Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Denim Feedback

I received my six yards of denim in the mail yesterday. I promised you a low-down on the ho-down and here she is. Here's the link to the stretch denims . . .

I love two of the fabric but dislike the third. I kept feeling it thinking, "Hmmm, this has got to have some polyester in it!" Well, I looked at the sticky label and duh it does. I should have looked closer at the online description and there in black and white it says, 80% cotton/ 19% polyester/ 1% spandex *head slap*. If only I had learned to read!! Anyway the 10oz and 12oz fabrics will work nicely for jeans. The 12oz fabric does not have much stretch to it but it will be enough to make them comfortable. I plan on washing them tonight so I'll update you on their washing/drying characteristics if there is anything weird. The 12oz denim is very rough and stiff. I think the hand will change with washings quite a bit. The 9oz is really drapey which is why I knew it was not just cotton. And the 10oz fabric is a good medium weight denim, exactly what you would expect.



As for the Jeans Sew Along . . . I'll start a thread in a couple of days over at PatternReview.com. No, you do not have to have the Jalie pattern. You can use any pants/jeans pattern. We can help each other with fitting and alterations.

11 comments:

BeccaA said...

Thanks for reviewing the denim. I just ordered some of both the cotton/lycra denims. I live in jeans and so does the rest of my family. I will probably join you for the sew along. It was so much fun last time.

Myra said...

Use the poly blend one for the kids. Or a denim skirt for you. Thanks for the research, I am hesistant to go down that road right now, starting jeans with Easter dresses staring me in the face.

mrsbewley said...

I ordered the poly blend denim and also the 10oz denim you got, but I haven't really had a chance to look at them. Thanks for the review! I hope to join in on the sew along (and will probably used the poly for a muslin!)

Angela said...

Cool! Thanks for the review on the denim!

Unknown said...

Yeah, step 1: washing! What temp? How many times? After drying, do you use starch?

Venus de Hilo said...

Oh: drapeydenim! Thanks, Dawn and Myra, for that idea. I've been ogling a flounced skirt pattern in my stash for a week, suspecting that the white denim I'd like to make it from will not work (100% cotton and not drapey, not one little bit).

I've had fabric surprises from online shopping, too, shocked by what's in the box, muttering about truth in advertising and returning to the website to find out that, yes, it was my inability to read a product description all along. And would you believe I'm all gung-ho for this jeans sew-along and it just ocurred to me this morning that maybe I should measure that yardage from the stash I plan to use? Um, I'd better go check there's enough there for jeans...

Susan said...

I just bought the 10 oz Indigo & 12 Oz. Dark Grey stretch denim from Fabric.com yesterday using a gift certificate I received for my birthday months back. Score two for Susan!

debbie said...

Thought I'd leave my opinion on the denim weights all purchased from Fabric.com. I've had success with the 10oz. or less stretch denims. IMHO the 12oz. even after multiple washings (at least 15 plus)
do not soften up and actually have less give than a non stretch denim! The pair I made with 12oz. I ended up donating. YMMV

Anonymous said...

Cool I totally learned a thing or 2 from this post. I will be looking for some nice 10oz stretch denim. Prolly won't join the sew along but I do have an old Calvin Klein pattern that I recently snagged that I want to try (the Jalie is on order.)

Dr. Fun (AKA Sister) said...

Question for you Dawn - I did the same thing and got the drapey denim by mistake (9oz) so I turned around and ordered the 10 oz cotton/lycra. It feels exactly the SAME! Is that because of the ounce-age, or could they be mislabeled? I'll call fabrics.com, just thought you might have insight. Same drape on both but I was expecting a rougher denim.

Peace Thyme said...

Where are you, Dawn? Are you all right? Are the kiddies all right? Are you moose hunting with Sarah again? You have not posted in "like" forever! 'Sup with that?