Jeans Sewing: Skirting the Issue - Absolutely Riveting

I started off by poking a hole through the
many layers of denim, and drill with my seam
ripper. I didn't rip with it, but I used it's
sharp little point just to get to the other side.

Once I had a tiny hole, I worked through with
the pointy end of a bamboo skewer. I had to
do that on either side, and really work it back and
forth, in order to get a big enough hole for the rivet
to feed through.

After I fed the rivet through, and capped
it off, I taped it down with several layers of
masking tape on either side, just to keep it in place and
then moved on to the next rivet.  I have 4 of them
ready to go - two on each end of the pocket opening.

I'm going to get a little help
with the hammer to make the two ends come firmly together.
I did some test work on multiple layers of denim scrap,
 and found that smashing those two ends together
straight on,  isn't the easiest thing in the world.
I believe there is a tool for it, but I don't think it's cheap.

Since I wrote this post, I've realized that probably the correct tool for creating the rivet hole is an awl. The nice lady at the fabric store said she wouldn't bother to spend the $7 on one herself, if the technique I came up with here is working. I'm still considering whether or not to plunk down the money for what appears to be the right tool.

 I don't  know the official reason for rivets, but I would guess they help stabalize certain features of the garment. I'm putting them at either end of my front hip pockets, which have a tendency to gape open, no matter how much trying on and basting I did to get that opening to lay flat. Perhaps they help with that too?

 I do know that the kind of jeans I like, have rivets at the corners of the pockets, so I want to know how to add them.

I'm going to admit right off that I don't know the right way to add rivets. I could keep looking through all the resources I've collected, or buy more (I was told the Palmer and Pletsch have a good video on everything from fitting to sewing jeans), or I could simply forge ahead, get some experience with this fabric, sewing skill set, and thought process. That is the way I learn best - a little reading, a little trying it out, and then go back and read and listen some more. That's why I'm working on this jeans-style denim skirt I've been blogging about.

Trying out new-to-me techniques, like the ones I'm feeling my way through on this jeans-style denim skirt are the kinds of experiences that keep me 

Enchanted by Sewing

Jeans Sewing: Skirting the Issue - WAISTing Time

I have been spending quite a lot of time with my jeans-style denim skirt waistband. And I'm definitely not WAISTing my time. it seems mighty important that I do so.

As you may recall from other postings in my "Jeans Sewing: Skirting the Issue" theme, I'm using this project to learn skills that will help me when I work on sewing my first pair of jeans. There's a lot to learn, and I don't expect I"ll get it all down before I start my actual jeans sewing project. But whatever I can take away with me, will stand me in good stead with that first pair.

Here are some issues I've worked on, not all of which I've resolved.

* Given the weight of the denim (11 oz - heavy weight) do I interface or not? I went ahead and did so.

* Two layers of this weight denim seems like too much. I lined one side of the waistband with a nice thin cotton print (check out the roses)

* Ugh! Two heavy denim seams at the waist and then you add in foldover bits from the edge of the waistband ... How many layers of denim is that? !!!!  I've been doing a lot of scissor trimming after seaming,  to attempt to cut back on additional bulk in this zone, but there's a limit as to how much I can cut away without just cutting off the whole waistband. This is something to ask around about.

* Getting the waistband to meet properly in front - waist seam to waist seam and the tops at the same height is no easy feat. Is it just me? I have been working on what sometimes seems like an endless loop... baste, try on, unpick, re-baste,  try on, unpick.... repeat steps until.... OK I thinnnnkkkk I've got it! It's worth working to get it right.

Next on the agenda is adding the rivets on the pockets, and the jeans button on the waistband. After all the fussing over getting the waistband to meet right, I sure hope I get the buttonhole centered properly over the button! 

After that the hem. I've already finished the raw edge on the bottom of the skirt and pinned it in place. I still need to try it on and eyeball it.

I've also got several long topstitching threads hanging around in a lot of places, waiting to run through a needle and take through to the back side. It's challenging figuring out at what points to topstitch the different parts, especially on the waistband. Some of it (like on the side seams) had to be done before other garment construction steps.

On the waistband, however, I topstitched too soon. Well, so... a little bit of my topstitching isn't totally continuous. I wouldn't be surprised if the same things happen with my test garment jeans, but once I repeat the process with them, moving onto a second and third pair, I'll start to learn when I can continuously topstitch without being likely to have to release some of the threads.

I was planning to work on cute back pockets and belt loops, like real jeans ones, but frankly I just want to finish this puppy up! I'm kidding myself that I could add those puppies later, but I bet I won't. I've got my Lilacs and Liberty shirt to finish, as well as several knit tops to create - hey the denim skirt cries out for those toppers. I'm also taking a pants drafting class at Cañada, where I'll be drafting my own jeans pattern. So I'll  have another opportunity to get on with those quintessential jeans additions in the not-too-distant future.

Working on my jeans-sewing skill set is almost like being a new sewer. You know what that does for me, right? Yep, it keeps me....

 Enchanted by Sewing!