NPRINS

All, Two months ago I lost our $20.00 doggie pickup bag holder - one which you could latch onto a belt loop for a walk.  After contemplating buying another - I simply decided to make one!  Here is a tutorial I designed after making about five-seven samples.  I think you will like it and the materials should just cost a few dollars, if that!  This project can be completely made from reused materials and dog leashes if you wish. Materials  needed:  9" by 5" fabric                                   cord or ribbon (4" to 6" total)                                  1/4" elastic (about 10 inches total 1.  Cut out a fabric piece 9 inches by 5 inches.  My bag I lost was 9" by 6".  This is a matter of personal preference. For this project, I used weather-proof Gore-tex bought from Seattle Fabrics  out of my stash because I've been making some outdoor adventure items.  However, one could use canvas, a heavy weight fabric or simply some rip-stop, or supplex.

Dear readers! Look what I found:   Crotch gussets in J.'s high end hiking pants.  These are made by Royal Robbins: What an ingenious idea!  Now I think every man should have them, at least in their active wear! Don't you think it would increase the comfort while not decreasing the style? For example, in the Kwik Sew shorts I made for J.  Perfect Fit.  Absolutely perfect.  But, wouldn't a crotch gusset make them more comfortable for outdoor activities? Have you run across this before?  I want to put gussets in all my man's trousers and shorts now!  I googled "crotch gussets" and found a jeans company  Gusset Jeans  (really, great jeans but need PR help for that name -  - I originally thought they were named "crotch guesset jeans"!).  Here is a picture, courtesy of their web site: They also make women's jeans - but I'm not so impressed with those. . . Now other bloggers and messages boards have considered the idea of crotch gussets.  Fashion i

Dear readers! Completed.  My first pair of jeans, Jennifer Stern Designs No. 0037. Well, almost - I didn't put the jeans button fly, pocket buttons or the rivets  on (yet).  MNBarb from Pattern Review ( message board discussion here ) probably provided one of the best link for jeans buttons - I'm going to order them from this ebay seller - Dimebuttons - link is  Here.   Apparently, since LA is the hub (reputedly 80% of the high end jeans are designed here) - I should be able to buy some fantastic supplies; I need to hunt some down stat! For more information on the high ends jeans manufacturing in Los Angeles - check out this  LA Times Article, "Premium Jeans the Los Angeles Way."    One of the key aspects of this business is that LA manufacturers can take orders as late as 2:00 pm and have them out by 5:00 pm.  Wow!  According to research, wholesale denim (high end) can cost anywhere from 12.00 a yard to 25.00 a yard.  My denim was 6.00 a yard:)  I am going to check o

Dear readers, It's the end of Day 1 of the jeans construction period - and I've made serious progress  -   and some decisions: 1) I finished the front pockets - I used a twin jeans needle to topstitch - and I'm fairly happy with how these came out. 2)  I finished the zipper - I used both JStern's blog but mostly relied on the clear directions and I am happy with how the zipper turned out. 3)  I'm not sure I'm happy with how the inner front crotch below the zipper turned out - I topstitched it after securing it to be well-finished in the front, per the directions - I believe I altered the front crotch curve.  The picture below depicts where the curve should be (the top scissors) versus where the crotch seam is now due to the topstitching (the bottom scalpel seam ripper).  I am thinking tonight about whether I should redo this curve. 4) I finshed the back flat-felled crotch curve seam. Jennifer's directions call only for the yoke to be flat-felled but I went a

Dear readers, I'm in the middle of making a great pair of jeans; and in doing so, I am taking my time (gasp!).  Yes, it's true - I'm not rushing to get through! I said I've never make jeans because I love high end RTW jeans and have quite a few pairs.  But, as they say, never say never!  I'm doing it after taking J. Stern's Jeans Fit class at the ASG and loving it.   What a fun project.  Since I'm taking my time I'm going to do a series of posts about my trials and tribulations - and about making choices.  Once you have your muslin fitting (the stage I'm at) it's all about making choices. Now, that said, I've lost 8 pounds since the muslin fitting (I'm not traveling for work and have cut out beans (lectins), wheat and sugar for the most part.  So, I am proposing a few new techniques in the form of construction choices: First, deciding whether to flat fell the outseams and inseams (the yoke is called for to be felled in J. Stern's jean