May You Live in Interesting Times

Skirt

I made this sleeping skirt for k-bot a few weeks ago. It's my first pattern made from scratch. I took her measurements and built the pattern from them using a book I got at the library. The closure is a drawstring, so it's not overly complex, but it came out very well. It is a very time consuming process to build patterns from scratch though, at least for now. I'm going to try to make a fitted t-shirt for her next.

Men's Jeans, Model A-1, action pose 1 thru 3

*I'm almost done getting the used motorized bicycle I bought recently into running order. The frame is painted, new kill switch installed, new gasket on the carburetor, etc. More images of that project once it's finished.

Denim Inspiration, 1940's

Here's some images of the old motorcycle club 13 Rebels. I have to say, the biker culture of the 1940's really had a lot of style, without seeming contrived or pretentious. Everything seems to have a comfortable, practical function but doesn't seem sloppy.

So I'm using this aesthetic as an inspiration for a few items that I'm working on, such as the new jeans in the post below, and some sweatshirts and t-shirts.

Check out more images from their website here.


Arden van Scykle

Men's Jeans, Model A-1, Cone Denim

I finished these jeans last week. 13.25 oz American-made Cone Mills denim, red selvedge, unbleached canvas pocket bags, hand-peened all copper rivets, antique Finck's Red Bar top button and antique black enameled buttons for the fly, single needle stitched with hand felled seams. These have been soaked hot and line dried, but them put in the dryer to see if they would shrink anymore. I made the pattern from an existing pair of jeans and then combined it with another pattern and tweaked it a little. My goal is to make something similar to the style of jeans you see in pictures of motorcyclists from the late 1930's and 40's; a pretty straight leg with a somewhat fitted top block. I got close with this pair, though the leg is still too tapered.

I'm really wishing I had a machine that could handle heavier gauge thread and thicker material. My 1950's White is a pretty awesome home machine for shirting, but it's no friend of denim. Most of the skipped stitches can't be seen on the outside but I don't like to see skipped stitches anywhere.

Happy (Pagan) New Year!

Merry solstice everyone and happy times whatever days you hold sacred!

Buckle Back

Black Jeans, Mens

I've made a few different things in the past couple of weeks, but I haven't gotten around to taking images of anything. Here's a slightly blurry shot of some black denim jeans (14oz, American made, selvedge) that I'm working on. Trying for a more fitted straight leg style. I still need to add the rivets and hem em' and then I'll take a few more images.

My Wall

A home for the hand-crafted misfits and orphans who haven't yet found a home.