home-made jeans

[TooAwesome 60]

thanks guys, i may just do that 2 hour drive with a friend that has a truck (Y)

btw its a 20u33, does that mean its one of the weaker ones? cuz i see theres also 43,53,63

Edited April 13, 2013 by TooAwesome

[JohnWilkesHuth 52]

A Bernina 830 just became available across town from me. It's missing the red case & maybe also missing the table plate. Seller says, excellent working condition, is asking $225.00. Do you guys think I should snag it. Going to look at it tomorrow. I'm also just starting out and want to learn the basics before jumping into Jeans. This is a wonderful thread guys. I'll be moving back to Cleveland in July and think I can probably snag an old singer from the people at Globe if you think that's a better option??? I've seen 4 or 5 for sale in that area. Here's hoping I'll be posting jean photos on here sometime later in the year.

[raWorkshop 113,476]

Peter at Globe will hook you up. He usually has tons of straight stitch Singers that are just taking up space, depending on his mood you might get one from $50-150. He has 3 warehouse floors of rusting machines that need love, it's crazy.

Edit: I wouldn't mess with a domestic machine missing pieces. Everything about domestic machines is a rip off - parts especially. No matter where you are there should be plenty of heavy duty domestics from the 60's/70's to get you started at a really low cost. Certainly get the domestic first, getting an industrial into your house and running can drain your enthusiasm for a project really quickly. That said you don't need more than 1 domestic machine if the first one you get can do buttonholes.

Edited April 13, 2013 by raWorkshop

[JohnWilkesHuth 52]

Thanks for the info Ra. Are you from Cleveland? My Aunt just gave me the Janome Serger she bought years ago and never learned to use. I talked the Bernina girl down to 175.00 and she said she'd look for the case and table plate. Otherwise it runs great. I'm gonna practice on these before going to Globe. I've spent 8 years designing apparel without ever having sewn a stitch. (Big Hat no Cattle)!

[TooAwesome 60]

do you guys have info on this juki? can you tell which model this is?

i missed out on the other 2 deals =\ hopefully i can get a good deal with this one

[Canada_Steve 84]

Can the seller tell you what model number it is? It's usally on the small plaque/decal just below the black reverse lever. A google search with the brand and model number will lead you to all kinds of information.

[TooAwesome 60]

yeah i messaged him but he said to call him tomorrow and didnt say yet. im just excited so wondering if you guys can tell which it is.

im guessing its a DDL-555-2

Edited April 15, 2013 by TooAwesome

[raWorkshop 113,476]

Thanks for the info Ra. Are you from Cleveland? My Aunt just gave me the Janome Serger she bought years ago and never learned to use. I talked the Bernina girl down to 175.00 and she said she'd look for the case and table plate. Otherwise it runs great. I'm gonna practice on these before going to Globe. I've spent 8 years designing apparel without ever having sewn a stitch. (Big Hat no Cattle)!

Yep, grew up just South of there. If you mention Richard who was looking for jeans machines Peter will probably remember me, he has a great memory.

[JohnWilkesHuth 52]

AK Rowdy, Rowdy, North Side Summit County!

[TooAwesome 60]

what do you guys know about a mitsubishi db-130? can it be used for heavy denim? 14-18oz?

http://www.sewingmac...tsubishi-db-130

this site says its for light stuff?

or this singer and union special? asking for model numbers as we speak

also found a union special 39500qa

Edited April 18, 2013 by TooAwesome

[raWorkshop 113,476]

You can order a new one all set up exactly how you want it, used market is a total crap shoot. Best not to worry too much about this fussy stuff though - dive in, start sewing. No machine you can afford in the beginning will be the right machine, so just get started.

[JohnWilkesHuth 52]

First two projects with my new Bernina... working my way up to actual clothing patterns before I start with the denim. Hope you guys don't mind if I post some of my progress on here. The first project was pillow cases. the second was this Applique A-Style on my Twill Jacket.

Edited April 19, 2013 by JohnWilkesHuth

[TooAwesome 60]

do you guys know where can i buy selvedge chambray?

[TooAwesome 60]

hey guys, im assuming you wouldnt use a 3 threaded serger to make 3 thread overlocks on jean construction right?

i read here that its not as strong and shouldnt be used on seams that will have a lot of pressure applied to it

http://www.craftsy.c...rger-stitch-do/

Edited April 24, 2013 by TooAwesome

[Canada_Steve 84]

This pair has about a year of wear and five washes. They're made from the same demin as the patch pocket version I previously posted.

[Canada_Steve 84]

And some custom patches I did on my laser engraver. It stunk like burning cow in my basement!

[straightxedge 318,217]

Mr. Schmidt/Nietenhosen made this for me. I love it!

[JohnWilkesHuth 52]

Love the laser engraver! That's sweet.

Nietenhosen is insane! That jacket is awesome! I love the Length & Fit on those sleeves.

[jerrylee 98]

I've decided to take a break from jeans and focus on my western wear projects, so hopefully you won't mind me posting a couple of photos of the most recent western shirt I've made. The embroidery was worked on my Singer 114w103 chainstitch embroidery machine. The olive fabric is wool gabardine and the navy pinstripe is an Italian wool suiting. The pocket arrows are hand embroidered.

 

 

[Canada_Steve 84]

Wow! I can't imagine the amount of time and patience that would take. Spectacular.

[bradl 926]

Spent the last night, and this morning going through this thread. Just wanted to say, damn good work from you guys, love seeing all the home made denim, and even the shirts. Some of these shirts are on point! 

 

This has given me the motivation to start learning how to sew, and work my way up. Don't have anything special, just using my moms Singer 404. But it seems like a nice little machine, and has the zigzagger attachment with 4 settings, and the button holler which I thought was quite nice! Taking some advice from this thread and going through the manual, and just learning about this machine first off, and playing with all the different stitches. Hope I can pick up enough from my mom, and my self that I don't need to go into a sewing shop for lessons or anything.

 

But I can surely say this thread is motivation to try my hand at some projects.

[jerrylee 98]

In my attempt to be self employed I am offering an affordable chainstitch embroidery service. If you're interested you can find more info here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/150732361/custom-chainstitch-embroidery-service?

 

[raWorkshop 113,476]

Hey everyone, this isn't exactly in the vein of this thread but I figured it'd be instructive to anyone making jeans on a single needle set up.  This is the way I've been making jeans, but I'm moving on to some better equipment in the next few months.

10 oz organic greenline selvedge.  10 oz?  Yep, it’s already hot in Austin.




This is what a professional production denim pattern looks like all laid out (minus the coin pocket piece, which has gone all Flat Stanley atm). You always make samples in size 32




Once a pattern/fit is proofed you grade it out to different sizes




What we're working with today is a sample skinny cut I'm working on.  I make the first sample patterns myself.  Once the fit is worked out I send it to my patternmaker for vetting, digitizing and size grading.

The pieces are laid out in the most efficient layout possible to save fabric.  I've been slightly sloppy here but it doesn't particularly matter for samples.  If we were cutting 10+ plies of the same pattern I would have been excruciatingly careful making the marker.




For a single layer of fabric I use heavy cutting shears.  Any more than one layer (or even for fabrics heavier than 15 oz) mechanical rotary shears are preferred.  For 4+ plies a huge reciprocating straight knife is used.




All pieces are labelled with the size and style.




Here's sewing machine #1, a Rimoldi safety stitch (for this pair we'll only be using the 3 thread overlock, not the outside chainstitch).
 

 

[raWorkshop 113,476]

The iron is a gravity fed steam iron.  I didn't get a photo of it but the tube on the back of the iron leads to a large water reservoir.  The steam iron will be my constant companion for the rest of the process.



The primary beast of burden, a Singer 111W155.  Walking foot, no reverse, servo motor.  Pretty basic.



Here are some of the bits and bobs that make the whole operation run smoothly.  There are presser feet, top stitching guide presser feet, edge guides, seam ripper, snips.  I'm constantly swapping feet and using the edge guide.



A tough old domestic sewing machine.  It'll be used for bartacking and button hole sewing.  This is the last pair of jeans I’ll sew with any domestic machines.




Ok, first up we sew everything requiring yellow thread so we only have to rethread the Singer once.

Stitch length and thread tensions  are adjusted on some scrap.  I'll be adjusting stitch length constantly throughout the project






Rear pockets on repro style jeans require some special cutting and pressing.  You'll see why when we add hidden rivets.



Two lines of topstitching with yellow.  You can see how much visual impact stitch length has, even with the same thread size.
 

[raWorkshop 113,476]

Belt loops



Swap the thread colors to orange/gold.  The thread stand holds two spools.  This way you can sew with one and use the other to fill a bobbin on the bobbin winder (next to the belt/flywheel).





Next come the front pockets.  Insets and coin pocket go on first. Coin pocket goes on in one complete pass.






You can close and finish the pocket before or after the pockets have been attached to the front leg panels.  After is probably easiest, before is faster and considered more professional.




Here I'm attaching the top right yoke. Flat felling is a a 4 step process with a single needle machine - mark/line up, basting stitch, fold/press seam and...




Two passes of topstitching, 1/4 in. gauge, larger stitches.
 

[raWorkshop 113,476]

Now rear pockets again.  The tabs are bartacked.




Add a low profile hidden rivet.




Starting to look legit inside




If things seemed out of order its because I do them slightly out of order to put my only decorative top stitching on.  Here I mark everything out.




And we sew.  I don't always mark it out like this but I recently changed my back pocket style and want to make sure I hit the mark.  Again, rear pockets are sewn in one pass.  



The hidden rivet gives some nice depth inside the stitching.  Those stitches connecting the inside and outside lines are the give away that the pockets were done with a single needle machine.




This seam is the most difficult.  When I fell where the yokes are it'll be 32 plies of denim at once.
 

[raWorkshop 113,476]

Nice even stitches over the thickest part.  Feels good man.

You'll notice the yoke edge seams don't meet on the right side of the center seam.  That's because the right side of the center seam is not the center of the jean.  The dead center is between the lines of top stitching, where I'm pointing.  That's where the yoke lines meet.

This is a dead give away for quality jeans and something American brands screw up all the time for the sake of things appearing to be perfectly lined up.




Ok, back to pocket bags.




Attach to front panel




Flip, press, one stitch, two stitch.  Repeat for the other side.






Add the fly extension to the left panel, then a row of baby stitches.  The fly extension is recessed to the right of center so it doesn't stick out when the fly is closed.




I've made the fly extension too short, it will be corrected for the next pair.  Doing the math to figure out the front center seams is the most difficult part to keep straight.

[raWorkshop 113,476]

Mark for buttonholes




Keyhole buttons from a vintage buttonholing attachment .




Fly shield is lined up and recessed from the edge slightly




Mark




And we sew.  The j-stitch is the most difficult curve on the jean.  This is where having a walking foot machine is the biggest disadvantage.  Thanks to the control of the servo motor this pair came out very well.



Anywhere there's parallel stitching I've most likely used a visual cue from the presser feet.  1/4 inch gauge is just to the right of the outside foot.







Top stitching with the largest stitches and thread on the jeans.
 

[raWorkshop 113,476]

Alright, we're getting somewhere.











These are the longest continuous stitches on the jeans.







 

[raWorkshop 113,476]

Out seam top stitching is actually functional, it keeps the pocket bags from wandering about and making uncomfortable folds.




The waistband is one continuous piece.  Mark and press.






Seal the edges



Flip, press, topstitch with chunky thread.




If you're doing it right it looks like so.  Nice and even, no stitches sticking out.







I’ll be getting a kickpress soon, thank goodness.