The Dawn of Ginger

For my first pair of Dawn jeans (see previous post) I wanted to keep the leg shape straight for a quick sew to check the fit. But the leg shape I've long admired is the wide seventies style. Given the fact I'd already made and checked the fit of the Ginger Jeans (from Closet Core patterns), I decided to graft the leg of the seventies Dawns onto the Gingers, thereby benefitting from the (in my humble opinion) superior fly front and pocket construction alongside the comfort of stretch denim.

And what better stretch denim for the job than this light blue stonewashed 300gsm number from Minerva's core range? This is lovely denim: soft and reasonably lightweight, with just the right amount of stretch for the Gingers. It also lends an excellent drape to a wide leg, as you can see in the reclining pose!

Joining the two patterns was fairly straightforward. Obviously you're melding a stretch pattern with a non-stretch pattern, so you need to be conscious of balancing the negative and positive ease. I started the graft around the hip notch, below the pockets, which for me is my widest point. From here the Dawn leg has a loose fit over the thigh. If your thighs are wider than your hips you will need to adjust accordingly. Be sure to keep the grain lines parallel, place one pattern over the other and your tracing over that, and you're good to go.

I used Gutermann topstitching thread for this pair (normal thread in the bobbin). The Janome Atelier machine I'm currently using through work handled this beautifully, with lovely even stitching I've never been able to achieve on my other machine.

I found the length of the Dawn Jeans a bit confusing. The regular leg seems unusually short, and the longer length fairly long but probably not long enough for what is usually called tall. In the end I made the tall and then turned a nice chunky hem to complete the seventies vibes.

These jeans are super comfortable to wear. The pocket construction, which is sewn in place under the fly front, is so clever - giving support and stability across the stomach, which really helps the high-waisted silhouette.

I will definitely be using this denim again, probably for another pair of everyday Gingers with a regular leg (perhaps with a little more room in the leg than the drainpipe version).

Have you made the Ginger Jeans? Which is your favourite jeans pattern? I'd love to know!

Thanks for reading

Ruth x

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