Jeanius at last!
Posted: November 15, 2014 Filed under: Craftsy, Garment a Month, National Trust, Online learning | Tags: Craftsy, Garment a Month, Jeanius, National Trust, Trousers 17 CommentsDon’t ever let anyone say I can’t stick to a project. This one was started months ago. (In May – shocking huh?). But now I have finally finished my first pair of jeans from the Craftsy Jeanius course. And I like them! I am counting them as my 6th garment in the GAM Challenge and I know I have some catching up to do. About six weeks left to make another six garments – not terribly likely but I can try to make some, even if I can’t make them all.
I bought the course with the intention of copying a pair of Max Mara Weekend jeans that I wore loads last year but when I tried them on they didn’t look as good as my faithful Marks&Spencer Per Una everyday jeans.The Management said so so it must be true – he doesn’t often offer an opinion. The Craftsy method of providing video tuition that you can access whenever it suits you is good for me. I learn visually, so it helps that I can see someone actually demonstrating a process. As an experienced dressmaker the demonstrations (not just in this course) are sometimes a bit ‘fullsome’ but this will no doubt be of great help to a novice tackling the project for the first time. Again I came away with new toys (my pressing dept. has been expanded) and I am looking for another couple of things which Kenneth D King makes look indispensable – I will let you know how I get on.
Jeanius muslin front
Jeanius muslin side
Jeanius muslin back
The method he showed to get an accurate copy of your garment was really good – and in no way tied to jeans. I have already used this method to copy a clients jacket for her. Score. I even made a muslin after making the jeans pattern. I just forgot that the jeans were stretch denim and that calico doesn’t stretch. Did I mention how long I have been sewing?
Despite the lack of stretch I was able to get into these, and even fasten the zipper. I was fairly happy with the fit (giving some consideration to how it would translate into my stretch denim) so I went ahead and cut it out in some black which had matured sufficiently in the stash. I like it but don’t love it so wasn’t going to be broken-hearted if it didn’t live up to my hopes.
Jeans front
Jeans back
In the interest of learning I followed Mr Kings instructions precisely – except for the pocket which was different in my jeans – and ended up with a pair of jeans I am happy to wear. Changes on the next pair – use my method of installing the zipper which hides a bit further back in the fly front, use his pocket method as I think it may sit better than mine. Everything else worked well – I loved his method of working the waistband which makes a straight piece into a curve, and the pocket support.
I wore these all day yesterday and they are just like the original so I am very happy. Sadly black really doesn’t photograph well so you will have to take my word on the fit being pretty good. I already have the next fabric washed ready to cut out so I guess this has to be considered a success. I bought the course on sale so I am a very happy bunny! The course is on sale again at the moment – 34% off – if you are inspired. I don’t have any affiliation with Craftsy – I am just a satisfied student.
On a totally different matter The Management and I had a day out at Dunham Massey (another National Trust property) recently and I saw this sculpture. Isn’t it just gorgeous?
Gorgeous wooden horse
The Material Lady 
So happy for you, Kim! Those Craftsy classes are just perfect for waiting for us to catch-up aren’t they? I buy them and let them simmer while life grabs a hold of me and their they are just waiting for me. I’m an auditory learner so just listening without watching works too and some of the teachers just have such nice voices albeit US accents….ha ha. Kenneth has made some killer CD’s as well on most subjects and levels of sewing as well as his books that you can buy on his website. It’s so great that you can also use your new found techniques on clients’ clothes too…a win/win! Love the horse in the garden!
Wait till you see the next fabric! Anne will approve -and on my new regime I will have time to cut out this week.
From what we can see they look great! I too have a few Craftsy courses lined up to watch – some have been good,others less so. I did one recently on plus sized clothing (well, it was about adjust patterns to fit). The sizes were really way way bigger than me but the principles are easy to apply and the course was good. Adore that sculpture too – stunning.
Thanks Chica. I have a backlog of courses waiting for attention but that is the great thing about Craftsy. I always learn something I wasn’t expecting from them too.
The horse is fabulous -I would have been prepared to bankrupt us if I could have thought of a good place to display it!
The jeans look wonderful. But I have to say, although you would probably would not want to wear your pants quite that tight, even the muslin looks great. And we all do things from time to time and have to ask ourselves, “how long have you been seeing???”
🙂
Yes Rhonda, I was shocked at how well they looked even that tight! Bending may have been a challenge 🙂
I see that I need to pay attention to what this so called smart phone thinks I should be saying. Hopefully you were able to translate 🙂
I have the same problems with kindle! Message understood 😉
Congratulations for mastering jeans! You’ll never look back now 🙂
Next pair already planned 😉
Glad you liked the course! I’ll have to keep that one in mind!
I seem to be making my way down my stored courses slowly – but I almost always find another when they are offered on sale. Kenneth D King was a treat to watch and very ‘down to earth. I will be looking for him in future.
Ah jeans. I have a couple of half done pairs littering the sewing room. Jeans are at the hard work end of sewing aren’t they? Lots of processes which are heavily industrialised in rtw, but labour intensive to do at home. But now you can chalk up a win with a well fitted pair.
I think I will be making a couple more pairs – I pretty much live in jeans. These were easier than I expected 🙂
[…] had been cut out in January, prior to my client flurry, which I knew fitted as they were from my Jeanius pattern. Since they counted as clutter/UFO’s I decided to get stuck in on […]
[…] than what I would like my wardrobe to be. My wardrobe staples are jeans (sorted now thank to the Kenneth D King course) and t-shirts/tops. I tend to wear those in preference to shirts although there is no real […]
[…] the trousers! This was my Jeanius pattern (cut from instructions given in the Kenneth D King Craftsy course which seems to be at sale […]