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Learn to make jeans from this sought-after textile
B Y J E N N I F E R S T E R N - H A S E M A N N
W hen denim fabric entered the ready-to-wear market in the
mid-19th century, it was used to make durable work pants. � e
textile was woven on narrow, 32-inch shuttle looms. � is gave
selvage denim a tight weave and distinctive strong, clean edges. In
1915, Levi Strauss partnered with Cone mills in Greensboro, North
Carolina, to produce fabric for the company's signature jeans at
Cone’s White Oak mill. � is type of denim is today called “selvage
denim,” because the selvages are fully � nished with no loose
threads; often, they include white and red or blue warp threads,
yielding an attractive stripe.
As jeans became more popular in the 1950s, companies looked for
less expen-sive ways to manufacture denim. � e new denim developed
then, and still manu-factured, is produced on projectile looms that
are twice as wide as a shuttle loom. While this denim still has
selvage edges, they are not as clean or strong as those created on
a shuttle loom (see “Recognize your selvages,” p. 43).
Cone Denim closed its White Oak facility in 2017, ending an
American tradi-tion of selvage denim production. Japanese
manufacturers started producing denim in the 1960s and chose
shuttle looms to craft their denim. � e selvage edges became a
signature, identifying the manufacturer by the color of the threads
that were woven in.
DENIM
Sew a classic for yourself—jeans in traditionally woven
selvage denim. Pattern: J Jeans, J Stern Designs. Fabric:
selvage denim, FashionFabricsClub.com.
42 T H R E A D S
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RECOGNIZE YOUR SELVAGES
Selvage denim is woven on shuttle looms, which produce fabric by
weaving one continuous weft yarn through the warp yarns that are
stretched on the loom. The warp yarns make up the straight grain;
the weft yarn forms the cross-grain. Because the weft yarn travels
back and forth, at each selvage it reverses direction and wraps the
fabric’s edges, creating a strong, ravel-resistant edge.
On a projectile loom, the warp yarns are similarly stretched
onto the loom. However, the weft yarns are woven one by one through
the warp, so each weft yarn leaves a loose end at the selvages,
resulting in a frayed appearance. These looms can produce wider
fabric at higher speed, but the selvages aren’t especially sturdy
or attractive.
FABRIC SOU RCESBecause this fabric is no longer produced in the
United States at an industrial scale, it can be di� cult to � nd. A
Google search on terms such as “selvage denim,” “Cone mills,”
“Japanese denim,” or “raw denim” may turn up retailers with yardage
to sell. � e narrow width means you’ll need nearly twice as many
yards to sew a pair of jeans. � is may increase the cost of making
jeans, but selvage denim’s dense, tough weave ensures a
long-lasting garment.
A CU LT CLASSICMen’s jeans made of selvage denim have become a
favorite fashion item. � ey are rugged and sti� when new. However,
with wear, selvage jeans develop a signature creased and faded
pattern unique to each wearer. Typically, the side seams are cut on
the woven edge, so a turned-up cu� displays the fabric’s bona � des
to raw denim initiates.
If you want to incorporate this distinctive material into your
wardrobe, think beyond jeans. Look for any patterns that include
some straight, on-grain seams, and place those along the selvage.
With a lapped, � at-felled, or other unconven-tional seam, you can
bring the decorative selvages to the garment’s right side.
I’ll tell you more about how to craft a pair of custom selvage
jeans, and how to care for them so they age beautifully and with
individuality.
Jennifer Stern-Hasemann designs J Stern Designs patterns, and
teaches � tting and sewing techniques online and across the
country.
Huston Textile Company of Mather, California, is a family-owned
mill that manufactures small-batch selvage denim. The company uses
local, sustainably sourced fibers for all its textiles, and weaves
them on vintage narrow shuttle looms.
Cone mills’ selvage denim has been used for work clothes for
decades, as shown in this advertisement from the first half of the
20th century.
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Patterns, fitting, and layoutTo make a traditional pair of
selvage jeans, you’ll need the right pattern, some fitting tips,
and a special layout.
SUITABLE DESIGNSTo take advantage of the selvage edge, a jeans
pattern must have straight side seams that run parallel to the
grainline. That means the leg must fall straight down from the
widest part of the hip. All the fitting happens along the crotch
seam, the back yoke seam, and the inseams. The only available
women’s jeans pattern currently on the market that is designed
specifically for selvage denim is the J Jeans from J Stern Designs
(JSternDesigns.com).
To determine if your figure can successfully be fitted in this
style, compare your waist, full hip, and thighs (measured together)
measurements. If they are within 2 inches of each other, your shape
is compatible with a selvage pattern.
If you have more waist definition or a curvy figure, you may not
be able to get the fit you prefer in this jeans style. It is
possible to reduce the waist circumference by a few inches, by
pinning fitting darts in a muslin, then transferring them to the
yoke or center seams. A contoured waistband is another option that
provides shaping at the waistline.
If traditional jeans are not the right option for you, explore
other styles such as such as wide-leg trouser jeans. As long as the
side seams are parallel to the straight grain from the hip down,
you can place them on the selvage.
Jeans’ side seams must be straight and parallel to the grainline
to make a traditional selvage style.
Side seam
Waist
Thighs
Full hips
Compare your waist,
hip, and thigh measurements to determine if
classic selvage-cut jeans are a good
choice for you.
44 T H R E A D S
Side seam
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Raise and take in the waistlineOn the back, raise the waistline
on the yoke, and angle the yoke’s side and center-back seams in. On
the front, slash horizontally across the leg below the pocket
opening, and spread by the amount you raised the back yoke. Angle
the center-front edge slightly to reduce the waist
circumference.
Increase sitting room“Scooping” the crotch curve creates more
space for the seat. Begin by scooping the back crotch curve. If
this isn’t sufficient, scoop the front and back curves, and lower
the inseams equally. Finally, if you need more room in the upper
thigh as well, extend the crotch points.
Narrow the legsOn a test garment, measure how much you want to
take in at knee level. On the pattern front and back, mark this
amount at the knee and draw a new inseam from there to the original
crotch points. Complete the inseam by extending it from the knee to
the hem. Bear in mind that you can’t drastically taper the legs at
the inseams only, without risking grain distortion.
Widen the legsOn the front and back patterns, measure out from
the knee by the desired increase in width. Redraw the inseam from
this point up to the original crotch points, then complete the
inseams from the knee to the hem.
FITTING TIPSEven on a straight-seamed pattern, you can make
adjustments for a more personalized fit.
Raised back yoke
Angled center front
Spread the front to match the back yoke adjustment.
Scoop-and-extend line
Extended crotch points
BACK YOKE
BACKFRONT
BACKFRONT
BACKFRONT
BACKFRONT
Scoop lineScoop line
Scoop-and-extend line
Reduce the leg width at the inseams.
Add width at the inseams.
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g a z i n e . c o m
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How to sew selvage denimThe main concerns when sewing denim are
preventing frayed edges along seams and choosing tools and supplies
that can stand up to this rugged fabric.
EDGE FINISHESSerge the cut edges with a narrow three-thread
overlock stitch before you start construction to save time. I like
to add character to the interior with contrasting thread in the
upper and lower loopers. If you plan to flat-fell some seams, you
may opt not to serge.
STITCHING METHODSFor construction seams, install a size 14/90 or
16/100 denim or jeans needle, and thread the machine with
good-quality all-purpose thread. To topstitch, use a size 16/100
topstitching needle and jeans-stitch or topstitching thread. If the
machine can’t stitch through thick seam allowances, pound them
gently with a rubber mallet.
SELVAGE LAYOUTPlace the front and back leg side seams on the
selvages. Arrange the fronts and backs opposite each other, and be
sure to flip the patterns to cut the opposite sides. Use a with-nap
layout to ensure there is no difference in the appearance of each
jeans leg. In most jeans sizes, there’s room for the smaller
pieces, such as the pockets, yokes, fly shield and facing, and belt
loops, between the large pieces. I like to cut the waistband in two
pieces and on the bias. For added interest, consider placing small,
straight pieces such as belt loops or fly shields on the
selvage.
Inseam
Feature the selvage on small garment elements.
Selvage-finished side seam
RIGHT FRONT
RIGHT BACK
LEFT BACK
LEFT FRONT
BACK POCKET
HALF
WAIST
BAND
HALF
WAIST
BAND
BACK POCKET
BACK YOKE
BACK YOKE
FLY SHIELD
Fly facing
Right front pocket piece
Left front pocket piece
Belt loops
Coin pocket
Selvage Selvage
Serged seam allowances
46 T H R E A D S
Phot
os: (
p. 4
2; p
. 47,
right
) Jac
k D
euts
ch; (
p. 4
3, le
ft; p
. 47,
left
and
inse
t) co
urte
sy o
f Hus
ton
Text
ile C
o.; (
p. 4
3, rig
ht) c
ourt
esy
of C
one
Den
im LL
C, a
div
isio
n of
Ele
vate
Text
iles,
Inc.
; all
othe
rs, M
ike
Yam
in. Il
lust
ratio
ns: S
teve
n Fl
eck.
Styl
ist:
Jess
ica
Saal
. H
air a
nd m
akeu
p: A
gata
Hel
ena.
com
. Sty
ling
cred
its: (
pp. 4
2 an
d 47
) ear
rings
—Su
garF
ix b
y Ba
uble
Bar (
Targ
et.co
m),
swea
ter—
Hal
ogen
(Nor
dstr
om.co
m),
belt—
Trea
sure
& B
ond
(Nor
dstr
om.co
m),
shoe
s—42
Gol
d (Z
appo
s.com
).
T211_ST_SelvageDenimJeans.indd 46 7/23/20 12:31 PM
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A roll of denim by Huston Textile Company displays the hallmark
selvage. This tightly woven edge needs no additional finishing.
RS WS
Woven selvageselvage
Selvage jeans start out a rich, uniform
indigo color. Over months
of wear, unique distress patterns
will develop.
RECONSIDER PREWASHINGAlthough you can pretreat selvage denim
like other denim types by laundering and drying it toavoid future
shrinkage, it’s not recommended if you want to establish and
maintain the ideal fade. Raw denim may shrink up to 10 percent,
unless your fabric is Sanforized (mechanically preshrunk). If
you’re uncertain, wash and dry a 10-inch square to determine how
much the fabric shrinks. Machine-washing selvage denim has another
disadvantage: It can abrade and redistribute the indigo dye
unevenly over the fabric surface, creating a crinkled, marbleized
surface pattern.
Create and maintain the authentic fadeMost people like raw denim
because of the unique, wear-specific fade patterns that occur over
time. You can maximize that effect by handling this rugged fabric
with care.
WEAR IN THE JEANSTrue selvage denim aficionados limit how often
they wash their jeans. You can wear them for several months before
the first washing. The jeans soften and develop faded creases that
are individualized to your body’s shape. The best fade is usually
considered to be one with high contrast between the darkest and
lightest areas, and distinct linear creases at the front thighs,
back knees, ankles, pockets, and elsewhere, depending on how you
wear them.
WASH CAREFULLYWhen you decide it’s time to wash the jeans, don’t
throw them into the washing machine. The best method, for
maintaining the sought-after fade and avoiding unwanted wrinkle
patterns, is to wash by hand. Fill the bathtub with enough lukewarm
water to cover the jeans, add a tablespoon of detergent, and stir
to mix it. Use a nonbleach detergent, such as Woolite Dark. Turn
the jeans inside out and submerge them. Agitate by hand, then leave
the jeans to soak for 45 minutes. Gently scrub dirty areas. Drain
the tub and refill with cold water; soak the jeans for 10 minutes
to rinse. Finally, roll the jeans in a towel to absorb extra water
and hang to dry.
w w w. t h re a d s m a g a z i n e . c o m
Phot
os: (
p. 4
2; p
. 47,
right
) Jac
k D
euts
ch; (
p. 4
3, le
ft; p
. 47,
left
and
inse
t) co
urte
sy o
f Hus
ton
Text
ile C
o.; (
p. 4
3, rig
ht) c
ourt
esy
of C
one
Den
im LL
C, a
div
isio
n of
Ele
vate
Text
iles,
Inc.
; all
othe
rs, M
ike
Yam
in. Il
lust
ratio
ns: S
teve
n Fl
eck.
Styl
ist:
Jess
ica
Saal
. H
air a
nd m
akeu
p: A
gata
Hel
ena.
com
. Sty
ling
cred
its: (
pp. 4
2 an
d 47
) ear
rings
—Su
garF
ix b
y Ba
uble
Bar (
Targ
et.co
m),
swea
ter—
Hal
ogen
(Nor
dstr
om.co
m),
belt—
Trea
sure
& B
ond
(Nor
dstr
om.co
m),
shoe
s—42
Gol
d (Z
appo
s.com
).
T211_ST_SelvageDenimJeans.indd 47 7/24/20 2:24 PM