This was a post I should have published last year, and I’ve just found it languishing in my drafts! I’ve had plenty of use of these jeans and even made a pair in linen for the summer.
I have realised that I’m definitely won over by trousers with a barrel leg shape. The Kew, Bob and Teddy pants patterns from Style Arc are obviously not enough barrel leg goodness for my pattern collection, I had to buy the Sunshine Jeans from I Am Patterns too! I’ve since bought another couple of trouser patterns, but I won’t get into that in this post! I’d been a bit of a lurker regarding the Sunshine Jeans, but this year a couple of Instagram posts brought my attention back to the slouchy leg version of this pattern and I decided to give it a try.
I traced sizes 48-52 in various places and decided to follow the Top Down Centre Out fitting philosophy. I watched Stacey from The Crooked Hem video tutorials on using this method with jeans with a yoke, and it all worked out rather well! The legs are the 48, hip to waist are roughly 50, with a little more width in the front than the back. I also added a little in crotch depth at front and took some out in the back. This all stops the slight sway to the front I always get. I think I might narrow the legs a bit more, compare to the photos on the I AM Patterns website, these look a little baggy, that’s not to say I don’t like it!
Fabric for this pair is black denim that I bought a couple of years ago from Barbican Fabrics in Plymouth. It really is the most fabulous black, and I hope it stays that way! I washed it with a tin of coke when I first got it and ironed while still slightly damp. There are no creases now even after two or three wears, so I think that’s a success.
I used a scrap of cotton poplin for the pocket bags and decided to go with a contrast topstitching using Gutermann’s Denim thread in a dark grey. My machine will loterate the Denim threat where it will otherwise thow a complete fit if I try to use topstitching thread. I have a denim twin needle, so I cheat horribly when it comes to stitching two rows of topstitiching, my little twin needle friend is called upon and I have lovely parallel rows of stitches.
Talking of decoration, I couldn’t let this pair of jeans go out into the world without a small sign of protest to take iwth them where ever they and I go. in 2022 when Ukrain was invaded, I made a pair of Terra Pants and embroidered the back pockets with sunflowers. This time I’ve hand embroidered a slice of Palestinian watermelon on my pocket. It’s a small, visible act, and it just might get someone thinking.
The instructions are really good, I didn’t make any comments or note any pattern markings that didn’t line up or were missing. The pockets are a good size, not too deep, but plenty of space for your phone without it falling out! I actually haven’t got anything negative to say about this pattern, I’m tempted to make the straight leg version later in the year, but for now have cut out another pair in linen! I’m intrigued to see just how differently they hang and fit in the softer fabric.
So, I have worn these four times during Me Made May – basically as soon as they’re dry and ironed, I find a need to wear them. I love a good black trouser staple in my wardrobe and I hope these will be on call all year round.
THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS 