Ok so I had made a pair of Helene jeans and they were great. Right? Great?! I was somehow sad and not satisfied and had to re-evaluate what I really want in a pair of jeans right now. And I realised that my brain has been snapping up trendy ideas without telling me, and what I really want is some oversized sort of banana shaped jeans like a very expensive pair of L'Agence jeans I tried on not long before. (They are the Cody Rodeo crop, currently $729 in NZD, how is that for ridiculous?)
What to do about this? Obviously I need to find a new and very different sort of pattern. I put the idea to my friend Tessa who had just made the Falconer pants, about the day after they came out. I chewed on the idea. And I realised with some pocket modifications, and possibly the addition of knee darts, I could largely copy the cool bits of those L'Agence jeans, although I do not have access to pale or heavily stonewashed denim, I could make do.
I got to work, prepped a size 6, shortened the rise 1" and the length 1" to account for being a short human.
Increased the size of the pockets quite a bit (I don't now recall just how much) and split them in half for a vertical seam, a la Design Feature. The pocket is still sewn into the back seam as per the pattern, but the front overlaps the front seam to create something closer to my Vision.
Got scared off the idea of adding knee darts. Too much was already happening. A new pattern, jeans topstitching, the Pockets...in retrospect I do wish for them to break up the expanse of denim, but there's always a next time.
As I was sewing I applied my pockets in the recommended location to start - about 1" from the waistband. I wasn't quite sure where I wanted them, other than knowing they would overlap the front seam. But once I had done one side, including so much beautiful topstitching, I realised that was way too high. Some deep sighs were made and the seam ripper engaged. I ended up placing them lower, hoping that's a good spot for me to reach and put lots of things into.
I have to also specifically comment on the instructions in this pattern. They were pristine. This is one of the best created patterns I have used in a long time. The fit is perfect - exactly as anticipated by the pattern measurements. I have not used heaps of Helen's Closet patterns, just the Blackwood cardigan, which is great but very narrow in the arms, and the Orchard dress which did in fact fit really stunningly well despite being simple - in those easy patterns I haven't really paid much attention to the greatness of her pattern detailing before. I might keep a closer eye on her other patterns - I know the Winslow culottes have gotten heaps of love, so something to consider as we get closer to summer. I am also just now noticing the Ukee shorts might fit all my pattern desires for a pair of Patagonia-like summer shorts...something to think about.
Anyway here we are:
I had told my Thursday knitting club all about my desire to make these pants, including the L'Agence photos etc. The ladies in Thursday knit group are older (it meets at 10 am) and we had gotten into an argument about whether one could make jeans that look as good as store bought. They are a demographic who are largely pretty familiar with their sewing machines even if they no longer sew much. I had already worn in my new Helene jeans to win this argument, and I followed the discussions by wearing in my new Falconer jeans the following week.
Not only have I won, but a lady is totally converted and has dusted off her sewing machine and made multiple pairs of her own Helene jeans and Falconer pants since then. What a great win!!
I love these pants. I like the super high waist, the loose fit, the length. The pockets are massive and fit everything. I don't love my stiff denim and we will see, maybe I'll pumice it up a bit to see if I can get it to soften. Otherwise I am happy in all ways, for once. (Except now I want a pair that is full length, and in some pale blue denim....)
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