Welcome to your August 2024 Dream Wardrobe.
Leopard print is everywhere at the moment and has been for some time, but we have yet to find a really excellent leopard print fabric. So we designed our own!
We all love leopard jeans here at Fabric Godmother. As we always say, leopards are neutral and go with everything. So, we wanted to create a beautiful pair of leopard jeans that would fill that wardrobe gap. So what better than the Sera Pants, one of the newest patterns from Papercut Patterns?
About the fabric:
We present to you Ace—Leopard Denim. This is an exclusive for Dream Wardrobe customers, as the fabric doesn’t launch until Thursday, the 22nd. You will be amongst the first customers to use this fabric.
This is a brand new base cloth for us, and we spent a long time sourcing the perfect weight and softness for this non-stretch printed denim. This 9-oz denim is ideal for jeans, jumpsuits, dungarees, bags, and dresses. It is a great everyday denim that we have loved sewing with.
I recommend prewashing your fabric to remove any dressing and allow for pre-shrinking. A cool wash will be fine; just make sure the temperature you use to prewash is the temperature at which you plan to wash the final garment. You don’t want your final garment to shrink.
This fabric would also work well for:
Tilly and the Button - Sonny Jacket
Fabric Godmother - Fleur Blouse
Bella Loves - Anna Skirt two height options - 5'3"
Bella Loves - Anna Skirt two height options - 5'7"
About the pattern:
Designed for maximum comfort and style, the Sera Pant offers multiple options to fit your needs. High-waisted with a choice of straight or barrel leg, it has cute rounded front pockets or spacious utilitarian-style patch pockets. Back darts and large back patch pockets provide a flattering fit while keeping essentials close at hand. It can also be cut as shorts for the summer months.
I made the barrel-leg version because I’ve been seeing this modern cut of jeans everywhere at the moment.
Notions required:
These are the notions I used:
- Extra Strong Topstitching Thread - Black
- Starlight Button - 20mm - Old Brass
- Closed End Zip (8 Inches - Black) - this is my personal preference to a metal trouser zip as found it easier to use. You could also use an 8 Inch Jeans Zip but you will need to shorten this to 7 inches by removing some of the teeth.
The Sera Pants would also look great in:
Firle Floral print stretch denim
Rosette denim Chambray - Indigo
Allegra Heavy denim twill - Black
About your gift:
When you’re making your own jeans, it can sometimes be the finishing touches that make the final garment unique. Whether it’s topstitching, metal hardware, or a really great patch, we have included this Petra Boase lightning iron-on patch, perfect for the back pocket of your jeans.
#fgdreamwardrobe
Want to share your Dream Wardrobe? Use the hashtag #fgdreamwardrobe and share your unboxing and final makes on social media.
Happy sewing, Josie xxx
August DW sewing notes:
I prewashed my fabric to ensure that the finished jeans would not shrink. I washed the fabric at 30 degrees, the temperature at which I plan to wash the finished jeans.
I chose to make the barrel-leg version of the Sera pants as I love this modern style.
I chose the size according to my measurements, grading from a 4 at the waist up to a 5 at the hips. However, after making the jeans, I feel that there is a lot of ease in the hips, and I could have saved myself quite a bit of effort grading between the two if I had just used the waist for fit.
Other than that, I made no adjustments to the fit, and they came out great.
When cutting and sewing the waistband, I found the following tips helpful:
Using a poplin for the lining of the waistband helped reduce bulk, especially at the corners and where the belt loops are attached.
Make the belt loops slightly longer and then trim them to the correct length once in place, as they only allow for a narrow belt to be worn.
For the topstitching, I used an extra strong thread rather than a topstitching thread. This thread is slightly thinner and goes through the machine a bit easier. I used a standard Guttermann sew all on the bobbin with this.
To turn the corners on the waistband, don’t trim them. I found that this meant the fabric may fray. Instead, fold the seam allowances in one at a time and turn the corner.
When topstitching around the waistband, don’t start in the corner. Instead, start in the centre, leave the needle in the corners, and pivot the fabric around. This stops the fabric from getting stuck when you start sewing.