length stitch. Then press the seams open from the ankle up to where the pocket meets the side seam, and then to the back from the pocket up to the waist.
From the right side, edge-stitch a single line, from the waist down to where the pocket meets the side seam. Your edge-stitch line is on the back leg, parallel to the side seam. Place a bar-tack at the end of the edge-stitching.
THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY!
You're so close to being done! Next time we'll add the belt-loops and waistband and finish off with the hardware. Yay!
So happy to being sewing the halfmoon 101 JEANS together with you!
P.S. If you've ever wondered why I illustrate rather than photograph my instructions, my trimming mistake in step 9 is just one of the many reasons. Ha! :)