Biker-style jeans a la Balmain

 

When I spotted this khaki stretch cotton in Textile Traders last week I knew exactly what I was going to make. Grungy, biker-style jeans, that's what. My inspiration was these jeans by Balmain, recently selling for US$695 at The Store. I bought 1.5m of fabric for $18 and a zip for $3. That's more like it!

Pierre Balmain Military Green Coated Biker Jeans: Source

The features I wanted in my jeans were the front seams, quilted hip panels and partly quilted back pockets. The Jamie Jeans pattern by Named Clothing was a perfect starting point as it has the front seams and two-piece back pockets. I just needed to draw up a diagonal panel for the front quilting.

So, while my fabric was sloshing away in the washing machine, getting all nice and faded, I drew up the pattern pieces I needed. I found a strip that I had cut off a summer-weight bed quilt ages ago and cut the pieces for quilting from that. Two lower pockets and two parallelograms for the front.

I used the outer quilt fabric to keep the wadding in place.

Here are my quilted front pieces. The one on the right has been trimmed down ready to turn the long edges under and topstitch on to the side front jeans piece.

This is how the fabric looked after one wash - just how I wanted it.

Once the quilting was done and sewn in place, these were straightforward to make. I've made this pattern a few times now and it is my very favourite jeans pattern. I just made some minor fitting adjustments and added some extra leg length at the cutting-out stage. The fit isn't perfect with a few wrinkles at the back, but I'm happy.

 My finishing touch was this rectangle of leather that I stamped with my life's philosophy!

 Phew! Done in a day and a half, ready for a last-minute entry in the Pattern Review Jeans Contest.

$695 jeans for $20? Don't mind if I do!

The tank is self-drafted and made from bits and pieces from my stash. The front is a lovely soft print remnant from Potter's Textiles.

I'm rather pleased that the direction of the quilting lines match on the pockets and front panel. Completely intentional of course ;)

Overall thoughts: love, love, love these!