Which sewing pattern for dungarees?
There are so many patterns available for dungarees that it is really hard to choose your first one: McCall’s, Tilly and the Buttons, Named, Wear Lemonade, Republique du Chiffon, Sew House Seven, Closed Case Patterns, etc.
I’ve always loved dungarees and flared trousers, so I really wanted to give the M7547 McCall’s a go, as it combines both. I chose this pattern because it has multiple variations on it. If I want to make something different next time, the pattern has a short dungarees version, a skinny legs version, and a trousers version with carriers.
What equipment to buy for dungarees?
Obviously some fabric! Denim, twill, or cotton corduroy would all be great fabrics for this sort of garment.
I went for a beautiful grey-blue-ish corduroy I found in Misan West shop (Goldhawk Road, London). It is a very nice quality and easy to sew. The only problem with corduroy is that it leaves tiny bits of fabric everywhere, but it’s not the only one anyway! Sweeping the floor all the time is not an option!
Then you need a zipper and a button for the opening. The dungarees have a faux fly front and a lapped zipper side opening. These are nice details to learn. I recommend to read the instructions a few time to get it right though. I chose a vintage button from my stash (my grandmother left me with a lifetime of buttons).
The pattern tells you to edge stitch and top stitch some areas like the pockets. It requires a bit of patience but the result is nice so it’s worth it.
Finally, it requires a pair of buckles along with a pair of jeans buttons. These buttons can be purchased in a kit (Prym is a famous brand for these), which you can assemble using a sort of place holder and your hammer. Otherwise you can buy a specific pliers to help you with this. Personally, the hammer method almost failed: I hit the first button slightly from the side with the hammer and I broke the under part of the button which stayed in the place holder (maybe I hit too hard too!). I had to do a few manipulations to remove it from there and do the other button properly! Even though it broke, the button is attached to the bib so hopefully it will remain there!
Modifications on the pattern
I modified a few things on the pattern:
- I reduced the crotch length: I used a pair of high waist jeans and measured the crotch length on them to compare.
- I also reduced the length of the legs as usual. 🙂
For more details on how to reduce a pattern, see my previous post here.
Here are the pictures of the dungarees:
I am very very pleased with these. I think they look great and they are also comfortable. I wear them all the time! I’m definitely going to make more of these.
