Last year I made Burda 7050 jeans pattern with dark blue denim with Lycra and it became my favourite pair of jeans. This year, as part of my Make Nine pledge, I decided to use an old piece of black denim without elastane for another pair of flared jeans - my preferred jeans style, but with a few adjustments to the pattern.
I bought this denim probably three years ago and washed it immediately, as I usually do and as most tailors recommend. To my unpleasant surprise, the fabric crinkled and the crinkles left discolored traces. I put the fabric aside and bought another piece of denim for the project I had had then in mind.
This year I was positive I had either to sew the fabric or throw it away, so I gave it a second chance. Although I love my first pair of Burda 7050, I wanted to try a bit smaller size. The original 34 was kind of a bit wide on me and started fitting me great only after I washed the jeans and they shrank. Having had the bitter experience of washing a big piece of denim in my washing machine, I had decided to try making the pair first, then go through the washing process. However, because this denim has already been washed, I don't expect it to shrink significantly, so I went for a size down. I cut size 32, the smallest available in Burda, but added 1 cm to the width of the front and back pieces, thus aiming at a size between 32 and 34. If my fabric had elastane, I would have probably risked 32 without corrections for a snugger fit.
As things stand, I like the fit on the body, it is actually amazingly good, but I think the legs are still a bit problematic. First, the jeans are probably a bit long and this leads to them gathering above the narrow knee point. Next time I think I'll cut them exactly as I have for the body, but shorten them a bit above the knees as well. I can obviously, shorten them at the hem, but I'll wait for a couple more washings, as some jeans tend to shrink in length with every wash.
Although the greyish crinkle lines are quite visible, they don't bother me so much, so if the jeans prove to be comfortable wear-wise, they might become a piece of my staple wardrobe.
I botched the installment of the zipper this time, although I've done front fly zippers probably a dozen times already - I forgot to add 1 cm additional seam allowance to the right half of the front, so that the zipper could be installed more away from the central line. However, as I usually wear my jeans with a T-shirt or a sweater on top, the zipper is rarely visible, and the fact that it is peaking a little under the flap is not a real issue for me.
Because this was more like an experimental project, I also didn't bother with adding some ornamental stitching to the back pockets, but next time I'll definitely make the effort and adorn them, I like elaborate jeans details.
All in all, I am fairly pleased with this pair of jeans and I think this is my favourite jeans pattern of the three I've tried in recent years. I have another piece of denim fabric in my Make Nine pledge for the year and it will probably be again Burda 7050, but with the corrections I have in mind after my first two attempts. However, as it is light blue, I might leave that project for the warmer months.
Pictures were taken in front of the small church in the village of Plana after our hike to Manastirishte.
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