Black to Basics (Closet Case Ginger Jeans)

I know, I know… that\’s two \”basic\” titles in a month, and bad puns at that! But my Girlsack-inspired classic capsule combined with my pledge to not buy any clothing during 2018 has me sewing all the practical pieces, like oxford shirts, navy skirts, and these black jeans!

This is the third version of the Closet Case Ginger Jeans I\’ve made in the past year and I now have a whole Ginger wardrobe: classic blue denim, white, and now black. If you\’ve followed me in my Ginger making adventures, you may remember that I thought the first pair (in blue denim) wasn\’t quite high-rise enough–view B is supposed to be natural waist, but that first pair hit just below my belly button which I didn\’t love. (Does anyone else feel dumb writing belly button? But navel seems just as bad? Ugh, the things we type for sewing blogs!) For the white pair, I added two whole inches to the rise, and while I think they look cute they feel just slightly too high. For this pair, I added one inch to the original pattern, so halfway between versions one and two, and, like Goldilocks, it\’s just right. I also shaved a little bit out of the lower back, and I think the fit in these is the best to date. Unfortunately, I think this pair has the worst waistband yet (although nothing egregious) with some flaws at the fly and I somehow managed to sew my back pockets on totally crooked despite having double and triple checked. Luckily these issues don\’t stand out in black, no one besides sewing people will even notice, and Alex says anyone who is looking at my butt will be distracted by how nice it looks in these jeans and will definitely not notice the pocket placement. (Isn\’t he sweet! haha)

This fabric is from Hart\’s and I was pretty worried while sewing that it wouldn\’t have enough recovery–my pattern pieces were stretching all over the place and curling up like crazy. I was so relieved when I tried them on and they not only fit perfectly, but stayed snug throughout the whole day. This fabric is really great–a nice weight with a hefty stretch and a deep black color (I called the store to make sure it was black black before ordering). Unfortunately, it\’s all sold out! You may be able to find it at a different store since Telio fabrics are sold elsewhere.

xoxo,