Curated

*The following is a repost from our Pants Designing Issue 15. There are a range of different details that can be added to a pants pattern to turn them into jeans. Firstly would be the fabric choice. You're likely to use a denim or twill fabric. It's up to you which other design details you choose to add. We suggest looking at ready-to-wear jeans you might have in your wardrobe or in stores. This is a fantastic way to see how garments are constructed and which styles and design features you like. Hardware Kylie and the machine have a great...

[Image credit: Denim Hunters] If you’ve ever turned up the hem on a pair of jeans and noticed a series of looped threads forming a chain-like pattern on the inside, you were looking at a chain stitch — a classic detail with deep roots in denim history. Developed in the 19th century for industrial use, the chain stitch was widely adopted in denim manufacturing by the early 20th century, especially by companies like Levi Strauss & Co. It became a signature feature of vintage workwear, valued not just for its efficiency but for how it changed the way jeans behaved...

We often think of waistbands as a strip of fabric to finish off pants or a skirt. But how we cut that strip matters far more than we might assume. And depending on who you ask, there’s surprisingly little consensus on the “right” way to do it. Traditionally, many home sewists and commercial patterns advise cutting waistbands on the lengthwise grain — the grain that runs parallel to the selvage. It’s commonly accepted as the most stable, the least stretchy, and therefore the best option for something that’s supposed to stay firmly in place. But what if that advice is...

  Ta da! Congratulations, you made jeans!