Pattern Review: Jamie Jeans by Named Clothing, via Indiesew

Today I’m excited to announce that Right Sides Together is joining the Indiesew Blogger Team! Every couple of months or so, I’ll bring you a review of one of the digital patterns available through Indiesew’s website, created by some of the industry’s top indie designers. Indiesew just recently launched their Spring collection and will be kicking off Selfish Sewing Week on Monday, so I thought I’d pitch in with a review of the Jamie Jeans pattern by Named Clothing.

I’ve always considered myself a quilter who dabbles in garments; up until now, my sewing repertoire has consisted of tops and the occasional dress with fairly simple construction. I am not a seamstress by any means, mostly because my governing life principle of “eh, good enough” doesn’t mesh well with the accuracy required for making something actually fit. Allie has been looking for people to contribute tips for getting an accurate fit with the Jamie Jeans, and I chuckle to myself because here’s my main piece of advice: CROSS YOUR FINGERS.

Thankfully, due in part to my body being pretty much one straight size and in part to Named writing a kick-ass jean pattern, I am pretty darn happy with how my pants turned out. Rather than going with denim, I found a gorgeous kelly green, fine-wale corduroy at my LQS and decided to make some cords. I also had a fat quarter of Liberty lawn burning a hole in my pocket (HA! PUN!) so I lined the front pockets with that.

I was intimidated by the pocket detail at first (as well as by the sheer number of pattern pieces), but that part was actually very easy to construct. The zip fly was the part I found to be the hardest, mostly because I’d never done one before. Thankfully, I was able to consult the jeans sitting on my body to get an idea of how everything was supposed to lie. The only difference in this pattern from most regular jeans was the front leg seam, which I found to be a super cute detail.

Another thing I really appreciated about the pattern was how meticulous it was (which, as you know, is not my strong suit). There were tons of notches and markings, which really helped my accuracy. If something wasn’t lining up, I could pretty quickly figure out why (wrong piece, seam sewn too soon, etc.). Even though the process was complex, the directions were clear and mostly well illustrated. With the zipper and fly shield, I would have liked to have seen photos rather than drawings just for more clarity — but again, it’s not like we all don’t have access to jeans of our own for reference.

The fit of the jeans ended up being very skinny, like leggings, which I liked — but be warned if it’s not your style. The pattern is designed for someone who is 5’8″, and I am a solid four inches shorter. The leg openings were quite tight (and I don’t think my calves are huge for someone my height or size); a lot of this was probably due to the fact that I used woven corduroy with no stretch rather than the stretch denim recommended by the pattern. To compensate, I actually just cut the length off the bottom rather than using the adjustment lines on the pattern.  It worked well and gave me the extra bit of space I needed in the calves.

Overall, I really recommend this pattern. These jeans, with all the detailing and finishing, are the real deal. I also think that this pattern has taught me a lot about garment sewing, not just in putting in a zipper or a waistband, but in slowing down and taking the time to do things right. In return, I’m left with a pair of pants that I can wear — and will! If you’re on the fence about learning how to sew more complex patterns, I can’t recommend this one enough.

FYI: In return for my honest review, Indiesew provides me with a pattern at no charge. All opinions are my own.