Jeans, Black Selvedge, Model A-1F (Forest Punk Edition)

Okay finished these this weekend. Still tweaking my A-1 jeans pattern. These are made with some 14oz, black selvedge denim, open-top tack buttons for the fly (painted black), vintage rusty metal button for the waist. Back pockets are riveted and half-lined, so they're extra durable. Fit pictures and more details soon.

Hartford Denim Co.

Thought it might be nice to bring this awesome small business to your attention. I really like the rough-hewn character of what they do - it's crude and beautiful at the same time. When compared to a lot of over-obsessive denim maker's out there their stuff is original and really refreshing. And it's all made by what seems to be bunch of really great guys.

Check 'em out - http://hartforddenimcompany.com/

This weeks project: Black Selvedge Denim Jeans, A-1, v.2

Went camping this weekend, so not as much sewing time. More images to come.

C.C.C. Surveying Downed Trees, South Dakota, c. 1933

Home-made Pomade

I made this early this summer. I don't use it very often, mostly for greasin' my dried up hair and scalp after being in the saltwater and sun at the beach. It works okay for that, though I think the wax isn't fully dissolved; sometimes there's little dust size bits of it in my hair. Need to work on that.

Here's the recipe:

1 tsp beeswax
1/4 oz coconut oil
1/2 oz jojoba oil
1/2 oz almond oil

Place a glass container of your choice into a pot of water. Add wax and oil into glass container. Slowly heat up the water until the wax has melted. Remove from heat and once it starts to cool mix in essential oils of your choice. I used the following:

3 drops cedar oil
1 drop eucalyptus
1 drop patchouli
1 drop tea tree

These seemed to combine well and made a good woodsy and somewhat earthy scent.

Broadcloth Boxers, v.3, black & white chambray

I've run out of knit fabric, but I'm still trying to perfect my boxers pattern, so here's a broadcloth version. These are loosely based on American WWII military issue boxer shorts. I like the look of them, but I overcompensated for the lack of stretch by adding too much extra material in the body; I'll bring in the body some and reduce the number of pleats on the next pair so they're not so baggy. These seem to have a lot of extra sag around the seat too.

Materials: black and white cotton chambray; vintage enameled work shirt buttons.
Construction: single needle, hand-felled seams; hand-punched keyhole buttonholes.

Penny Shirt

I made this little t-shirt for our friends beautiful baby girl, Penelope. Katie made the rabbit - all organic materials, and stuffed with cotton from our garden.

Big Fish

Knit Boxers, v.3, salt & pepper and chambray

I'm still working on the non-elastic knit boxers pattern, and since I've run out of knit material I decided to cut up a cotton cardigan from the thrift store. The fabric for the band and fly facing is from a blue chambray shirt, also from the thrift store. The buttons are some vintage (1930's or 40's) metal workshirt or trouser buttons. The fit still isn't quite what I'm imagining, but I'll certainly be wearing them.

Canvas Wallet

My old wallet has been full of holes for a few years now, so I decided to use some vintage army canvas that I have to make myself a new one. A leather wallet would be ideal, but there's no leather shops on Maui, so canvas it is. Crude but functional.

I haven't decided if I'm going to use velcro or snaps, so for now I've just stitched down the flap edge to help keep things in place. The black nylon binding came from my old wallet; it isn't quite enough, but it works.

Knit Boxers, v.2, slightly nautical

I realized that I could make one more pair of underwear from the hemp/cotton knit, if I re-made the pattern and added front seams (so that it uses smaller pieces of fabric). Also tried changing the waist band and the fit a little bit. Vintage linen for the waistband and fly pieces.