Jeanuary 2025: MAKING YOUR OWN JEANS: DENIM AND ITS HISTORY
It's officially jeans-making season and you'll be surprised at how blue jeans came to be our most beloved garment as well as surprised how easy it is to make your own.
Denim begins the story...much more than about the jeans garment itself.
DENIM: The most quintessential American fabric worn by everyone. This is an eye-opening illustration of how denim came to be and how blue jeans became the garment that changed history consistently over decades.
We plan for Jeanuary 2025 to be the biggest celebration of a garment fabric and hope you find it fun and worthwhile. To learn more grab a glass of wine and watch Riveted: The History of Jeans - Discover the fascinating detailed stories of this iconic American garment. PBS.org and American Experience get all the credit for the timeline within this blog post and the original idea of our annual JEANUARY campaign.
A HISTORY OF DENIM
Before the 17th century........DUNGRI, India used this course cloth for workers and eventually called them dungarees. In Genoa, ITALY trousers were made from a fabric called sandcloth. In NIMES, France they called it "Serge De Nimes" which is where we got the word "denim" . These cloths were most times dyed blue to hide dirt.
1700s
Africans have a long history and skill of how to extract the blue from the indigo plant and how to fix the blue to fibers/cloth and brought this skill with them as captives in the new worlds. This mysterious dyeing process was so exclusive, Indigo earned a status similar with that or tea, coffee, silk, gold and became presented as value tied to new economic possibilities along with manufacturing of tobacco, rice, cotton.
1900s
Denim dominated the rise in durable cotton goods and cotton manufacturing increases because of denim - sometimes called "negro cloth". When cotton was dyed with indigo, processes were used to dye various colors of cotton and when made into garments, the laborers would wear different colors indicating where their jobs were and their roles.
1940s
Levi Strauss DID NOT invent blue jeans as we know them today. Mr. Strauss was a dry-goods seller with the funds and contacts to bring this garment to market...he made millions! A tailor named Jacob Davis approached him with an idea for work pants reinforced with rivets to reinforce the areas of stress. Seamstresses were complaining to retailers that their husbands were wearing through their work trousers too easily.
20th Century
Today half the world's population are wearing denim, specifically jeans. The denim narrative is lead by numerous groups and events in our history:
Western Cowboys - up to 1/4 of the cowboy workforce were Indigenous and Black people and they wore jeans long before the movie industry highlighted the Lone Ranger and others riding horses in jeans.
World War II - many men had never wore jeans (dungarees) before fighting overseas...local communities noticed and followed suit. Rosie the Riveter was not the woman we thought she was. The American Every-Woman pitched in and did her part and found empowerment in wearing jeans going to work during the war.
Motorcycling - sometimes giving denim a bad name, but so what...
Hollywood had the best opportunity to immortalize denim garments (jeans) because they had audiences falling in love with James Dean, Marlon Brando, Lee Marvin and a new club was born: Club Leather jacket and Blue Jeans.
Hip Hop - artists grabbed denim and owned it on every stage
Today the sewing community makes custom jeans for the fashion streets.
What we know now...
Made from wool and raw silk, denim cloth was originally developed into twill cloth, made with a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs, for which they used two different threads: warp yarn was dyed with indigo and the weft yarn was left white.
As "fast fashion" fills the internet streets and landfills a year later, home sewists have the unique opportunity to create quality garments, including jeans that will last for years.
The idea of upcycling was born as far back as the 1800s when the fabrics of haute couture gowns were reused to make them last for decades. Today denim, specifically jeans thrifted from second-hand stores are used as the DIY economy booms fueled by Instagram and TikTok.
JEANUARY 2025
JEANUARY is the official jeans making season so you'll have a denim wardrobe all year long. We will feature all things denim, especially jeans. If you have never sewn a pair of jeans, my hope is after reading this story you will have a special feeling while making your first pair. Yes, pants are a challenge for some so maybe jeans is even more intimidating. After making my own and teaching jeans-making for several years I can share with you that jeans are simply putting pockets together and the fit is easier than you think.
Jeanuary 2025
January 1-February, or until you stop!
SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram, FaceBook, TikTok
Hashtags to use: #jeanuary2025 #jeanuary #denim #historyofdenim #sewingmystyle #historyofjeans #imademyownjeans #gingerjeans #amesjeans
TUTORIALS
Learn Specific techniques to get your jeans made
PERSONAL FIT SESSIONS
Learn initial techniques for fitting and determine which sewing pattern is best for you
FEATURED PATTERNS
Happily Dressed: Ranger Jean
ClosetCore Patterns : Ginger, Morgan Jean
Cashmerette Patterns : Ames sizes 12-32 32-52” waist and 42-62” hip
use code JEANUARY to get 15% off the Cashmerette Ames Jeans pattern (printed or PDF) between November 30, 2024 and January 31, 2025
Mimi G's Simplicity Pattern 8516
KnowMe 2052 Jeans Pattern - Nikki Brooks
KnowMe Pattern ME2002 - Brittany Jones
KnowMe 2024 Men’s Jeans Pattern - Norris Dantaford
Julian Prince Dash - HolyStitch Patterns
NOTE: if you can get your hands on the Kwik-Sew Men's Jeans Pattern, its an oldie/goodie!
LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN...
Start talking about Jeanuary 2025 and how you will add jeans-making to your sewing plans this year!
Order a Jeans Making Kit from SewingMyStyle.com and get your hands on 3yds of stretch denim or stable denim, needles, zipper, thread, buttons and 1yd of cotton for pocket linings.
Take a look at the various patterns listed and determine which one is for you - Optional Personal Fit Sessions are being offered when purchasing a Kit to help with this decision.
If you've made jeans before, join the celebration by posting your jeans photos using the hashtags: #jeanuary2025 #jeanuary #denim #historyofdenim #sewingmystyle #historyofjeans #imademyownjeans #gingerjeans #amesjeans and feel free to tag our partners.
and finally...take a fun workshop in community with others
THE JEANUARY WORKSHOP $195
Jeanuary Kick-Off Thursday November 15 7pm IG - 8:30pm TikTok
The workshop sessions are Jan 21, 23, Feb 1 - 2025
Tuesday Jan 21 7pm-9pm (est) - review of pattern pieces, review body measurements, adjusting the crotch lines and cutting muslin shorts
Thursday Jan 23 7pm-9pm (est) - review construction of the pockets and zipper
Saturday Feb 1 11am-1pm (est) - final review, Q&A, show/tell
Workshop includes: Jeans Making Kit, Kick-Off Session, Workshop, Video Library
3yds stretch or stable denim, blue thread, top-stitch thread, 2 jeans needles size 16, 2 buttons, one 9" metal zipper, 1yd cotton fabric for lining. All delivered in a custom denim draw-string bag.
Prerecorded Video Tutorials Private link to view step-by-step tutorial on each step of sewing your jeans
Private Fit Session $135
Review your measurements in private and learn pant adjustments, then determine which jeans sewing pattern is right for you. This private session is separate from the workshop - 2-hr and includes the Video Tutorial Library. You have the option to add the jeans kit and workshop.
We plan for Jeanuary 2025 to be the biggest celebration of a garment fabric and hope you find it fun and worthwhile. To learn more grab a glass of wine and watch Riveted: The History of Jeans - Discover the fascinating detailed stories of this iconic American garment. PBS.org and American Experience get all the credit for the timeline within this blog post and the original idea of our Jeanuary campaign which began in 2022.
Thanks for the love, Nikki