Hi hello, my name is Celia (@celia_a_s on instagram) and I love sewing and I love fashion. My favourite thing about sewing is that you can see something extremely unaffordable and fancy in a magazine or on instagram, and you can go away and find a similar pattern and make it for yourself. We are all magical wizards and the skills we possess are so special. I often look at clothes on the catwalks and red carpets and think I could probably make that. My friend calls it the “how-hard-can-it-be-gene”. I can learn a completely new skill to achieve this ridiculous idea I’ve had, sure, why not.
I am obsessed with the Spanish luxury fashion brand Loewe, and also Jonathan Anderson who is at the helm. They take clothes and make them a bit weird and a lot special, whether it’s by adding a rhinestone, a wrinkle, a radish, or a bead. I love it. I saw the Loewe Fisherman Jeans on instagram one day, and thought yes, these are great. I can genuinely probably maybe make these. Plus, I’ve never made jeans and I love to incorporate new learnings and discoveries into every project. I messaged the team at Sew Me Sunshine and asked for their advice on denims and here we are.
The Loewe jeans have, I think, a white cotton lawn turn up, but I can’t be trusted with white fabrics plus I wanted something a bit sturdier so I went with a Ventana Twill in off-white. I chose the non stretch dark blue denim because it looked the most similar. Then I trawled through the internet to find a jeans pattern that was kinda the right vibe. I also asked my sewing pals for recommendations and the Anna Allen Helene Jeans (view A) got good reviews and were the right shape so that is where I landed.
For the first time in my life I made a toile, and as a result made some alterations for the final fit. What I didn’t take into account was that my body would expand and contract in the spring and summer. Ah well, you live and learn (about sewing and yourself).
To make the white bit, I chopped off the bottom part of the leg pattern pieces, then cut it out in the twill and sewed it on to the denim. Very untechnical. The seam was top stitched down so it lay flat. Once the white and blue were attached to each other, as per the instructions I top stitched the in-seam, changing thread colour at the right places.
I have never taken so much care over a garment. I really wanted them to look and feel good, and like I had purchased them from somewhere fancy. Sure, the button fly is a bit wobbly and the waist a little big, but they are so comfortable and I feel 10/10 in them. Plus, it’s always nice when strangers tell you they like something you have made.
I really believe that sewing means you can be anyone you want to be and wear whatever you want to wear. Making clothes is truly incredible and such a gift. The main things to remember are that you shouldn’t let fabric suggestions get in the way of your sewing dreams (you can make anything from anything), and also that if you dream it, you can make it.
(The top I’m wearing is the Workshop Patterns Ellie Button Up in a 40cm flowery cotton lawn remnant from Sew Me Sunshine back in 2022)
You can find all of our denim fabrics here, and all of our ventana cotton twill fabrics here.
Find Celia on her instagram @celia_a_s
* Celia was provided the fabric of her choice free of charge for her blog post & also provided with a £50 voucher*