Helene jeans #2

My second Helene Jeans, made up in a straight size 8 and actually in selvedge denim this time!! Can I SAY how excited I was to be using selvedge denim? Selvedge denim in ACTUAL INDIGO? In a nice, solid, 140z weight?? Guh, dreamy.

I continue to love this cut, although I am more aware of the front wrinkling on this set than I was on the first pair, and I’m tempted to sliiiighly adjust the front rise if I make another pair (essentially dart out 1/2” and move it to slight shaping at the side). That said, the range of movement that goes with all that wrinkling is AWESOME and i love the fit on the butt side.

I screwed up just a smidge on the back side by placing the pockets ever so slightly too far apart, which is why I haven’t committed to rivets yet. Keep telling myself to unpick and move them in just that tiny bit, but it might not bother me enough. I also just totally forgot to do belt loops! So far, I’m still able to carry my beloved caribiners with me thanks to the hammer loop I added, but I definitely should also add these… eventually.

I really like working with this pattern, and I find the instructions the right level of thorough, combined with pattern markings that make it fairly straightforward to assemble when going on auto-pilot. I, however, forgot to refer to the instructions off the hop and didn’t finish the visible pocket facing bits up front, another just me mistake, but it speaks to the good instructions that it’s accounted to fold those over and have the edges perfectly clean within your pocket. Yet another detail to fix… hopefully soon??? Or will I let the errors languish indefinitely?? WHO CAN KNOW.

I was previously quite committed to the Ginger jeans style of zip application, but I’ve done this Anna Allen approach as instructed on both pairs of Helene’s and… I really like it.

Topstitching went well here, and I followed the same freehand simple design approach to decorating the back pocket as on my previous pair of Helenes. It’s early to say, but it feels like this may be my thing from here on out (at least on jeans for myself). On the fronts, I did the inner center front line initially in a colour match for the fabric, and I really like the clean finish it gives.

One thing I’d do differently for a selvedge pair of these particular jeans is go to the 34” length, at least once, for a perma-cuff look. I can certainly wear these at full length cuffed as is (32” inseam), but i’d prefer to have the hem fully folded in rather than visible. It’s the little things!

Pattern: Anna Allen Helene Jeans
Fabric: 14oz Redline Selvedge Denim in Greencast Indigo from Blackbird
My measurements: Waist 30-31, hips 39
Size made: Straight size 8, 32 inch inseam
Worn with: Black Cat tavern t-shirt, thrifted sandals, silver chain necklaces