Constructing Jeans and applying the Fly Front Zipper to pants!
Ive been asked a number of times to provide sewing/construction hints and was unable to really offer the space needed on these web pages.
Finally I decided to �bit the bullet� and pay for extra space and to get rid of those awful pop up advertising windows.
I am accepting construction and or sewing hints as a regular feature.
I will give credit to whom ever supplies this information and ask only that you not send copy righted information as from a sewing book or video unless you state in your OWN terms what the hint is and CREDIT your source. Please do not send graphics unless they are your own creation or you have written permission from the creator of those graphics.
Graphics and pictures should be in jpeg or gif format! regular photos may be sent snail mail to me at Kaaren Hoback PO Box 287 Dryden, New York 13053
I want to Thank you very much on behalf of all the DS users who will benefit from these tips!
Our very first assembly technique is supplied by Sandigds of the discussion list. Sandilives in XXXXXX and has developed the following list of assembly details to constructing a pair of jeans. It also contains a great detailed description of producing the fly front.
She has used the DS manual and several other references to come up with her technique her assembly method has been posted to the ds discussion list and we have her written permission to post it here! Thank you Sandi!!!!!
Dress Shop 2.0 Jeans Assembly
1) Mark inside (wrong side) of each pattern piece with chalk.
2) Mark darts and left and right fronts on inside.
3) Serge finish pattern pieces: pant fronts, pant backs, pocket lining and/or pockets, one long edge of aistband.
4) Sew darts in front and back; pressing toward center seam
5) Finish top pocket edge of pant front and attach patch pocket back.
6) Sew left front pant leg to left back pant leg at side seam (outseam), right sides together. Finish with mock flat fell seam if desired. Press.
7) Sew right front pant leg to left back pant leg at side seam, finish as above.
8) Sew the inner leg seam (inseam) on the left pant leg, right sides together, sewing from crotch to pant bottom. Finish seam as desired and press.
9) Repeat step 6 for right leg.
10) Turn left pant leg right side out, and insert it into the right pant leg (which is still wrong side out), so that the right sides of the fabric are together. The front crotch seam should line up exactly, and so should the back crotch seam.
11) Stitch the curve of the crotch seam from the waist to the zipper opening, using a standard stitch. In the curved portion, stitch again 1/8" inside the stitching line, to reinforce the seam. Trim the seam to 3/8" only on the curved portion. (A stretch stitch is good here.)
THE FLY FRONT!!!!
12) Finish the curved edge of the left fly facing (you will have needed to cut three fly pattern pieces, one for the fly facing and two for the fly shield). Pin the straight edge to the left front center of the pants, right fabric sides together. Stitch the seam from the waist to the edge of the
fly. Press the facing to the wrong side of the fabric.
13) Using the two pieces for the fly shield (extension) put right fabric sides together and sew the curved edges together. turn right side out and press. Finish the straight edge.
14) Place the fabric on a flat surface, front right fabric side up. Place closed zipper face down on the right pattern piece so that the edge of the tape matches the raw edge of the seam allowance and the top of the tape alligns with the pattern piece waist.
Place the fly shield on top of the zipper so that the straight edge of the shield aligns with the zipper tape edge and the pattern piece edge and the top of the shield aligns with the pattern piece waist.
Sew the fly shield, zipper and pattern piece together from the waist to the end of the shield, approximately 3/8" from the edge, sewing as close to the zipper teeth as you can. Fold shield and zipper toward the center and press.
Top stitch the pant piece within 1/8" of the fold, stitching through the fabric, seam allowance, zipper tape and fly shield.
Place the front of the pants on a flat surface right side of fabric facing up. Align the center front of the left piece so that it overlaps the right piece slightly. Make sure that the waist is aligned and that the zipper cannot be seen. Baste or pin in place as close to the center front edge of the left piece as you can so it does not move during the next step.
Turn the pants inside out. Fold the fly shield and left side piece out of the way and sew the zipper to the fly facing from the waist toward the crotch as close to the zipper teeth as you can. Stitch a second row 1/8" from the first.
Turn the pants right side out. Open the zipper and top stitch the fly facing 1 1/4" from the edge, using the typical J curve. Make sure the fly extension is out of the way. Add a reinforcing top stitch 1/4" from the first.
Close the zipper and fold the extension back into place. Reinforce the straight edge of the J by top stitching from the bottom along the straight edge as close to the seam as you can. Sew 1/4" past the bottom end of the zipper. Bartack at a point opposite the end point.
Cut interfacing half the width of the waistband. Align the top fold line of the waistband with the cut edge of the interfacing (or use iron on interfacing. Apply interfacing to the side of the waistband that will be attached to the pants first.
Press under the seam allowance and trim to 1/4" on the non-interfaced edge. Fold the waistband in half lengthwise, right sides together. Sew a straight line across each end. Clip the corner nearest the folded edge and trim the end seam. Turn the waistband right side out.
Attach the waistband to the pants with right sides together. Pin the interfaced edge of the waistband to the outside of the pants. Sew. Grade seam. Turn the waistband to enclose the seam. Align the pressed bottom edge of the waistband to the seam line. Blind stitch in place. Topstitch edges of waistband if desired. Add hooks and eyes or buttons and buttonholes to the overlap section.
Wow.. what a great tip Sandi/.. lots of work and very efficently done for all of us!!! Thanks