Wyome boyfriend jeansMore jeans! After finished making my husband’s jeans, I felt a weird craving to make more jeans. I even had a dream where I made a super neat topstitching on the waistband, probably because I thought about them a lot. I guess I really love making jeans.
At this point there are two things that I can do. One is to decide that I have got too obsessed and should be looking for something else to do, and the other one is to just surrender and make another pair of jeans. Actually I’ve chosen option no. 1, until last weekend when I went to a store called Village Vanguard in Shibuya.
Despite claiming to be ‘an exciting bookstore’, Village Vanguard is a kitsch store that focuses on western pop culture. It is full of interesting knick-knacks like holga and polaroid cameras, T-shirts with interesting prints, clocks, pillowcases, basically anything that you don’t need but might want to have.
Denim fabricI went to the store to look around as usual when I noticed a stack of folded fabrics in a dark corner. Lo and behold! They were selvedge and non-selvedge denim fabrics, each fabric was cut enough to make a pair of jeans. This must be a sign from the jeans god.
I was going for another selvedge denim when I noticed this light blue denim and immediately had a vision of boyfriend jeans. And that was a rather unnecessary long story of how I justified myself for making another jeans.
The pattern is Wyome boyfriend jeans by Named patterns. This is a pattern for loose fitting five pocket jeans with low waist, revealed button closure and narrowed legs. I spent sometime looking for versions made by other sewer and I think most of them looked a bit too fitted for my vision of boyfriend jeans. So I decided to cut size 36 -one size bigger than my size- for a more ‘boyfriend’ effect.
DetailsMy alterations are mostly shortening everything. The rise is shortened 1 cm and the legs are shortened 15 cm in three places. I also widen the legs about 2 cm around the calves as I often had pants stuck around there. I suppose I have big calves.
I have made several jeans before so I just used my usual way of sewing jeans instead of reading the instructions. The fabric is non-stretch denim, about 12 oz in weight, and sursprisingly very easy to sew. My waistband topstitching turned out quite neat just like in my dream!
The rivets are so beautiful that I can’t stop looking at them. They are from Citron Jeans, a Japanese store where I bought selvedge denim for my husband. The row of exposed buttons is my favorite part! These buttons are from Okadaya in Shinjuku.
The denim was still quite a bit stiff but they will get more comfortable with each wear (or so I’ve heard). I’m not quite used to wearing stiff fabric so I tried to distress the fabric. I put a small wallet to the back pocket and sandpapering from the outside.
Then I learned that it is better if you distress the fabric before topstitching. After witnessing several broken threads in my delightful topstitching, I decided to stop the distressing and just let nature run its course. I do like the hole in the back pocket though!
Pattern is Wyome jeans from Named patterns (PDF), size 36.
27 Comments
I know this post is super old but I’m going to japan in a couple of weeks and I want to get some supplies to make a pair of jeans. Can you tell me where the Citron Jeans store is????
It’s an online store.
Perfect boyfriend jeans, these look awesome! So awesome in fact that I kept coming back to these for months and am now convinced I need boyfriend pants as well and have now the Wyome pattern and all the fabric and notions ready! I love your alteration and the looser fit you achieved! If you don’t mind, I’d love to know how tall you are and how your measurements relate to the measurements of the Wyome pattern envelope? I really prefer your fit to other examples I’ve seen made up and I am petite (1,59 m) as well and not really sure which size to cut and if I should shorten the pieces the way you did or not!
I’m about 152 cm tall and size 34 in Named patterns. Named patterns are drafted for 172 cm tall so I have to shorten them a lot.
Hope to see your boyfriend jeans soon! :)
Thank you so much for getting back to me so soon. This is my first time sewing from a Named pattern, so this is really very helpful to me! Loved your recent culottes as well, btw, I have a Burda subcirption and already traced the pattern. You really got a great taste! :)
I must have missed these a few months ago but I love these jeans! They have many clever details but they really do look soo comfy.
These are amazing! I love the color, the fit and especially the buttons. They look so perfect!!
Another fantastic pair of jeans. I’m in awe of your topstitching. The fit looks fantastic on you.
These look great, I like the looser fit. I’ve made a pair and am scheming about a second so great to see yours. I switched to a zip on my first pair but really like the look of the button front. Good tip about the distressing, I’ve never tried it but I’m sure I’d have made the same mistake without your reminder.
these look so awesome on you! your topstitching is just perfect.
Your jeans are extremely cool! I love the loose fit. I never thought I wanted boyfriend jeans, until now.
I love these! They look awesome on you!
Thank you Sonja! :)
They are so cooool. The colour of the denim and topstitch thread are perfect together!
The thread was so orange on its spool compared to the usual rust-colored jeans thread. I was having a doubt about it, but I guess it worked out for such ligh-colored fabric :)
Your jeans are always so impressive!
Glad that you like them :)
Nice job! Though for some reason distressing them distressed me. They will wear out on their own trust me.
They distressed me too! Especially after those broken threads. I don’t think I will do it again and just let them wear out :D
Beautiful!! I love the fit you got, definitely a relaxed and cool look. And all the details are just amazing! Now you’re making me want to sew another pair of jeans!!
Please make one! I always love the jeans that you’ve made :)
These jeans are fantastic. The attention to details is amazing! Great job!
Part of the joy of making jeans is the details! Thank you :)
Beautiful pair of jeans. I can find the time to sew some now… So happy you did! Love the changes you made – they do look like boyfriend style now.
I’m glad I made the changes too! They are so comfortable :)
You’ve done a great job on these, they look fabulous. I am interested to see them made up a size larger than suggested as I also considered doing that. I really like the loose fit on you and it makes the style more unique. The button fly and distressing are fantastic.
Thank you! Hope to see your version soon, it is a great pattern!