Last year I decided that once and for all I was going to sew some 1940s jeans! I researched the topic extensively (as I am wont to do with anything I want to do correctly). I pored over vintage inspiration from all over the internet and many of the books on my shelf. When I felt ready I armed myself with this fabulous pattern and some heavy non-stretch denim I felt I was ready. I took careful measurements of both myself and the pattern, cut it out and away I went. When it came time to fit the jeans to myself however, I was crestfallen. I felt them to be WAY too baggy in the seat and upper thighs. Needless to say I was very disappointed by this failure simply due to the amount of work I put into them up to that point.
Fast forward to the third of this month; I was digging through my scrap bins looking for some hair canvas and I unearthed the jeans that had disappointed me so sorely. I pulled them out and vowed to attempt to make them work! Funnily enough as soon as I tried them on the following day I couldn’t believe that I’d tossed them away the way that I had. They fit pretty much perfectly and just needed to be finished.
Four hours of diligent work and here are the results:
Delighted with my Topstitching
From the Back
Looking at these pictures I’m really not sure WHAT my problem with them was. Honestly, when I pulled them out, all that remained was finishing the outer side seams, attaching the zipper and adding/finishing the waistband. Finally I topstitched the whole shebang and they were done and I couldn’t be happier with them!
I made some modifications to the pattern, unfortunately those are pretty much lost to time because I didn’t write down what they were in my sewing journal! I know that I narrowed the legs and slightly “pegged” the bottoms to be a bit more period correct. I self drafted the pocket shape based on a jeans picture that was in this book. I moved the zipper into the left side pocket and moved the button on that side as well.
Based on all the compliments I got on them at a luncheon party we attended on Saturday, I’d say these are a resounding success!
Finally, lest you think I’ve forgotten this auspicious day, take a look at these hilarious vintage Valentines brought to us by the Retronaut. My personal favorite is the man scrubbing the floors 😉
Eileen
eileensbasement.wordpress.com 
These turned out amazing!!! 😀 Isn’t it funny how you stash something away becuase it “doesn’t work”, only to pull it out months later and wonder what the heck you were thinking? I’ve had that a lot lately. lol. Of course, seeing these is making me want to go and make another pair of 40s jeans since there were a few errors in the pair I made last year that are bugging me… 😉
I didn’t see any errors- they looked so good to me!! I see a few things that I need to tweak, but all in all, I’m happy with them!