Anyone who’s been reading this blog for a while knows I have a strange love for shiny trousers. But I don’t wear trousers a whole lot so up until now I’ve only made one shiny pair, which gradually shrunk in the wash until I could no longer do them up. Now I’m needing some cycle-friendly clothes (thanks for all the pattern and blog suggestions!) I thought that recreating the shrunken shiny pair would be a good place to start. The pattern I used is the same as before, Burda 103B-07-2010. This is a skinny jeans style with an extra seam down the back of the leg. I made them up in a silver stretch denim from Minerva Crafts.
The fabric was originally much more silver in colour, but a trip through the washing machine removed a lot of the coating and left this sparkly black effect. This is no reflection on Minerva, I’m pretty sure they said it wasn’t washable when I bought it.
Here’s the back view. I added patch pockets because I think trousers can look a bit odd without some sort of detail on the backside. Or is that just me? I also made the legs extra long, which is in part what’s causing all those wrinkles on the leg. It’s bad fitting but I like the effect.
However there’s definitely some extra fabric pooling under the bum that can’t be explained by the longer legs. According to the fitting books this means the back crotch length is too long – or as they generally put it, a flat bum adjustment is needed. I could probably fix that on this pair as it just means sewing the crotch seam a bit deeper, but it isn’t bothering me and I’d rather not unpick the topstitching.
So why are they the deadly jeans? They killed my sewing machine. It jammed really badly while sewing a test buttonhole. It was the sort of jam where you have to get your scissors out and cut everything you can reach. And while hacking out all the snarls I must have damaged something. It wouldn’t pick up the bobbin thread when I rethreaded it, and when I took the needle plate off it was pretty obvious why: the hook timing is now completely off. I’m lucky enough to have a second machine so I was able to finish the trousers and I’ll be able to sew while my main one is repaired. Which is a good thing because I have another pair of these cut out!
Catherine Daze's Blog 
I like the look of all the wrinkles. Great pants.
sorry these were deadly to your machine, but it was worth it cuz these are deadly awesome jeans!
I think you may also need to look at altering the legs too. Sorry. The side seams are too forward, from your last photo, on the upper part of your leg. They should be down the middle. It might be the cause of the extra fabric at the upper leg, not enough fabric at the front, and excess in the back upper legs. I’m pretty sure it’s not the crotch.
Sorry to hear about your machine – but the trousers look fantastic! Love the shiny effect and I sort of like the wrinkled effect on the lower legs – it looks more casual and easy. As you say, the fit might be improved with a few minor adjustments, but it looks like you are well on your way to a great TNT pattern.
Fantastic pants! Forget wrinkles – they look great! Sorry to hear about sewing machin … great to have another as backup… I have to think about it.
Ahh shiny trousers! I can’t comment on the fit (would have no idea) but they look awesome – shiny whilst not being eye-drawingly outrageous, and they look really comfortable.
Forget the wrinkles. Did you ever in your life see perfect fit-with-no-wrinkles-thank-you pair of jeans on anybody?! These are great, and how many people can brag they made their jeans? JEANS?! 😉
Oooh, ouch, so sorry about the machine. I think I would just die!
Truly killah jeans though!
Wow, sorry about your machine. The fabric is fun. I think we often worry too much about every little wrinkle and line on a garment.
Great jeans! I like the splotchy sparkles and the long and wrinkly legs – it’s how I like mine as well. Glad you have a back-up machine, I have a little IKEA back-up, otherwise, we might lose it entirely!
The only place I’ve ever seen “no wrinkles on pants/jeans” is the book “Pants for Real People”. I think your jeans look fun! I bought some sparkle denim in May (black with silver sparkles) and a lot of the sparkles came off in the dryer and covered everything in sparkle. 🙂 But I still want to sew them up.
I love your jeans, hope you can repair your machine!
If you care to make another pair, you should look at this article on Threads, and maybe in K. King’s Craftsy class where he does the same alteration to get rid of the wrinkles in the back. Might help.
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/17051/a-fix-for-a-baggy-seat
I like these, very grunge
I like these too,jeans and wrinkles seem to go together. Sorry about the machine.
The jeans look great! I’m a fan of the too-long wrinkles on skinny jeans, gives a bit of visual interest. Most of mine look that way, because I’m short and decided I liked the effect better than I like hemming pants. Your boots are also wonderful.
Oh nooo. Poor machine! Lovely trousers though. I’m tiptoeing my way through my first pair but it’s very slow going
I love these, I love that you washed un-washable fabric, and I love the way you styled them (those boots are amazing!)… brilliant all around – you look fabulous!! Sorry to hear about your machine… I have had those jams where you have to cut everything out, so I know what you mean LOL. Lucky you have a backup!! 🙂