Jeggings Attempts #1 and #2

By making my versions of the Luna pants pattern, I successfully created some very wearable trousers whilst neatly side-stepping the trouser-fitting headaches I was having in the spring. So I thought I'd try to pull off the same trick (making wearable trousers whilst side-stepping my trouser fitting issues) by recreating my favourite secondhand RTW jeggings. Here's how that went....


Version #1

Pattern and construction:

Because my old jeggings (the washed-out black ones pictured below) were very much on their last legs, I decided to cut them up so I could lay the shapes out flat, rather than trying to take a pattern from them still as a 3D object. I omitted the back yoke, which didn't seem to be adding anything in terms of shaping, and made the back in one piece instead.

I kept the cut up pieces of dissected jegging so I could take some hints for construction. I decided, as per the originals, to make faux-flat felled seams on the outer legs by making closed seams then pressing and top-stitching down the seam allowances towards the back. The inside legs are regular closed seams. I made the pattern full length, as per the originals, but my #1 copy were cropped due to fabric restrictions.

Fabric:

I've had my eyes peeled for decent jeggings-appropriate stretch denim for a while but it's been pretty illusive. Stretch-denim in general seems to be fairly common, but I need the really stretchy, four-way stretch stuff that's going to behave more like leggings fabric and can deal with an elasticated waist design, rather than the type of denim that you'd buy for making regular jeans that happens to have a small amount of give in it. There's probably a way to describe what I'm talking about using percentages of stretch, but I don't know what that's about yet. Anyway, when I found a 95cm remnant of suitable fabric at a Ditto sale, I snapped it up, even though it wouldn't be quite long enough for the pattern I had copied.

Thoughts:

Generally speaking, for a first attempt they weren't too bad, and I've worn them masses in the two months since I finished them. I even like the necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention cropped length, which has made them really useful for the summer. And I thought I could get winter use from them if worn with long socks and knee-high boots.

So, the bad stuff. The first thing that grabbed my attention was that the overlocking and my faux-flat felling of the outer leg seam felt very noticeable. I probably should have overlocked away at least 0.5cm of the seam allowance before the top-stitching. However, I don't know if it's the wearing and washing softening up the outer seams, or just sensory adaptation, but I realised the other day definitely don't notice it as much these days.

Also, I'd say that overall they are a little big, probably because the fabric of the originals didn't have quite as much stretch as the blue Ditto fabric so the pattern is a little bit too large for this particular fabric. And they are also way too high, particularly at the back. I like that I can bend over in a playground with absolutely no chance of scarring anyone for life, but I have to yank them up from time to time as I don't think it's helping the baggy-bumness.

Speaking of which, check out the horrendous-ness of all those under-bum wrinkles in the image above. I was sooo tempted not to share the back view of these, but then I really need your hive-mind opinions. After all the wears and washes these have had so far, I think the fabric has got a bit saggy, especially by the end of the day which is when I got Pat to take these photos. However, I fear those wrinkles may not be all down to saggy fabric and that some pattern adjustment may be required. Annoyingly, I didn't give the under-bum much notice when I first made these so I'm not sure what the fit in that area was like when the fabric was still very fresh and new. I'm really hoping that it IS the fabric rather than an issue with the pattern, because considering all the hassles I had/am having with the fit of the slim-legged, side-zipped, Ultimate trousers, any visible pooling of fabric/wrinkles under the bum is making me feel like this:


via GIPHY


Version #2

Pattern and construction:

After the relative success of #1, which I view as a wearable toile, I was excited to crack on with another pair soon after. So I lowered the height of the waist by 2cm at the front and 3cm at the back (blending between the two at the sides). I decided to leave the overall size/width the same in case my next piece of fabric had a better recovery/wearability than the blue Ditto stuff. I was also excited to try out the full-length of my pattern, which I'd kept accurate to the originals in length and width round the ankles.

As for construction, I learnt my lesson and made proper flat felled seams on the outer legs to hopefully reduce/omit the discomfort in that area. I also chose a quicker and less faffy method of attaching the waistband/elastic channel than I did on #1 that I won't bore you with. I was also feeling pretty confident going into this version, so I decided to add some patch pockets for extra interest, seeing as I wasn't using contrast top-stitching this time round.

Fabric:

If it's possible to be in love with a piece of fabric, then that's what's happening here. This version is made from some super stretch denim from Fabric Godmother. I'd seen it at their studio space during our recent Portslade bloggers' meet-up, but I didn't buy any because I was on a budget (which obviously got blown anyway). But I kept thinking about it so emailed Josie to check she still had some in stock in advance of their July Open day, hoping she'd put some aside for me if it was running low. Because she is the more generous and thoughtful lady, she sent me a length for free instead! I'm not sure if she getting any more of this exact denim in stock (might be worth emailing her), but there are a lot of other fabulous similarly-stretchy denim on their site, including this blue that I also have some of.

Thoughts:

Ok, first the good points. These feel really comfy and generally I think they look pretty good, therefore I've worn them heaps since I finished them. These are a more recent make, they haven't had as much wear or washing as #1, however I'm pretty sure that they will fair better over time. These pictures were taken when they were fresh out the wash, but you'll have to trust me that the black denim doesn't get so saggy by the end of the day. The real flat felled seams have worked a charm and I don't notice the the outer leg seams at all.

Now for the faults that I think I can improve on without inducing a headache. They still sit too high on my waist. It may not look like it, either in the flesh or in photos, but this is a personal comfort thing. When I wear them now, I tend to roll the waistband down to get it sitting where it feels most comfortable to me. When I can muster the patience, I will go back and unpick and re-do it for a lower waistband permanently.

Another simple flaw is that my patch pockets are sitting too low and too far to the outer leg seams. The height doesn't really notice too much as I always wear tops that cover at least the waist area of these jeggings (I've just got my top tucked in for these photos so you can see what's going on), but for future versions I need to make a note to position them a touch higher.

I also think the wrinkles around the knee are because the jeggings are too long in the leg, so hopefully I can make those disappear easily enough.

Right, time for the tricky stuff. It may not have escaped your attention that, although not as pronounced at the rear view of version #1 there's still some wrinkles under the bum on this pair as well. I think this could be for one of three reasons (or a combination of the three):

1) After an aha-moment whilst listening to the Melissa Fehr episode of the Crafty Planner podcast, I wondered if those wrinkles are a pooling of fabric caused by the fabric being pushed down because the fit is too tight across my bum (although they don't feel it). If that's the case then I do not have a Scooby-do (Cockney for clue) how to change my pattern to correct that.

2) Perhaps less visible in these photos, compared to the originals, like version #1, version #2 still feels too room-y around the pelvis and thigh area. The waist fits fine because I adjusted the elastic to be the correct length so they pull in sufficiently at the waist, but if I were to take in the side seams a smidge from the waist to the knee my theory is that there's less likely to be any wrinkles if the fabric is stretched more across my body. I guess this route would lead to a tighter, more sprayed-on effect like you see many of the 'youth' rocking these days. Annoyingly, I can't simply nip these in to test that theory because of the flat felled seams.

3) The issue could be the same one that my trouser-fitting saga is throwing up. I might need to do some 'scooping out' of the back rise, or lowering the back crotch curve, or taking in the in-seam (although the latter may have cause me problems when I did that to my black pair of Ultimate trousers) because of some kind of low-bum issue or something.

One word:


via GIPHY

What is also clear, is that each different denim fabric would need its own unique sewing pattern to get the best version of jeggings possible. But without making a toile and the subsequent pair from the exact same fabric, I guess I'm going to have to forgo the real flat felled seams in favour of making a pair that can be adjusted at the seams to get a close-to-perfect fit for future versions.

Going forwards:

Having recently read through a lot of Tasha from By Gum By Golly's trouser-fitting trials and being inspired by her tenacity, I'm more determined than I felt for a long time to really get to the, umm, bottom of my trouser fitting endeavours. So now I've got two challenges: to perfect my jeggings pattern, and to perfect my Ultimate trousers pattern. Both these patterns require fabric with some stretch content, unlike Tasha who is aiming to get a great fit for wovens both with and without stretch. I don't feel comfortable in slim-legged trousers or jeans of any type made from fabric without the lycra/elastane/spandex/blah blah. So now when I find some nice woven-with-stretch fabric, I'll pick which of these patterns it'll probably be best suited to and push onwards...

As it stands, I feel the jeggings are closer, but I'm determined to nail both. Then Frankie will pack in breastfeeding and winter will come and I'll put loads of weight on and have to make a whole heap of new pattern changes! Oh, and one day I hope to find the 'proper jeans' sewing pattern that appeals and use that as a base to work on that type of garment too. Hopefully, by then, I'll have learnt so much about trouser fitting and my personal shape that I'll have a heap of knowledge I can transfer to that.

If you have any insights to my fitting issues, please do share your thoughts via a comment. And, how about you? Do you ever wonder if you should just go to a shop and buy some trousers/jeans/jeggings instead?! Have you gone down the trouser/jeans/jeggings fitting rabbit hole and come out victorious? Please let me know!