When I got back home for the Christmas holidays, one of the first things on my mind was getting back to sewing. It's a long time, a whole term without a sewing machine! I wanted an involved make that I could get stuck into but which followed a pattern so I didn't have to spend too much time thinking. Unsurprisingly, this resulted in another pair of Megan Nielsen Dawn Jeans. During the winter months I often get slightly demoralised about the fact that it's too cold to wear most of my handmade wardrobe. I like to wear my handmade clothes as often as possible, but most of them aren't suited to the colder weather (or to me, I'm always cold!). This means that jeans are one of the items of clothing that I get the most wear out of all year round, and subsequently they're very enjoyable to make as I know they'll be worn.
I've made quite a few pairs of Dawn Jeans at this point, but the pair that I have worn the most are my light blue wide-legged ones. When I made them a year ago the style felt slightly 'out there' for me, but I ended up wearing them constantly throughout the summer and I now can't imagine not wearing wide-legged jeans. This definitely won't be the last time I make the Dawn Jeans in this view as I'd really like a mid-blue denim pair, and I'd also like to try the more tapered version of the pattern.
The best part about using a jeans pattern that I've made several times before is that I no longer have to worry about the fit. I've altered my pattern to tailor it to me, and the changes I've made are mentioned here. For jeans, having a pattern that fits takes the project from potential frustration to the perfect level of intricacy.
I love the inside of these trousers so much. Although you can't see it, I regretted using a cheap zip on my other pair of jeans (I think they were made in lockdown so I didn't have the option to buy another) and have since purchased some much fancier YKK zips. It means that the bronze rivets, zip and button all match too. I also always make an effort to add hidden elements to my makes which make me smile, and chose to use a gorgeous William Morris print for the pocket linings. Finally, how amazing is the label?! The Kylie and the Machine label advent calendar was at the top of my birthday wishlist this year and I had the best surprise everyday in December opening it. I think the bright pink goes so well with the black and green.
I'm very happy with the fit of these jeans, as well as with the length. As trousers have become longer I've been unsure of where to hem the ones I make, but just below the top of the shoe feels about right. I actually initially hemmed these about 1" higher, but after wearing them for a day the flash of ankle every time I walked bothered me. They were stuck at a length that was neither full length nor ankle length, and I'm glad to have taken the time to re-hem despite the irritation at having to unpick.
Of course, it wasn't enough to add one label - I wanted one visible on the outside too! I love the concept of these 'You can't buy this' labels and have added them to various makes: this jacket, these Landers, these joggers, this skirt. I'm also very pleased with how neat the my topstitching is looking in this photo, it's always something I take my time on even in a coordinating colour.
To finish off a pair of handmade jeans I try to always add rivets. They elevate the make from handmade to professional, and on this all-black pair add a nice contrast colour too. These bronze rivets were actually left over from when I made my first pair of jeans back in 2018, they're from Prym. For both my light-blue wide-legged pair of jeans and my mid-blue balloon jeans I went for silver.
It's taken me a while to write this blog post (spending my days writing essays tends to mean that more writing is low on my priority list by the evening!) but I can confirm that I've worn these jeans constantly since making them. To the extent that I'm not sure what I used to wear - I've worn these at least twice if not three times a week since January. As spring rolls around I'm hoping to be able to get back into sewing more tops, but I wouldn't be surprised if another pair of trousers make their way into my Easter holiday sewing plans.
