path: root/source/contemporary_menswear/trousers/basic_jeans/index.rst

Basic Jeans
===========

.. figure:: trousers_front.jpg
   :align: center

Classic 4 pockets [#four]_ jeans with a zippered front.

This pattern is suitable to make regular jeans, but also technical
pants, when using appropriate fabric, and of course the legs can be
shortened to above the knee for the summer.

.. [#four] Adding the fifth pocket should be trivial, and may be added
   to a future version of the pattern, but, I, er… forgot it.

Materials
---------

Fabric
^^^^^^

* between 1 and 1.5 m of sturdy trouser fabric: denim, corduroy,
  heavyweight linen etc. or technical breathing and abrasion resistant
  2nd layer fabric; * 50 cm pocket fabric.

Notions
^^^^^^^

* sewing thread to match the fabric;
* zipper, as long as the fly piece from the pattern;
* a suitable button;
* 16 cm of 2 cm wide elastic;
* optional: 2.5 m bias binding to finish some raw edges (any colour, as
  it won't show).

Pattern
-------

Measurements
^^^^^^^^^^^^

You need to take the following measurements:

``waist_natural_circ`` (O03)
   circumference of the trousers waist, about 5 cm below the waist;
``hip_circ`` (G09)
   circumference of the seat;
``rise_length_side_sitting`` (N04)
   body rise, sitting on a stool;
``leg_crotch_to_floor`` (M01)
   from crotch level to the floor, between the legs;

the file :download:`measurements.vit` is used by default by the pattern file
and has the list of needed measurements.

Pattern
^^^^^^^

Get the valentina file for the pattern,
:download:`basic_jeans.val`.

You also need to decide the following measurements and set them in the
table of variables in Valentina; most defaults in the file are sensible
and you probably only need to set ``easy_fitting``, ``waist_ease`` and
``jeans_bottom_width``.

``seam_allowance``
   this is the total sewing allowance, and should be big enough for flat
   felled seams; e.g. 2 cm;
``easy_fitting``
   set this to 1 to make the pattern easy fitting, to 0 for a tigher
   fit;
``waist_ease``
   e.g. 2 cm; with prominent (and squishy) bellies it's better to add
   no waist ease;
``jeans_bottom_width``
   width of the legs at the hems (half the circumference), 20 cm gives a
   straight cut on average sizes;
``floor_to_hem``
   distance from the floor to the desired hem of the trousers, e.g. 6
   cm;
``pocket_opening_width``
   how wide the pocket should be, e.g. 12 cm;
``pocket_opening_depth``
   how long the pocket opening should be, e.g. 7.5 cm;
``pocket_facing_width``
   how much the pocket facing should overlap away from the opening, in width, e.g. 3 cm;
``pocket_facing_depth``
   how much the pocket facing should overlap away from the opening, in depth, e.g. 5 cm;
``pocket_depth``
   how deep the pocket should be, from the top, e.g. 26 cm;
``pocket_depth_side``
   where the pocket should stop following the side seam, e.g. 19 cm;
``pocket_depth_front``
   where the pocket should stop following the front seam, e.g. 9.5 cm;
``fly_piece_length``
   how long the fly piece should be; take care that it isn't as long as
   to end on the heavily curved portion of the front seam, e.g. 14 cm;
``fly_piece_width``
   the width of the fly piece, e.g. 4 cm;
``back_pocket_width``
   the width of the back pocket at the top, e.g. 18 cm;
``back_pocket_depth``
   the depth of the back pocket, e.g. 18 cm;
``back_pocket_point_depth``
   the vertical distance from the tip of the pocket to where the bottom
   lines start at the sides, e.g. 3 cm;
``back_pocket_raster``
   how much the sides of the pockets should taper in before the bottom
   lines, e.g. 0.5 cm;
``waistband_height``
   e.g. 4 cm.

Instructions
------------

Cutting
^^^^^^^

Cut the two sets of pocket bags from pocketing fabric.
Cut all remaining pieces of the trousers except for the fly piece from
the folded fabric.
Cut either the straight or the shaped fly piece from the scraps, once
with all seam allowances and once with the shorter vertical edge on the
fold of fabric.

Fronts
^^^^^^

.. note::

   Sewing the fronts first and then the backs will get rid of most
   tricky bits sooner rather than later.

   If you prefer to start with an easier part, you can follow the
   instructions in the :ref:`basic_jeans_back` section, and then return here to
   prepare the fronts.

.. figure:: 0101-side_pieces_bound_edges.jpg
   :align: center

Bind the edges of the side pieces with bias tape.

.. tip::

   .. figure:: 0101a-side_piece_folded.jpg

   If the fabric isn't very thick, you can also cut the side pieces with
   1 cm of allowance on the curved edge and press it towards the back
   once instead of binding it.


.. figure:: 0102-side_piece_on_pocketing.jpg
   :align: center

Put it on the second pocket bag pieces, wrong side over the right side,
and sew down the curved edge 2 mm from the edge and then again in the
ditch of the bias tape.
Baste the top and side of the side piece to the pocket at 1–1.5 cm from
the edge. Treat them as one piece.


.. figure:: 0103-front_pocketing.jpg
   :align: center

Put the first pocket bag pieces on the fronts, right sides together, sew
the opening.

.. figure:: 0104-front_pocketing_topstitched.jpg
   :align: center

Press open, notch the allowances and press the pocket
towards the wrong side of the front, making the fabric overlab a tiny
bit so that the pocketing won't show on the front.
Topstitch at 2 mm and 8 mm from the edge.

.. figure:: 0105-pocket_bottom.jpg
   :align: center

Sew the lower, curved edge of the pocket with a french seam: put the
pocket bag pieces with the *outer* sides facing and sew 8 mm from the
edge.

.. figure:: 0106-pocket_bottom_french.jpg
   :align: center

Press, notch the curves, turn the pocket bags so that the inner sides
are facing, sew 1 cm from the edge.

.. figure:: 0107-basted_fronts.jpg
   :align: center

Align the end of the front opening to the marks on the pocket facings
and baste the pockets to the fronts at the top and side; from now on treat
them as one piece.

Placket
^^^^^^^

.. figure:: 0201-placket_facing.jpg
   :align: center

Wrong sides together, sew the placket facing (the one cut in the fabric
once) to the *left* front stopping at the notch, press towards the wrong
side.

.. figure:: 0202-placket_extension.jpg
   :align: center

Wrong sides together, sew the placket extension (the one cut on the
fold) to the *right* front stopping at the notch, press so that it
extends from the front.  Press in half, and press the remaining
allowance so that it will remain enclosed in the placket.

.. figure:: 0203-center_front_seam.jpg
   :align: center

Right sides together, sew the rest of the front seam, starting from the
notch and keeping the placket away from the seam, press open.

.. figure:: 0204-clipped_allowance_center_front.jpg
   :align: center

Clip the allowances of the legs at the notch, check that all placket
pieces can move to the inside.

.. figure:: 0205-flat_felled_center_front.jpg
   :align: center

Trim the allowance of the left leg of the front seam, press and flat
fell towards the left leg.

.. note::

   This seam is done with the allowances on the inside rather than
   outside like the other flat felled seams; doing otherwise would
   result in a bit of unfinished allowance at the front.

.. figure:: 0206-placket_bottom.jpg
   :align: center

Right sides together, sew the bottom of the placket extension at half
the sewing allowance.

.. figure:: 0206-placket_extension_folded.jpg
   :align: center

Turn inside out and topstitch the placket extension close to the
vertical seam.

.. figure:: 0207-placket_facing_topstitched.jpg
   :align: center

.. figure:: 0208-placket_inside.jpg
   :align: center

Fold down by 1 cm the raw edges of the placket facing (or bind them with
tape), topstitch it down close to all 3 edges of the facing.

If adding buttons, you can now sew the bottom of the placket close by
topstitching from the front, but if adding a zipper wait until later.

.. _basic_jeans_back:

Back
^^^^

.. figure:: 0301-back_pockets.jpg
   :align: center

Fold down the edges of the back pocket once, and the top edge twice,
press. Sew the top edge 2 mm from the edge and again 1 cm from the edge.

.. figure:: 0302-sewn_pockets.jpg
   :align: center

Topstitch the back pockets to the backs where marked on the pattern,
using two lines of stitching at 2 mm and 1 cm from the edge, and sewing
little triangles near the top for reinforcement.

.. figure:: 0303-sewn_yoke.jpg
   :align: center

Wrong sides together, sew the back yokes to the backs, press open.

.. figure:: 0304-flat-felled_yoke.jpg
   :align: center

Trim the yoke allowances and press up and fold the back allowances to
fell them, topstitch at about 8 mm from the seam.

.. figure:: 0305-sewn_center_back.jpg
   :align: center

Wrong sides together, sew the center back seam;

.. figure:: 0306-felled_center_back.jpg
   :align: center

fell and topstitch it towards the right side.

Legs
^^^^

.. figure:: 0401-sewn_inseam.jpg
   :align: center

.. figure:: 0402-flat_felled_inseam.jpg
   :align: center

Wrong sides together, sew the inseam. Press open, press towards the back
to flat fell and topstitch.

.. figure:: 0403-side_seam.jpg
   :align: center

Right seams together, sew the side seams. Bind the edges together with
tape, press towards the back.

.. figure:: 0404-side_seam_topstitched.jpg
   :align: center

If desired, top stitch the allowance of the side seam at 1 cm from the
seam.

.. tip::

   If using lighter fabric or making shorts you can also flat fell the
   side seams; topstitching throught the tube of the legs can however
   turn out to be either annoying or outright difficult, and I wouldn't
   even attempt it with denim or similar heavyweight fabric.

   If you're not sure, binding the edges with tape and *then*
   topstitching is safer than flat felling, as this way you can easily
   unpick the (partial) topstitching seam if it gets too hard to sew,
   and the edges will be already finished and on the right side.

Waistband
^^^^^^^^^

.. figure:: 0501-waistband_sewn.jpg
   :align: center

Right sides together, sew the waistband to the trousers, leaving 2 cm at
each end.

.. figure:: 0502-waistband_sides.jpg
   :align: center

Fold the waistband right sides together, sew the sides, clip the
corners, turn inside out and press.

Press the remaining edge of the waistband down 2 cm, press the waistband
in half so that it encloses all raw edges.

.. figure:: 0504-waistband_elastic.jpg
   :align: center

With a 3-step zig-zag, sew 8 cm of elastic centered on each side seam
and pulled over 10 cm of the raw edges.

Topstitch the waistband closed at 2 mm and then at 1 cm from all four
edges, pulling while sewing over the elastic.

Front closure
^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.. note::

   This isn't the traditional way to put a zipper in the front of jeans,
   and it's a bit less neat; however it works just as well, the non-neat
   parts are hidden from view when the trousers are worn, and it makes
   it way more easy to change the zipper when it breaks, as it only
   requires unpicking the zipper seams and a bit of whipstitching.

.. figure:: 0601-left_zipper.jpg
   :align: center

Center the closed zipper on the placket extension, taking care that it
doesn't extend to the visible part of the front. Machine sew the left
part of the zipper close to its border and then again closer to the
teeth, using a zipper foot and moving the cursor out of the way with the
needle in the fabric while close to it..

.. figure:: 0602-pinned_placket.jpg
   :align: center

.. figure:: 0603-right_zipper.jpg
   :align: center

Close the zipper again, pin the trousers closed and sew the right side
of the zipper to the placket facing by hand with two lines of
backstitch, taking care to only catch the facing and not the fabric on
the front.

.. figure:: 0604-placket_bottom.jpg
   :align: center

Whipstitch the bottom of the placket closed.

Attach a button centered above the placket on the waistband and sew the
corresponding buttonhole on the other end of the waistband, above the
part with the facing.

Hems
^^^^

.. figure:: 0701-hem.jpg
   :align: center

Fold down the hem of each leg twice 1 cm, topstitch at 2 mm and again at
8 mm from the folded edge.

Belt Loops
^^^^^^^^^^

.. figure:: 0801-loops.jpg
   :align: center

From the scraps, cut 6 rectangles 8 cm long and 3 cm wide; fold them
approximately in thirds, press and sew a wide zig zag through the whole
length.

.. figure:: 0802-loops_front.jpg
   :align: center

.. figure:: 0803-loops_back.jpg
   :align: center

Fold down the top and bottom edges a bit less than 1 cm and topstitch
the loops to the trousers, backstitching back and forth, around the
waistband e.g. at 4 cm from the center back, 6 cm from the side seams
(towards the back) and 8 cm from the center front.

Gallery
-------

.. figure:: trousers_back.jpg
   :align: center