I made my first pair of jeans and they were simultaneously a delight and a light disaster. I made Dawn Jeans in a 12 ounce bull denim from Big Duck Canvas. I think this fabric was a bit unrealistic for my Janome Sewist 525s machine. While it can sew denim (and did sew most of this), it was a major challenge for some of the waistband sewing, especially for the belt loops. I’ve never worn jeans this thick before that were commercially produced, so I’m not sure why I thought it was a good idea for sewing. It seemed like a good idea when I ordered the fabric, but realistically this needs a more intense machine. I used my vintage Singer for some of the belt loops, but it didn’t seem to like the topstitching thread, and I think there was plenty of user error involved in the difficulties I experienced. For my next pair, which I’ve already cut, I’m using some Robert Kauffman denim. I think it’s an 8 ounce denim and seems like it will be much much easier to work with. The sizing was difficult for me as well. I measured mostly as a size 14 and plenty of folks said it was normal for the pants to be quite snug when putting them on until the seams relax a bit. I did get them on, but they were super tight. I think it would have been better to skip the waistband interfacing, or maybe use a knit interfacing since that can move in all directions. Denim this thick definitely doesn’t need it. They get a little better each time I wear them, but I do wish the waistband was relaxing along with the rest of the pants. The button up is a thick flannel Archer button up that I made with some double sided flannel I got at Mood a few months back. It’s thick and delightful to wear. It was a teeny bit tricky to cut out all of the pieces symmetrically, but I went slowly and luckily the fabric was really wide (70+ inches) and I cut them out one at a time very carefully. I couldn’t perfectly align the front pieces with the back, but I’m really pleased with the overall outcome. I made a size 12 with no modifications and I love the fit. As I mentioned in the post about the chambray Archer, this pattern was really manageable because Jen from Grainline Studios made a very comprehensive 16 video tutorial available for free on YouTube. The jacket is another Wiksten Haori, and this time I made the short version. I was so so happy that I had just enough leftover 6.5 ounce linen from Blackbird Fabrics in the color copper. This linen is one of the most delicious fabrics I’ve worked with so far. I made Arthur pants with this over the summer and I love it. The weight and softness are wonderful and it seems like it will wear well for years to come. I lined the jacket with some flannel I picked up at JoAnn fabrics that coordinated well. I love that this jacket is reversible, and I added pockets to the inside as well. This jacket is perfect for brisk but not super cold weather. For me that’s about 40-65 degrees Fahrenheit.Stepping into fall and winter with some warm pieces feels good. It makes me feel accomplished to have made some jeans, because they’ve always been a wardrobe staple for me. I have already cut another pair of Dawn jeans, and a pair of stretch Ginger Jeans as well. With a few pairs of jeans, I will feel like most of my handmade wardrobe is complete and I can take my time with the rest. I’ve been rushing to make lots of things due to body size changes that make it necessary to have clothing in larger sizes paired with a reluctance to buy commercial clothing.