Itch To Stitch Liana Stretch Jeans

Today includes a confession. Ready? I was afraid to make jeans. <gasp> Pants fitting is always a struggle. And a good pair of jeans takes fitting. LOTS of fitting. But, since I had already purchased the Itch To Stitch Liana Stretch Jeans, I knew I had to commit, eventually.

I picked the ITS Liana's because it included 3 leg options, skinny, straight and boot. That means I fit the waist and hips once and have 3 looks. That is worth the investment.

My measurements are 31" waist, 38" full hip. That put me in a size 4 hip and size 10 waist. I did NOT blend out to the larger waist because this pattern doesn't sit at my waist. My high hip generally fits in a smaller size than my full hip.

I used the Stretch Denim from Simply By Ti. It had just enough stretch and will soften up nicely over time. The pocket includes a "stay" that provides extra tummy support. I think I would actually prefer it without and may use a gently stretchy fabric to make them a bit more comfy.

I started out by fitting a "shorts" length to get all the crotch and waist band right. I ended up taking a LOT out of the back waist. Maybe 1 1/2" on the fold, so 3" This is a common adjustment for me. Is it a real sway back? I don't know. But because I had to take so much out of the center back of the yoke, I had to split it and take some out of the side seam and some out of the center back.

I was SO excited about getting the crotch curve right, that I didn't stop to think. So I added on the slim fit leg and jumped right in with a full pant. UGH. I failed on so many levels (which you can see through all the leg wrinkles).

So, I still need to go back and redo the front quad and the back calf. But on the plus side, once I get the front leg done, it'll translate easily to the other 2 leg options that are included.

I also think I need to bring the pockets up just a little. I know there is a blog post over on Closet Case Patterns talking about how when she moved her pockets up just 1/4" it made a huge difference in how her butt looks.

Ok, so I messed up, but I still like the pattern. My only complaint about the whole thing is that the waistband asks you to put twill tape in the upper seam. This makes the waistband VERY firm. I would prefer a more relaxed waistband since my body shape fluctuates a lot. I'll be experimenting with putting elastic in that seam rather than twill tape to see if it provides enough support.

One tip I do have. If you have a "backup" machine, set it up to do all of your top stitching. Otherwise you're going to have to switch back and forth with your top stitching thread and top stitching needle. Which will make jeans making take WAY more time. I of course didn't come up with that idea until I was almost done. On the plus side, my Janome Hello Kitty Electronic Machine has a beautiful straight stitch (better than my Viking Opal) so it was worth the effort. AND now my sewing table is nice and neat and clean and I have 2 machines to chose from.

Also, do yourself a favor and wear heels with your jeans at least once. It takes them from boring to fancy. 😉