Danielle's Closet Case Ginger Jeans

I started this pair of Ginger Jeans during our annual Summer Sewing Challenge, but my list of projects ended up being a bit too ambitious & I didn’t finish these before the deadline. I had hoped to replace a pair of super stretchy ready-made jeans from Athleta (I call them my Chuck Norris pants because I can kick/jump/climb/hike in them) that I practically live in, so I set out to challenge myself with this pattern.




Pattern: Closet Case Ginger Jeans
Materials used: Closet Case Zipper Fly Hardware Kit, Cone Denim (but I should have used Super Stretch Denim), Kylie & the Machine “Made” tag, Power Mesh from stash (but we have a few colors).
Modifications: used Power Mesh for lining instead of cotton fabric, moved zipper over, & placed pockets higher & further in.
Size Made: 10 View B

I definitely learned a lot while making these! Namely, that I should label the fabric in my stash with the correct information. I picked a denim that I thought had more stretch than it actually did, which to be honest, has left me not wearing them as much as I thought I would…and definitely didn’t give me another pair of Chuck Norris jeans. The denim I used, although gorgeous, ended up being a cone denim with no stretch, so it’s a bit stiff around the knees when I try to sit down (emphasis on trying… it’s a bit comical).



Despite my fabric choice, I thought the pattern was really good, & especially loved that Closet Case has a Ginger Jeans Sewalong in their blog archives that helped me answer questions that I didn’t even know I would have! I followed the suggestions on the blog to move the zipper over so I could avoid any zipper-peeking while wearing them & on pocket placement, and then used the Hardware Kit from Closet Case for all the finishes so I wouldn’t have to find all the pieces myself.



My absolute favorite part of these jeans though, is the Power Mesh lining (idea borrowed from that favorite pair of jeans that I mentioned). The mesh was a bit squirrely at times (mainly the waistband), but I really love the look and feel. It’s light and airy instead of sweaty, gently supports and also keeps my muffin top from popping out (woo-hoo!). The pop of color is really fun too, even though I’m the only one that sees it.



All in all, I will definitely make another pair (using the right fabric), and I think I’ll finally get my Chuck Norris pants.