Men’s Jeans
I’ve been wanting and not wanting to sew jeans for Osiris for YEARS. For all the usual reasons: he is picky and has some specific fitting issues. Frankly, making shirts for him hasn’t been hard—as long as the sleeves are long enough and he gets the details he likes, he’s pretty much happy. But jeans—now that’s all about fit. Scary, scary fit.
So, let’s start with his main requests: slim/tapered legs (but they can’t be too tight) and a rise that isn’t too low. Fit issues will be leg length (easy) and his curvy-for-a-dude butt. (potentially horrifying. The fitting challenge, not the butt itself. I quite like that bit.)
I have a couple of patterns I’d like to try, starting with Vogue 8801. I’m kinda hesitant since what is out there for reviews are fairly mixed. (Everything from too tight to too loose to right on, but some concerns about the pocket placement and yoke proportions seem more consistent.) I was pleasantly surprised my husband’s 32″ waist and 37″ hips were within the same size range—but then he’s a little “chunky” right now, which makes him a lot easier to fit. (When he’s not “chunky” he has a 28″ waist, try finding men’s pants in that size. 😉 )
I also compared the Vogue pattern to an old indie pattern* I have that looks like it stepped right out of the rodeo. And was pleasantly surprised that they were very similar in overall size and rise. The Vogue seems to have a narrower front, but wider back pieces, and the angle of the legs is a bit different.
Curved yoke piece.
I made (perhaps unwisely) a few preemptive fitting adjustments. These are the same curvy-butt adjustments I make for Tyo (and to a lesser extent myself): increased height at CB with a wedge, and curving in the top of the back yoke. This may throw off the waist size, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Happily the waistband has a CB seam which should help with tweaking the rear fit.
At Osiris’s request, I’m using stretch denim. He’s had some health issues the last few years that contribute to a lot of weight fluctuation and variable bloating, so stretch denim has become his friend. The denim I’m using for the “muslin” pair is just barely stretchy , but the one I am hoping to make the “good” pair out of is both beefier and stretchier. (Frankly, it is taking every bit of my willpower not to make it into something for me… I totally downloaded the Ginger jeans pattern a few weeks ago… 😉 )
Fabric. And pocket lining.
Another thing I’m curious but ambivalent about is the shaped waistband in this pattern. I mean, I’m all about that in my own jeans, but I wear them low, where curvature is needed—not at all where Osiris wears them. And they’re supposed to be interfaced (I even bought waistband interfacing, which of course won’t work with the contour band). If I do interface, I’m thinking I’ll go with a knit fusible, to get some extra heft but keep the stretch Osiris is loopin
Anyway, wish me luck!
*Designer Jeans #260, from Sharon Marie Studios, which appear to have been published out of Edmonton, Alberta, in the late 70s and early 80s. I have actually collected the entire family—men’s, women’s, baby, and a couple different size range of children’s jeans. My mom squealed when I showed them to her—apparently she made me a pair of jeans with one of the kids’ patterns when I was small.
Tanit-Isis Sews 
Sounds like a challenge…but with great rewards if you can do it. Good luck!
Thank you! The first pair went fairly well, all things considered—working on V.2 now! 😀
I’m excited to see how this turns out! (I have full confidence that you’ll make it work!)
Glad one of us does! 😉 Actually, I was pleasantly surprised at how not-awful the first version turned out… now I will just have to stalk him to see if I can get pictures… >_<
Hmm… That is challenging.
Although in my experience, stretch jeans really helps when dealing with fit issues.
And I wouldn’t worry too much about the curved waistband. I make regularly make trousers for E based on the sloper I made for him and those (I would call them mid-rise, he wanted the waistband at the same level as that of his Levi’s 501) have a slightly curved waistband especially at the back. The combination of making that waistband look and fit well and keeping it stretchy may be a bit more difficult though… I wouldn’t know a solution for that apart from the fact that most men I know don’t mind about using a belt to keep their trousers on.
Yeah, stretch denim covers many flaws, doesn’t it? 😉 The first pair wound up quite serviceable except for being a bit loose (I think they would’ve been a classic “relaxed fit” in non-stretch denim, but in stretch they were a bit large.) The yoke changes I made and the waistband worked really well for not gaping over the butt, so that was great. 😀
I settled for interfacing with a knit fusible… it has a nice heft/weight and still a bit of give… we’ll see how it holds up. 😉
I wish you good luck! I’m glad it sounds like the fitting is working out. I still avoid shirts for Blake because of that (now I just copy the ones he likes). Hope you had a great Christmas and New Year!!
Looking forward to seeing the result! I don’t think fabric with a little stretch is that uncommon in men’s jeans these days, after all the fashion is for a pretty slim cut that is probably only comfortable in stretch denim. I do agree with Lauriana that a belt helps a lot if the waistband stretches out. I made the mistake of not interfacing my stretch jeans, and I can’t wear them without a belt now.
Stretch denim is everywhere now. Even in the fancy schmancy jeans Spouse and Teen One prefer. Teen Two wants me to make him a pair, and I’m going to use that pattern. This is why I love the internet; thank you!