At Darn Cheap Fabrics we take a lot of pride in the fact our staff are pretty clever when it comes to sewing. All of us have a background in fashion and making. So we thought it would be nice to showcase some of our skills using the wonderful stock we have available in store!
For this make I used one of the lovely independent pattern brands we stock, the Megan Nielsen “Dawn” Jean. I decided to take this opportunity to make my mum her dream pair of jeans. My mum has been on the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans, with the right fit and the right fabric, for years. When our medium weight classic denim came into stock I knew I’d struck gold. This denim is 100% cotton, nice and firm, with no stretch. The perfect sturdy fabric for a classic pair of jeans. The Megan Nielsen pattern also has a great size range that caters to all sorts of body types so this was the perfect pattern to use. These patterns also come with a super handy checklist on the back so you can grab everything you need while you’re in store!
For this pattern I chose the white whisperweft interfacing for its soft pliable, yet firm finish. I grabbed a pack of Schmetz assorted jeans needles as these come with a few different sizes. I was unsure how thick the denim would be so this pack gives a few options as well as leaving me with different sizes for later projects. I also picked up some jeans buttons and a rivet set. I chose to do a button fly on this pair but we also have jeans zips available in store. Top stitch thread was recommended for this pattern but I prefer standard thread so I just chose warm tone thread like this.
I love making clothes for other people so instead of cutting into the pattern I decided to trace over it. Tracing vilene is perfect for this! I also made sure to prewash my denim the same way I planned on washing the final garment. Prewashing is really good for clearing out any excess dye and making sure your finished piece won’t shrink. Lastly I gave it a good iron and it was ready to go!
To cut out my fabric I used our amazing glass head pins and fiskars scissors. Both are super sharp, perfect for getting through thick denim. I also decided to use the 110 size jeans needles on my machine for this heavy fabric.
Some spots that needed top stitching were extremely thick, too thick to fit through my machine! A fun trick I’ve learned is to use a hammer to flatten it down before top stitching.
Once the garment was all sewn up I used my fine point snips (which I always have close by) to snip off any loose threads. I then used an awl and my trusty hammer to apply my hardware.
And then they were complete! I added a special touch to the waistband for my mum to make her feel extra special. The jeans were a hit! The perfect fit, the perfect fabric, mum was thrilled and so was I.
If you make some of your own “Dawn” jeans make sure to tag us on Instagram so we can see! Also check out our Tiktok to see a little video of the jeans coming together.
Happy sewing everyone!
  
      
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