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2023 Jeans Workshop Dates (+ an Updated FAQ)!

Hi everyone!

Happy 2023! I’m so excited for another year of sewing and jeans-making! I announced my workshop dates over on Instagram toward the end of last year, but forgot to post them here. I also wanted to share with y’all some Frequently Asked Questions, as these tend to pop up regularly any time I announce my workshops. If you’ve got a burning question, please check the list below as I may have already answered it!

All dates and links are listed on my WORKSHOPS page, as well as at the end of this post. For more information, including pricing and a link to sign up, please visit the shop’s website or send them an email! For funsies, I’m also including a list of dates for my Alter + Repair Your Garments workshop – most shops will be hosting this one day workshop the day before or after Jeans Weekend. For more information about my Alter + Repair Your Garments 1 Day Workshop, please check out this post! I wrote so much about it!

✨SEW YOUR OWN JEANS WEEKEND WORKSHOP DETAILS✨

Ready to be your own personal denim designer? Join me for a 2 1/2 day workshop and I’ll show you all the secrets to sew up the jeans of your dreams! We will kick off the weekend with a half day to fit and cut – there will be samples you can try on to determine your size and any fit adjustments. Saturday and Sunday will be dedicated to sewing, and we will go over aaaaaall the details – front pockets, zip fly, killer topstitching, secure bartacks, serged seam finishes, creating and attaching a waistband, hardware installation, and stress-free buttonholes (yep, those exist!). Students can expect a fun, energetic, and fast-paced environment that focuses on learning and creating. You will leave with not only a new pair of jeans, but also the knowledge and empowerment to make more on your own!

✨WORKSHOP FAQS✨

What can I expect to learn in this workshop?

My Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend workshop primarily focuses on construction – you will learn all the details that go into making a pair of jeans, including order of construction, seam finishes, topstitching, inserting a fly zipper, attaching a waistband, and loads and loads (and loads) of little tips, tricks and best practices sprinkled throughout the weekend (seriously, so many little tips!). The knowledge you obtain isn’t just jeans-specific – you can use what you learned to apply toward all sorts of future sewing adventures (Denim jackets!! Rad pants! Skirts! Dresses! Bags! Your possibilities are endless!). You will leave with a great pair of jeans, plus the confidence to go home and make more!

Does this workshop cover fit?

We will go over fit, although this is not a fit-focused workshop. The first half day is devoted to choosing our size (including trying on samples!), adjusting our preferred fit, and preparing our fabric for sewing (cutting, marking, etc). We *will* go over minor fitting adjustments as needed for each individual body. We will *not* spend a long time fussing over fit, nor can I guarantee that your first pair will be ~the most perfectly fitting pair of pants you’ve ever worn~. There simply is not enough time in class to allow for us to make multiple muslins for a perfect fit – and to be completely honest, this is hard to obtain without wearing the pants around for a few days to really get an idea of what needs to be adjusted. I don’t say this to discourage you, but rather, to set the expectation of what you will get out of your weekend. We will tweak the fuck outta your pants throughout the weekend (if it needs it – most students find they get a great fit right out of the envelope! #magicpants) and you will leave with something lovely and wearable that I promise you’ll be proud of. Should you need future adjustments, you will be armed with the knowledge to make it happen!

Is this class suitable for plus sized sewists?

Hell yeah! The Closet Core Ginger Jeans pattern is available in sizes 0-32 (up to a 63″ hip). Need a bigger size than that? Holler at me and I’ll get it sorted. This class caters to EVERY size, no butts left behind!

I’m a dude / don’t wear lady pants, can I take your class?

Hell yeah you can! The Ginger jeans pattern can be adapted with minor tweaks for more androgynous fit, or we can adapt a men’s jeans pattern for you. Please contact me in ADVANCE of the workshop so that I can be sure we’ve got the perfect pattern ready for you!

What experience level should I be at in order to take this workshop?

Beginners, rejoice: You don’t need to be a sewing superstar with years of experience under your belt to take this class. The prerequisites for class are that you should be comfortable threading and operating a sewing machine, and have experience sewing at least one sewing pattern. That’s it, that’s all you need to take this class!

If you are a very experienced sewist with lots and lots of sewing (and maybe even jeans making!) under your belt, I still believe you will learn a lot in this workshop! I have had a vast array of skill levels in my classes – from the total beginner to the seasoned professional – and everyone leaves with more knowledge than they came with.

**For all skill levels** Please note that this workshop moves really fucking fast. 20 hours of instruction sounds like a lot, until you realize that I talk through most of it and our actual sewing time is quite limited! You will feel like an absolute warrior when the weekend is over, and also very very tired. If you are a very timid or slow sewist, I encourage you to practice working quickly and confidently to prepare for class.

I don’t like that pattern, can I use a different one? Can I modify it?

I hate to be a fun sponge, but we really don’t have time in class to make huge design changes to the pattern or try to work with something entirely different. That being said, there are downloadable pattern hacks for the Ginger Jeans that you are welcome to bring to class – Ginger Mid-Rise Jeans and Ginger Flares. We can make additional small fit tweaks as needed, but plan on saving the major changes and additional patterns for your home sewing practice!

Will you ever offer this workshop as an online class?

Probably not! I don’t wanna do online classes! Sorry!

Will you ever come to _____________ (city / state / country / planet) to teach this workshop?

I get this question a lot, and the short answer is – I’d love to!! My best advice to make this happen is to holler at your local sewing shop and tell them you want to take a LLADYBIRD Jeans Workshop, and encourage them to reach out to me (lladybirdlauren AT gmail DOT com). This allows the shop to recognize that there is already interest in a workshop, which means they are more likely to get the ball rolling in terms of planning one!

✨MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR WORKSHOP WEEKEND✨

So you signed up for a jeans workshop! Yay! We are so excited to have you in class and I can’t wait to make a lil’ denim believer out of you!! Here are a few tips to help you make the most out of your class weekend:

💙TIP #1: BUY THE KIT💙

Folks, I cannot stress this enough. Please, please… spend the extra money and buy the kit that I recommend for class. Please do not use this as an opportunity to “use up that old Joann’s denim that’s been languishing in the stash for several years.” Nine times out of ten, students will show up with wildly the wrong denim – non-stretch, shirting weight, unwashed, etc. Even if you do show up with bottom-weight stretch denim, the actual amount of stretch may differ from the sample you are trying on which means you will not get the same fit with your finished jeans. My samples are sewn with the exact same denim as provided in the kits, so you can get a good idea of what your finished jeans will also turn out like in terms of sizing, ease, etc. If you want the best possible results and easiest class experience, please buy the damn kit!

💙TIP #2: LET GO OF PERFECTION💙

I know this can be really hard for a lot of sewists – but in my workshops, I really encourage you to let go of any ideas of perfection and just enjoy the learning process! By allowing yourself to make mistakes, you take a lot of stress out of class. Believe me, you are going to have some wonky topstitching, and maybe your first go at bartacks will be kind of horrifying. But rather than spend your time stressing and seam-ripping and hyper-focusing on small details – I encourage you to let it go and embrace the fact that you are learning something new! As you continue your practice at home (on your own machine, with no rushing), you’ll further develop your skills and, yes, continually improve! Furthermore, there’s something really sweet and lovely about looking back on your first go at something and recognizing the vast improvement you’ve made over time.

💙TIP #3: STOP BEING SCARED💙

I know the concept of sewing jeans can be very intimidating, but there is absolutely no reason to be afraid! Can you operate a sewing machine? Do you want to make jeans? Congratulations, you are qualified for this class! In addition to being your (super fun, super awesome) teacher, I’m also your personal cheerleader. I’m here to encourage you throughout the weekend, to tell you that you got this. Bring a notebook (or plan to film lots of video), wear comfy underwear, tell your inner naysayer to shut the fuck up and come sew with us!!

At Josephine’s Dry Goods in Portland OR!

👖2023 JEANS WEEKEND WORKSHOP DATES👖

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
March 3 – 5, 2023
Papermaple Studio / New Orleans, LA

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
March 17 – 19, 2023
Urban Sewciety / Westfield, NJ

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
March 31 – April 2, 2023
Domesticity / Baltimore, MD

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
May 12 – 14, 2023
Pintuck & Purl / North Hampton, NH

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
June 2 – 4, 2023
Josephine’s Dry Goods / Portland, OR

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop Retreat
June 23 – 25, 2023
Maker’s Hideaway / Stanwood, WA

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
July 7 – 9, 2023
Urban Sewciety / Westfield, NJ

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
August 4 – 6, 2023
Stitch Sew Shop / Alexandria, VA

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop Retreat
June 18 – 20, 2023
Maker’s Hideaway / Stanwood, WA

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
September 8 – 10, 2023
Old Spool Sewing Studio / Brielle, NJ

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
September 22 – 24, 2023
Pins and Needles / Mount Kisco, NY

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
October 13 – 15, 2023
Papermaple Studio / New Orleans, LA

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
October 27 – 29, 2023
Pintuck & Purl / North Hampton, NH

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
November 10 – 12, 2023
Domesticity / Baltimore, MD

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
December 1 – 3, 2023
Stitch Sew Shop / Alexandria, VA

🪡2023 ALTER + REPAIR 1 DAY WORKSHOP DATES🪡

Alter + Repair Your Garments
March 2, 2023
Papermaple Studio / New Orleans, LA

Alter + Repair Your Garments
March 16, 2023
Urban Sewciety / Westfield, NJ

Alter + Repair Your Garments
March 30 2023
Domesticity / Baltimore, MD

Alter + Repair Your Garments
May 11, 2023
Pintuck & Purl / North Hampton, NH

Alter + Repair Your Garments
June 1, 2023
Josephine’s Dry Goods / Portland, OR

Alter + Repair Your Garments
June 26, 2023
Maker’s Hideaway / Stanwood, WA

Alter + Repair Your Garments
July 6, 2023
Urban Sewciety / Westfield, NJ

Alter + Repair Your Garments
August 3, 2023
Stitch Sew Shop / Alexandria, VA

Alter + Repair Your Garments
June 21, 2023
Maker’s Hideaway / Stanwood, WA

Alter + Repair Your Garments
September 7, 2023
Old Spool Sewing Studio / Brielle, NJ

Alter + Repair Your Garments
September 21, 2023
Pins and Needles / Mount Kisco, NY

Alter + Repair Your Garments
October 12, 2023
Papermaple Studio / New Orleans, LA

Alter + Repair Your Garments
October 26, 2023
Pintuck & Purl / North Hampton, NH

Alter + Repair Your Garments
November 9, 2023
Domesticity / Baltimore, MD

Alter + Repair Your Garments
November 30, 2023
Stitch Sew Shop / Alexandria, VA

Tags: denim, ginger jeans, jeans, jeans workshop, sew your own jeans weekend workshop, workshops

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2021 Jeans Workshop Dates (+ a FAQ)!

5 May

Hey friends!

Hope everyone is hanging in there after that doozy of year we’ve just been through. Allow me to grace your feed with a workshop announcement! Yes! We are gonna do some workshops this year, god-willing!

Please note that not all the classes are listed as of this posting (I will update as they are!). I strongly recommend that you follow the shop hosting the workshop, to be notified when the class is listed so you can sign up quickly and hopefully secure a seat! I will update my classes page as workshops as listed, however, I cannot guarantee they won’t be sold out by that point (this appears to be a common theme with my workshops LOL).

All dates and links are listed on my WORKSHOPS page, as well as at the end of this post. For more information, including pricing, please visit the shop’s website or send them an email!

For COVID-19 precautions, most shops are limiting class size to allow social distancing. Also, ya girl is fully vaccinated! Yay!

I also wanted to share with y’all some Frequently Asked Questions, as these tend to pop up regularly any time I announce my workshops. If you’ve got a burning question, please check the list below as I may have already answered it!

WORKSHOP FAQS

What can I expect to learn in this workshop?

My Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend workshop primarily focuses on construction – you will learn all the details that go into making a pair of jeans, including order of construction, seam finishes, topstitching, inserting a fly zipper, attaching a waistband, and loads and loads (and loads) of little tips and tricks sprinkled throughout the weekend. The knowledge you obtain isn’t just jeans-specific – you can use what you learned to apply toward all sorts of future sewing adventures (Denim jackets!! Rad pants! Skirts! Dresses! Bags! Your possibilities are endless!). You will leave with a great pair of jeans, plus the confidence to go home and make more!

Does this workshop cover fit?

We will go over fit, although this is not a fit-specific workshop. The first half day is devoted to choosing our size (including trying on samples!), adjusting our preferred fit, and preparing our fabric for sewing (cutting, marking, etc). We *will* go over minor fitting adjustments as needed for each individual body. We will *not* spend a long time fussing over fit, nor can I guarantee that your first pair will be ~the most perfectly fitting pair of pants you’ve ever worn~. There simply is not enough time in class to allow for us to make multiple muslins for a perfect fit – and to be completely honest, this is hard to obtain without wearing the pants around for a few days to really get an idea of what needs to be adjusted. I don’t say this to discourage you, but rather, to set the expectation of what you will get out of your weekend. We will tweak the fuck outta your pants throughout the weekend (if it needs it – most students find they get a great fit right out of the envelope! #magicpants) and you will leave with something lovely and wearable that I promise you’ll be proud of. Should you need future adjustments, you will be armed with the knowledge to make it happen!

Is this class suitable for plus sized sewists?

Yes! The Closet Core Ginger Jeans pattern is available in sizes 0-32 (up to a 63″ hip). Need a bigger size than that? Holler at me and I’ll get it sorted. This class caters to EVERY size, no butts left behind!

I’m a dude, can I take your class?

Of course! Men (whether cis or trans) are absolutely invited to join us for the weekend! The Ginger jeans pattern can be adapted with minor tweaks for a less feminine fit, or we can adapt a men’s jeans pattern for you. Please contact me in ADVANCE of the workshop so that I can be sure we’ve got the perfect pattern ready for you!

What experience level should I be at in order to take this workshop?

Believe it or not, this workshop is actually quite beginner-friendly! You don’t need to be a sewing superstar with years of experience under your belt. The prerequisites for class are that you should be comfortable threading and operating a sewing machine, and have experience sewing at least one sewing pattern. That’s it, that’s all you need to take this class!

I don’t like the pattern, can I use a different one? Can I modify it?

I hate to be a fun sponge, but we really don’t have time in class to make huge design changes to the pattern or try to work with something entirely different. That being said, there are downloadable pattern hacks for the Ginger Jeans that you are welcome to bring to class – Ginger Mid-Rise Jeans and Ginger Flares. We can make additional small fit tweaks (such as opting for a looser fit or straight legs, if you’re not a skinny-jeans kinda sewist), but plan on saving the major changes and additional patterns for your home sewing practice!

Will you ever offer this workshop as an online class?

Probably not! Due to the extremely hands-on nature of this course (including the availability of pre-sewn samples for students to try on!), it isn’t very well suited for online. Also, I don’t wanna do online classes! Sorry, I’m selfish!

Will you ever come to _____________ (city / state / country / planet) to teach this workshop?

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR WORKSHOP WEEKEND

TIP #1: BUY THE KIT

Folks, I cannot stress this enough. Please, please… spend the extra money and buy the kit that I recommend for class. Please do not use this as an opportunity to “use up that old Joann’s denim that’s been languishing in the stash for several years.” On the flip side, for your very first pair of jeans – you maybe don’t want to dish out and use something really precious that you’d be devastated to not have turn out exactly right. I chose the materials in my kits specifically for their affordability, reorderability, and the fact that the shop can sell them directly to you (which in turn supports the shop). My samples are sewn with the exact same materials, so you can get a good idea of what your finished jeans will also turn out like in terms of sizing, ease, etc. If you want the best possible results, please buy the damn kit!

TIP #2: LEFT GO OF PERFECTION

I know this can be really hard for a lot of sewists – but in my workshop, I really encourage you to let go of any ideas of perfection and just enjoy the learning process! By allowing yourself to make mistakes, you take a lot of stress out of class. Believe me, you are going to have some wonky topstitching, and maybe your first go at bartacks will be kind of horrifying. But rather than spend your time stressing and seam-ripping and hyper-focusing on small details – I encourage you to let it go and embrace the fact that you are learning something new! As you continue your practice at home (on your own machine, with no rushing), you’ll further develop your skills and, yes, continually improve! Furthermore, there’s something really sweet and lovely about looking back on your first go at something and recognizing the vast improvement you’ve made over time.

TIP #3: STOP BEING SCARED

Don’t be skeered, y’all! Can you operate a sewing machine? Do you want to make jeans? Congratulations, you are qualified for this class! In addition to being your (super fun, super awesome) teacher, I’m also your personal cheerleader. I’m here to encourage you throughout the weekend, to tell you that you got this. Bring a notebook (or plan to film lots of video), wear comfy underwear, tell your inner naysayer to shut the fuck up and come sew with us!!

2021 JEANS WORKSHOP DATES

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
May 21 – 23, 2021
Pintuck & Purl, North Hampton, NH

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
June 4 – 6, 2021
Josephine’s Dry Goods, Portland, OR

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
June 11 – 13, 2021
Josephine’s Dry Goods, Portland, OR

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop SOLD OUT
June 25 – 27, 2021
Domesticity, Baltimore, MD

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
June 30 – July 2, 2021
Domesticity, Baltimore, MD

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
July 9 – 11, 2021
Darrell Thomas Textiles, Almonte, Ottawa Canada

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop SOLD OUT
July 16 – 18, 2021
Pintuck & Purl, North Hampton, NH

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Retreat SOLD OUT
August 5 – 8, 2021
Maker’s Hideway, Stanwood, WA

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Retreat SOLD OUT
August 12 – 15, 2021
Maker’s Hideway, Stanwood, WA

How To Sew Jeans Weekend Retreat SOLD OUT
September 3 – 5, 2021
Madalynne Studios, Philadephia, PA

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
September 17 – 19, 2021
Fancy Tiger Crafts, Denver, CO

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
October 1 – 3, 2021
Stitch Sew Shop, Alexandria, VA

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
October 29 – 31, 2021
Pintuck & Purl, North Hampton, NH

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop ONLY 3 SEATS LEFT
November 12 – 14, 2021
Domesticity, Baltimore, MD

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
December 4 – 6, 2021
Sew With Sonia, Menlo Park, CA

Note: All images in this post were taken by Madalynne, at her studio workshop this past April! If you are a Philly local and would like to take a workshop in a very beautiful, very pink environment with your own personal paparazzi that makes you look like a sewing model with every shot, come join us this Labor Day Weekend! 🙂

Tags: denim, ginger jeans, jeans, jeans workshop, sew your own jeans weekend workshop, workshops

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Announcing Sew Your Own Jeans 2020 Workshop Dates!

19 Nov

Friends, readers, and random people who just dropped in via an interesting Google suggestion – I’m happy to announce that my 2020 dates are finalized and I’m ready to announce my ~2020 workshop tour~! Yay!

I’m trying something a little different this year and announcing everything at once, rather than as they are listed and available for registration. Last year, it felt like a lot of people missed out on signing up because the seats would sell out before I even had a chance to announce them! I also felt like I was posting WAY too much about workshop stuff, which I completely understand can be super annoying for those who are not interested in ever signing up for one! My hope is that this burst of dates (as opposed to the slow trickle last year) will allow everyone interested to plan in advance, and be informed when the seats are available to sign up for.

All dates and links are listed on my WORKSHOPS page, as well as in this post. For more information, including pricing, please visit the shop’s website or send them an email!

A few notes and frequently asked questions about my workshops:

– These are the ONLY workshops that I am offering for 2020! I am completely booked! Once they are sold out, they are sold out (i.e., I will not be adding additional dates) so I encourage you to sign up ASAP!
– For my jeans classes, we will be sewing the Ginger Jeans from Closet Case Patterns. This pattern is a high-waisted, stretch denim jeans pattern that is available in sizes 0-20. Plus sized? Girl, I got you! You can make the Cashmerette Ames Jeans, which is available in sizes 12-28 and includes options for both an apple shaped torso or pear! Dudes or Non-Binary, i.e., don’t wanna wear girl pants? Yo, I got you too! You can make either the Quadra or the Fulford jeans pattern from Thread Theory. Jeans for everyone!
– “I don’t wear high-rise jeans – will we have the option to make this change in class?: If you are interested in sewing a mid-rise jean, there is a Mid-Rise Ginger jeans pattern available for purchase on the Closet Case Patterns website that you are welcome to use instead. Additionally, there is a Flared Leg add-on if you don’t do skinny! Unfortunately, there is not enough time in class to make drastic changes to our patterns, especially with adjusting the rise, outside of minor fitting issues. It is definitely something that we can go over in class, though, so you can apply the changes to all your future jeans!
– Required Skill Level: You don’t need to be a Sewing Master to tackle this class, however, you absolutely need to have experience using a sewing machine and following a sewing pattern. All skill levels are welcome!

+ + + 2020 LLADYBIRD Workshops + + +

JANUARY
Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
January 10 – 12, 2020
Urban Sewciety, Westfield, NJ

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
January 24 – 26, 2020
Crafty Gemini, Gainesville, FL

FEBURARY
Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
February 21 – 23, 2020
Craft South, Nashville, TN

MARCH
Jeans Making Sewing Intensive
March 7 – 8, 2020
Workroom Social, Brooklyn, NY

Sew Your Own Classic Shirt Weekend Workshop
March 20 – 22, 2020
Hello Stitch Studio, Berkeley, CA

APRIL
Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
April 17 – 19, 2020
Blackbird Fabrics, Vancouver, BC

MAY
Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
May 1 – 3, 2020
Pintuck & Purl, North Hampton, NH

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
May 29 – 31, 2020
Darrell Thomas Textiles, Ottawa, ON

JUNE
Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
June 12 – 14, 2020
Josephine’s Dry Goods, Portland, OR

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
June 26 – 28, 2020
Fancy Tiger Crafts, Denver, CO

JULY
Jeans Making Sewing Intensive
July 18 – 19, 2020
Workroom Social, Brooklyn, NY

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
July 31 – Aug 2, 2020
Darrell Thomas Textiles, Ottawa, ON

AUGUST
Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
August 14 – 16, 2020
Crafty Gemini, Gainesville, FL

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
August 28 – 30, 2020
Blackbird Fabrics, Vancouver, BC

SEPTEMBER
Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
September 11 – 13, 2020
Stitch Sew Shop, Alexandria, VA

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
September 25 – 27, 2020
Fancy Tiger Crafts, Denver, CO

OCTOBER
Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
October 2 – 4, 2020
Hello Stitch Studio, Berkeley, CA

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
October 30 – Nov 1, 2020
Pintuck & Purl, North Hampton, NH

NOVEMBER
Jeans Making Sewing Intensive
November 14 – 15, 2020
Workroom Social, Brooklyn, NY

DECEMBER
Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop
December 4 – 6, 2020
Sew With Sonia, Menlo Park, CA

Whew! I was going to share a pair of my own recently finished Ginger Jeans, but I think that’s enough for this post! Actually I have 3 pairs of finished jeans so stay tuned for a ~Jeans Extravaganza~ here on this blog shortly! In the meantime – who’s taking a workshop next year?! I am so excited!!

Note: All photos in this post were taken at my workshop at Blackbird Fabrics this past April!

Tags: lladybird, denim, jeans, sewing classes, classes, ginger jeans, workshop, workshops, jeans workshop, sew your own jeans weekend workshop

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Completed: New Ginger Jeans (+ more classes listed!)

16 Feb

It just occurred to me yesterday that I never shared my Ginger Jeans that I made for my upcoming workshops! Fortunately, we had a weirdly sunny + 70° (look at how cool I am, I figured out the keyboard shortcut for making a degree sign lolz) day yesterday, so I jumped outside to take some photos! These aren’t the best – it was windy as hell, and for some reason I decided to take photos where I’d have to straddle over a fucking hole in the ground – but you know what, it works, and I’m moving on. I say this often, and it often bears repeating – no one comes to this blog for the stunning photography amirite.

Anyway.

These are my new jeans! I’ve made soooo many pairs of these Ginger Jeans that they don’t necessarily warrant their own post at this point (I mean, there are only so many times you can keep repeating the same pattern with no changes and expect people to find the information riveting haha), however, I did want to talk about this particular pair as I finally had a chance to make them in a new-to-me denim!

This denim is a super stretch denim from Robert Kaufman (FYI that’s an affiliate link). As I mentioned in my samples post, I chose this denim specifically because it was affordable, easy to source, and is great quality that is comparable to Cone Mills. I made all my workshop samples out of this denim – Robert Kaufman was generous enough to send me a couple bolts of the fabric; enough for 11 samples plus some extra so I could make a pair for myself! It’s an 8.6oz stretch denim, which is a hair lighter than most of the Cone Mills that people buy (I personally prefer the lighter weight, I find it more comfortable!). It’s also suuuuuper stretchy, which I love! Absolutely perfect for this jeans pattern.

Since this denim is indigo dyed, it is imperative that you prewash your fabric multiple times before cutting into it. It will shrink quite a bit, plus it bleeds a LOT! I only washed my samples once in cold water, and we all ended up with blue hands during class (true story; I went on a date immediately after the first night of my Nashville class and he totally called me out on that shit about halfway through haha). For these jeans, I washed + dried the denim three times before I cut it – twice with very hot water, and once with cold. This cut down significantly on the amount of bleed that I got, although they still bleed a tiny bit (not enough to damage, say, the upholstery in my car – but I do still notice a blue tint on my fingernails). Every single indigo-dyed denim I’ve used (especiallyyyy Cone Mills, oh god) does this, btw, but just be aware of it. Don’t carry a white purse, save your white undies for a different pair of pants, and for the love of god do not wash these in a load with anything but black fabric.

That being said, cutting down on the bleed does not actually fade the color. These are still super dark, even with all that hot washing.

Anyway, I made these a little over a month ago, and wore them on that first day of class so my students could see the ~jeans in action~. I’m happy to report that this fabric holds its shape really well – I’ve only washed these once since I made them (and even then it was mostly to try to bleed out more indigo, ha), and in these photos you are seeing them after about 4 days of wearing. No baggy knees or baggy butt! I still have a little bit of tightness at the calf, however, I have noticed with my more frequently-worn Gingers (i.e., the older ones) that over time the fabric will stretch and settle. I’m going to wear these a bit more and see if that happens with this fabric, before I slice up the calf and add more room on future pairs.

I also made the top I’m wearing, by the way! It’s a Grainline Studio Hemlock Tee (which is free if you join their newsletter). I used a beautiful striped rayon knit from Finch, which I bought when I was there last year for a workshop.

For these particular jeans, I used the same notions that we offer students in my workshops (copper topstiching thread, matching rivets and buttons). Combined with the fabric and pattern, you can literally see what your finished jeans will look like.

BTW, I still hate setting rivets. I’m getting better at it, but I still hate it. I considered getting a special die for my snap setter, but then I realized I couldn’t drag it along to workshops (that thing is cast iron and it weighs a LOT), so what’s the point? I generally prefer the look of bartacks over rivets, anyway.

I won’t go into detail about fitting these; but you can read my Ginger Jeans tag to see previous posts about what fitting changes I have made to these jeans over time. Spoiler: It took many, many pairs with lots of tiny changes (and I’m still making changes!). Fitting is a journey, and a lot of things just aren’t clear until you’ve worn your garment around for a few days.

Flat-felled seams on the inside, quilting cotton pockets (1-2 fat quarters is all you need!), and of course a shitty little thread nest in there #honestsewing

In other news – I just had some more classes listed! You can see all my upcoming classes here on my class page, but for those who are just browsing – here are the new ones added:

March 24-25 / Jeans Making Intensive / Workroom Social, Brooklyn, NY (head’s up – we will be making a Workroom Social exclusive jeans pattern for this class! I am so excited about this one!)
May 1-3 / Ginger Jeans Workshop / Stitch Sew Shop, Alexandria, VA
July 13-15 / Ginger Jeans Workshop / Darrell Thomas Textiles, Ottawa, Ontario Canada
July 18-20 / Ginger Jeans Workshop / Darrell Thomas Textiles, Ottawa, Ontario Canada
August 3-5 / Master Class: Make Your Own Jeans Workshop / Pintuck & Purl, North Hampton, NH
August 18-19 / Jeans Making Intensive / Workroom Social, Brooklyn, NY (again, this one is using a Workroom Social pattern 😀 )
September 26-30 / Jeans & Wardrobe Basics Retreat / A Gathering of Stitches, Biddeford, ME (this one is a littttle different as we are focusing on wardrobe basics! There will be jeans-making, but there are also a couple extra days to make additional basics! Or, if you’ve already tackled jeans and wanted to try something else – such as a tshirt or button-up – bring it on!)

I have a few more classes in the works that haven’t been confirmed/listed yet (West Coast, I’m looking at you!), but I will share those as soon as I can! Other than that, pretty booked up for 2018! If you are a local shop who would like to discuss dates for 2019, please get in touch with me via email. If you are a person who wants me to come teach in your city, I encourage you to reach out to your local shop and tell them you’d like to see them host my jeans workshop 🙂

Ok, that’s all for this post! Happy Friday, y’all!

Tags: a gathering of stitches, closet case patterns, completed, darrell thomas textiles, denim, ginger jeans, Grainline Studio, Hemlock Tee, jeans, jeans workshop, pants, pintuck and purl, robert kaufman, stitch sew shop, workroom social, workshops

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Categories completed projects - new

Jeans Workshops for 2018!

8 Jan

Hey everyone!

As I mentioned in my last post, I have a few workshops already lined up for the first few months of 2018 😀 I was hoping to include my sample jeans in this post, but I’ll be completely honest with you – this post ended up WAY longer than I was anticipating, so I am going to split my FO into a separate post. For this entry, I just want to talk about my upcoming workshops!

If you follow my Instagram, you may have noticed the madness when I decided to sew 11 pairs of jeans in mid-December. If that’s not crazy enough for ya, I finished all 11 pairs in LESS THAN A WEEK. Yea!! There’s a reason why my sewing industry friends call me Speedy 🙂

You’re also probably wondering why I made 11 pairs of jeans in the first place? Especially after announcing over and over that I have plenty of pants and I don’t actually need more (I’m gonna keep making pants anyway, sorry!). These jeans are actually samples for my upcoming Jeans Workshops!

When I first started teaching sewing back in 2014, the first place to bring me in was Workroom Social in Brooklyn, NY. There are a lot of reasons why I love working at Workroom Social and have continued to teach there over the years. Jennifer is incredibly brilliant businesswoman and teacher, plus we work super well together. One of the things she does in her workshops that I thought was SO CLEVER is to have all the sizes of the pattern made up in advance of the weekend, so that students can try the samples on. This helps them not only choose the correct size to start, but also gives the ability to do basic fitting adjustments without the need to make a muslin. I have always loved this idea and I think it’s one of many things that really sets Workroom Social apart from other sewing workshops.

Toward the end of 2017, I started thinking about what kinds of workshops I wanted to offer in 2018. I have gotten a lot of requests to bring my jeans workshops to other cities, but I was lacking the samples (I realize you can totally offer this workshop without the samples, but y’all – once I’d tried it, I didn’t want to do anything else haha). After some internal debate – as well as a few conversations with Jennifer about my plans (I wanted her blessing before I did anything – I am not in the business of stepping on anyone’s toes here, y’all) – I decided to bite the bullet and make up my own batch of Ginger Jeans samples. This ended up working out perfectly because Workroom Social is moving toward offering a different pattern for future jeans classes (something that is a bit more size-inclusive than the Ginger because, as I’m sure you know, there are plenty of people who fall outside the max size range in that pattern), so I can continue to offer workshops that feature this specific pattern without being in competition with other workshops that I teach.

Having already worked with these samples for the past couple of years, I had some ideas on how I wanted to improve my own set when it came time to make them:
– Fabric: Hey, here’s a surprise for you – I didn’t use Cone Mills Denim to make my samples. I know this denim is the holy grail for sewing jeans – and for good reason, it’s a really wonderful fabric! However, it can sometimes be difficult for the average home sewist to source, and somewhat cost prohibitive depending on where you source it from (especially when you consider that you first pair of jeans may end as a wearable muslin). This was fine at Workroom Social because they were able to obtain rolls of the denim to provide to students as a kit, but y’all – I live in a small 2 bedroom house with limited storage, and I travel for my workshops. I ain’t about to buy stock in heavy-ass denim and schlep that shit around in a suitcase lol. Furthermore, Cone Mills just closed its White Oak plant at the end of 2017, which could potentially make the denim even harder to source in the future (or they move production offshore, or someone buys the plant to continue operating it – who knows? But I don’t want to bank on “maybe.”). So, with all that in mind – I wanted to make my samples out of a fabric that was easier for the average home sewist to obtain.
– Washed vs Unwashed: Plain and simple, denim feels and fits differently when it’s washed. It is softer and has more stretch. I wanted my samples to be out of washed denim, to better mimic what the finished pair would feel like.
– Familiarity with all sizes: Ok, this was NOT something I anticipated up front, but in hindsight this was a nice perk! Sewing every single size gave me a very hand-on experience with how they differ and how each one fits together. I don’t know if there is another person (other than Heather herself, obviously!) who has literally sewn every size in this pattern – but I have! Everything from fitting the pattern pieces on the fabric, to how the notches match up, even the differences in size grade. It was a surprisingly enlightening experience for me. As much as I’ve sewn this pattern up before and taught this class soo many times, y’all. I KNOW this pattern now. Like in a really creepy way almost haha.

So anyway, here are the details on my new samples:
– The denim I used is Robert Kaufman Super Stretch denim! At 8.6 oz, it’s on the lighter weight side – but in my experience, a lot of people actually prefer this over heavier denim (especially for very fitted jeans like the Gingers) – it makes for a more comfortable pair of pants that feel almost like leggings. Of course, using a heavier denim and/or one with less stretch is as easy as adjusting your seam allowances to accommodate, but this particular fabric is a great starting point. The fabric costs around $15/yard and is super accessible – most fabric stores carry Robert Kaufman! And as someone who has long used Robert Kaufman fabrics, I love their quality and the company has been so easy to work with. I’m pretty excited about this!
– The denim is washed one time, to remove the sizing and soften everything up. I was hoping this would also remove the indigo bleed, but it only did so a bit – it looks like 2-3 washes is the magic number (based on my personal sample pair). I love my students but idk y’all, I wasn’t about to sit and wash 30 yards of denim multiple times. You hands will be slightly tinted blue. Don’t wear white underwear and bring hand sanitizer lol.
– Each sample is sewn using the key pieces necessary for fit – front and back legs, yoke, full fly (zipper, shield, etc), and waistband. There are no pockets, no seam finishes (or hems), and there is only topstitching where necessary for fit. Furthermore, the waistband is uninterfaced, except where the button would go – this is what I prefer in my jeans, and it gives students the chance to see what that feels like when they try on the pair, so they can decide for themselves whether they want to interface their waistbands. Personally, I find it way more comfortable! I also left off the buttons – students simply pin the waistband shut when they try on the sample.
– The pattern is the Ginger Jeans pattern from Closet Case Patterns, available in sizes 0-20. My samples are View B, the high-waisted, skinny leg version.
– As a fun side note, each pair of jeans has a different colored zipper. I knew that giant box of 75+ vintage zippers in weird colors that I bought at the flea market AGES ago would eventually come in handy! 😉

To get everything sewn up in a timely fashion, I had to set things in stages. Due to the number of pairs and them all being different sizes (in all the same fabric, no less), I was unable to batch sew these like one would in production. I literally sewed each pair one at a time. I found that the fastest way to do this was to cut everything first (again, individually) and batch all the pieces together with the size clearly marked. Then, starting with the largest size and working my way down – I sewed each pair of jeans from start to finish. For fun, I timed myself – the first pair took 52 minutes, but by the time I sewed that last pair I was actually down to 32 minutes!

And then I got really into it and a little time-lapse video of myself sewing one of the pairs of jeans. Because I am a huge nerd.

I also totally broke my sewing machine during this process. At some point, I sewed over a zipper (a nylon zipper, I might add) and hit it at juuuust the right angle that it snapped the needle and everything went completely haywire. I had somehow managed to completely jack up the timing – my needle was hitting the needle threader on it’s way up, and not picking up the bobbin thread. I am lucky that we have an incredible sewing machine dealer + repairshop in the area, so I brought it to him and he was able to get everything fixed and back to normal by the next morning! I can’t even tell y’all how much I love my dealer – highly recommend them if you are in Nashville and shopping for a Bernina!

Ok one last nerdy thing! Doing the same sewing process over and over (and over and over) actually gave me some wonderful insight for finishing the waistband! In the past, I (and probably most of y’all) have attached it the waistband from the right side, then turned the facing (inside) to the inside and pinned it, then topstitched from the outside. This is unnecessarily fussy and I don’t know about you, but I always end up with a little section of facing that didn’t get stitched down. Jennifer had mentioned a few times in the past to flip and attach the facing first, then topstitch from the outside – which I’ve done before with other garments when it’s in the round, but I couldn’t get a clean finish right at the zipper opening. Well, y’all – 11 pairs later, I’ve definitely got it down! So here’s a mini tutorial:

Assemble your waistband as normal (sew the waistband to the facing along the top and understitch one side), then press the seam allowance of the WAISTBAND (the side that is not understitched) under to the inside. I press about a scant less than the seam allowance – so a 5/8″ seam allowance gets pressed a little between 1/2″ and 5/8″ (this allows the waistband to fully cover your stitching). Sew the facing to the top of your jeans, with the right side of the facing against the inside of the pants, like so. It will look totally wrong at this point. Trust.

Now fold the short ends of your waistband in half, with right sides facing, and the connecting line of stitching (not the understitching) right along the top of the fold. Sew across the short end to close.

When you turn the ends right side out, the waistband should fall right into place, covering the seam allowances.

Then you just pin everything down and topstitch! Since the facing was already attached, you don’t have to worry about catching it in your topstitching 🙂 Here’s another hint – start at the center back, that way your backstitching gets covered by the belt loop.

So now I want to talk about my classes! Jeans Making has been pretty popular and I am excited to take this class ~on the road~ since I realize that not everyone can come up to NYC to take a sewing class (and also, I’m selfish and I like to travel haha). I have taught this class several times at Workroom Social, and learned a lot about teaching these workshops – what works, what doesn’t work, and what I might want to change for my own classes (very little- like I said, Jennifer is VERY good at what she does! There’s a reason why I keep working with her, she is amazing and the classes at Workroom Social are wonderful!).

The main thing that Workroom Social focuses on in their classes – and I focus on as well – is the overall experience of the class. Yes, you are there to learn and we want you to learn as much as you can and feel empowered by your knowledge! But even beyond that – we want you to have FUN in the class. Based on what my students tell me, this is not always the case – which kind of makes me sad, and also explains why there are lots of people who get scared off from sewing after a single class. I always strive to give my students the very best experience, and give them my full undivided attention during the entirety of the class. This is why I rarely have photos from classes (unless someone else took them), or post on social media during my classes – I’m not using my phone in class because I want to be 100% involved with my students. I am also a firm believer in that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to do something – you do whatever works! Sewing isn’t like baking, it’s like cooking – whatever gets you the result you want is the “right” way to do it. My classes are less about doing things perfectly and more about having a good time, learning a lot, and actually finishing your project. Then when you go home and make that next pair of jeans – that’s when you can work on the perfection side!

One other thing about my classes that may be a little different – I don’t try to keep students at the same pace the entire time. If that means I have to repeat myself 10 times during a class, that’s ok (seriously, you’re not going to fluster or bother me haha)! I realize that everyone learns differently and operates at various speeds, and I don’t want to punish half the class for being at a different speed. Faster students can blaze ahead and not be bored, and the slower students aren’t stressed about keeping up. I find this to be a very positive overall experience, both in terms of people actually learning shit and also keeping the vibes of the class high.

The only thing I changed with my solo jeans classes is the time involved. Classes at Workroom Social are 2 full days. While you can definitely finish a pair of jeans in that time – I’ve had classes wrap up as early as 3 hours before the end time before – it can also be a little rushed sometimes. Workroom Social also speeds things up by having the patterns pre-traced and cut, and also providing lunch in the studio. After some thinking, I realized the fitting/cutting portion was really the big roadblock here – so for my classes, I am moving that to its own half day. This makes my classes 2.5 days, but those extra hours make a big difference (plus it makes things a little easier if you’re traveling to take the class – you can fly in that morning). Students have 4 hours to try on the samples, choose their size, cut or trace their patterns, make basic fitting adjustments if needed, and then cut and mark their fabric! Next two days go straight into sewing, with a little extra time built in so it’s not as rushed – and you can chat! Or take a break! Finish early? Cool, I’ll do some demos or talk about what shit you want (jeans-related or not)! Or we can drink and hang out and celebrate! I don’t care, we are here to have fun!

Oh yeah, one last thing – if you fall outside the size range of the Ginger Jeans pattern, that is ok! The Ames Jeans pattern from Cashmerette is available in sizes 12-28 and for two different body types (apple or pear fit). While I do not have samples available in this pattern, you can absolutely use it to take my classes and get you a pair of jeans that fits YOU. In other news, I cannot tell you how excited I am that Jenny released this pattern. I may or may not have fangirled for like 2 weeks straight haha.

Ok I swear I’m wrapping up! Here are my upcoming classes through the beginning of May (you can also see these on my Classes Page 🙂 )

Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend Workshop!
January 19th – 21st
Craft South / Nashville, TN
First workshop of the year! This 2.5 day workshop will cover everything you need to make your own pair of Ginger Jeans 🙂

Jeans Making Sewing Intensive
March 24th – 25th
Workroom Social / Brooklyn, NY
Pfft y’all didn’t think I leaving Workroom Social, did you? THEY CAN NEVER GET RID OF ME 🙂 This 2 day workshop in beautiful Brooklyn is all about jean-making – rumor has it we will be sewing a custom Workroom Social jeans pattern in this class 🙂

Ginger Jeans Workshop
~~April 27th – 29th~~ SOLD OUT // May 1st – 3rd
Stitch Sew Shop / Alexandria, VA
Two dates for this one! Choose either Friday – Sunday (Update: The weekend is now sold out!) or Tuesday – Thursdsay (maaaaybe you are thinking about going to the Sheep and Wool Festival that weekend? ;)). This is another one of my 2.5 day workshops where we will make Ginger Jeans!

If you are a shop who would like to host me for a Jeans Workshop, please get in touch! I still have a little bit of availability for the second half of 2018 🙂 I am especially interested in teaching on the west coast or in the UK!

If you read this entire post and you’re still somehow still here – if we ever meet irl, I totally owe you a drink haha!

Ok, I’ll be back soon to discuss my jeans made with the Robert Kaufman fabric! Have a great day, everyone!

Tags: ginger jeans, hot damn this is my jam, jeans, jeans making intensive, jeans workshop, lladybird, sewing, sewing class, tutorial, workroom social