Fit And Sew Custom Jeans – Book Review

I bought this book, Fit and Sew Custom Jeans, a couple of years ago and I refer to it often. It is a Palmer Pletsch book written by Helen Bartley. It is a terrific book if you, like me, love to make your own jeans!

What’s in the book

The book basically ranges from the history and hardware of jeans making to inspiration, care tips and templates. This is a very comprehensive book that will have something for everyone.

One of the things I really like about this book is that there is so much information included that’s easy to understand. I also appreciate that there is such a variety of fit models and examples included. So no matter what your shape and size, there is information you can use. There is also a chapter (and ideas) for sewing men’s jeans.

Who is this for?

I would say this is for anyone who is interested in sewing their own jeans. If you are a beginner to making your own, it is a great source of information and inspiration. If you are more experienced, you will find the fitting advice and creative ideas to be excellent.

A page from Fit and Sew Custom Jeans book

I’ve made many pairs of my own jeans and its something I really enjoy. Once you get a pattern to fit you really well, it’s a easy to “hack” the pattern and make changes to it. You can end up with different looks from the same pattern.

My Conclusions

I really like this book. It is not only informational, but inspirational as well. There is so much advice on fitting, of course, since it is a Palmer/Pletsch publication. As I mentioned before, this is one of the few fitting books that has fit models of different sizes. That’s important so that you can get a visual idea of what an alteration may look like on you. The information in the book is easy to understand which I really appreciate too.

Here is the link to video review that I made for this book if you’d like to see that also.

https://youtu.be/M7quJBfDSm4?si=zTRCs3aucw4t73jl

Corduroy Closet Core Morgan Jeans

For my latest project, I decided to sew a pair of corduroy Closet Core Morgan jeans.

*The following post contains affiliate links.

The Fabric

For the corduroy fabric , I purchased mine online at MelanatedFabrics. Unfortunately, they are completely sold out at this time. This is some of the nicest and drapiest corduroy I have ever used. It’s super soft and a mid-wale corduroy.

Brown corduroy pants incomplete — *Work in process*

The Morgan Boyfriend Jeans

One of the reasons that I chose to use this pattern is that it is designed for non-stretch fabrics. There is no stretch in the corduroy. The fit of the jeans is more of a straight fit and not too loose or baggy.

woman wearing leaf print shirt and brown corduroy pants

And this isn’t the first time I’ve made them. Although the instructions only mention using denim, I think you can use any jean appropriate fabric. Because I had made this before, I didn’t have to worry about fitting.

woman wearing leaf print shirt and brown corduroy jeans back view

Some Sewing Tips

For these corduroy Closet Core Morgan jeans I did take into consideration some sewing tips and techniques that made things a bit easier.

Wash the fabric in cold water and dry on low heat.
Gently iron the fabric. I like the iron shoe and press cloth.
Use a walking foot. This attachment will keep the fabric from sliding.
Use a pattern layout for napped fabrics, if possible.

Since the fabric is medium weight, a size 14 universal needle works great. I also suggest lots of pins (or clips) to keep things together.

woman wearing brown corduroy Closet Core Morgan jeans front view

If you are familiar with jeans making, this will be a relatively quick project for you. Beginners will probably want to make a muslin and get the fit right before cutting into the fashion fabric.

woman smiling wearing brown corduroy jeans and black t-shirt — *My fit check during the process*

Conclusion

These jeans are soft and comfortable. Corduroy is “in” this season, so I can be stylish without even trying😂. The most difficult part was the topstitching. Because there’s a nap in the fabric, it was very hard to see. But, overall, I’m happy with the results!

woman wearing fall leaves jacket, brown corduroy jeans and wine colored shirt

Classic Vogue 8774 Jeans

While I know that skinny jeans are the thing these days, I don’t always want that. Skinny margaritas? Yes! Skinny jeans? Not all the time. So, I pulled out this classic pattern for making a straight-leg jean.

I used this stretch cotton I had bought about 2 years ago. I have wanted a pair of floral jeans since the first time I saw them. To me, they are such a fun, springtime (and early summer) wardrobe staple.

During the process of making these jeans, I realized that I really love the jean-making process. Getting the right fit can be challenging but I really enjoy working out those details. And each pair gets better, so if you’re thinking of making a pair, GO FOR IT! I suggest you start with a basic 5-pocket jean pattern, and go from there.

I want to make another pair with a lighter background (similar to the photos above).

In the meantime, I’m just going to enjoy these!

*Jeans sewing tip: use your machines triple straight stitch to get that jeans thread look (my Bernina actually calls it a “jeans stitch”). This way, you can use regular thread but get a thicker, sturdier sewn seam.