Retro-Style Jeans

ChalkAndNotch.com

Skill Level:

The detailed instructions make this design achievable for sewists with some experience. Patience is the key to a successful outcome.

Size Range and Fitting:

Sized 0 to 30 for waists 25 inches to 49 inches and hips 35 inches to 59 inches. These stretch jeans have negative ease at the waist and none at the hips. The flared-leg view (32-inch inseam) has no ease through the thigh, and the wide-leg view (26-inch inseam for the cropped length and 32-inch inseam for the full-length) has 1 ⁄ 2 inch of ease through the thigh. The pattern includes a finished measurements chart.

Fabrics:

Any mid- to bottom-weight fabric with a minimum of 10 percent stretch is appropriate. Consider brushed denim in any color; for Pucciesque results, look into a fun and vibrant print.

Style and Sewing Details:

These well-proportioned jeans give a nod to retro fashion. Their top edge sits at the natural waistline. The flared view has legs that taper from the hip to the knee and then gradually widen down to the hemline. The wide-leg view has legs that are the same width from the hipline to hemline. Both styles have a fly front, belt loops, and patch pockets in front and back. Six darts shape the waistline, which is finished with a 2-inch-wide curved facing.

• Make a muslin and fit these body-hugging jeans before cutting fashion fabric.

• The well-written instructions are comprehensive. Each construction step is explained, and a detailed section is devoted to fitting, such as how to adjust the upper rise, lower rise and thigh area, leg length, and blend sizes.

• The leg pattern pieces are printed in sections to fit on less paper. The pieces have a gray band at the joining edges to signal that they are not complete.

• There is abundant topstitching. If you are not confident…