Closet Core Morgan jeans

my fourth version, and I think the best!

Back in the early days of my jeans-making journey, I started with the Closet Core (Case as they were then) Gingers. These were a skinny jean (RIP) style, which meant sewing with stretch denim. Much as I love skinny jeans (I’ve only just given them up in the past few months because I’m tragically Millennial), when you’re dedicated to sewing with mostly thrifted or secondhand fabric, it’s really hard to find stretch denim, or similar weight fabric. I wanted to find a sewing pattern for jeans or trousers that worked with non-stretch denim, so I would have a chance of finding the material secondhand. Enter the Closet Core Morgans. I can’t show you photo evidence of my Ginger jeans, because I’d have to go so far back on my Instagram feed my eyeballs would bleed. However, I have blog-related evidence of the Morgans - here, here, and here. I made them with deadstock denim, a pair of Ikea curtains, and some thrifted brown corduroy. The curtains and denim versions are still in circulation, albeit a combo of the tumble dryer and body changes, means they’re not as comfy as they have been in the past. The corduroy ones have sadly been cannibalised, I never liked how the button fly gaped open and the fabric didn’t wear particularly well.

I figured it was time to revisit this pattern, now I’ve officially given up on skinny jeans. I only had two pairs of non-skinny jeans that were comfortable to wear, my Modern Sewing Company Worker Trousers (which, much as I love them, have a too-long rise that isn’t the most flattering) and a thrifted pair of Gap terracotta wide legged trousers.

I decided this version of the Morgans would be a classic blue jean, but I would change the button fly to a zip. I’d heard that a zip fly is less prone to gaping open, the way I’ve found does the button fly on the Morgans. There are instructions on the Closet Core website on how to make this alteration, it doesn’t require any changes to the pattern pieces. The other bonus to this, is that zips are easier to source than jeans buttons, and less stressful to sew (in my opinion!). Even with my rivet press, it’s a bit scary to set in jeans buttons at the very end of your project, knowing that if you mess it up, that’s the project somewhat ruined.

There’s not much more to say about this pattern that I haven’t already said on my other three blog posts but in summary, in case you haven’t read those other scribbles, this is a great pattern and I would recommend it! The instructions are very straightforward, the resulting trousers are very wearable, and with a change in fabric, would suit a variety of different styles. I personally find the fit pretty comfortable straight out of the packet, though I altered this pair to let out the seams to accommodate for those body changes mentioned earlier. I sewed a 3/8th inch seam allowance around the waist, hips and thighs, tapering to the 5/8ths advised by the instructions around the knee. This gave me an extra half inch that is perfect for my current needs. My other versions still fit, they’re just more snug than I would prefer, and definitely the type of jeans I would change out of as soon as home. That extra half inch in this version, have made these into the kind of trousers I can wear all day. Not only has my body shape changed slightly, my preferences have too. I much prefer comfort over form fitting now, and definitely lean more towards a boyish, boxy style, over a snug feminine fit. I realised recently that shopping in the men’s section on Vinted was offering me a lot more style and fit options, than the women’s section! The Morgans tick this box for me, a straight leg comfortable every day jean I can dress up or down as needed. I also removed an inch from the centre back yoke, a pretty standard alteration for me to stop the back waistband gaping.

Spot the person who just read a blog post on taking the perfect selfie. I call the above pose “donating blood” and the below pose “head lice”.

I used vintage kimono cotton, from my Moira stash, for the pocket linings and as bias tape for finishing the fly front. This is a technique I took from the Worker Trousers and I love the professional finish it gives to these jeans. It’s a great way to use up a remnant of fabric as well.

I was actually musing on combining these two patterns, the Workers and the Morgans. I love the balloon style of the Workers, but the rise is too long for me, and the fabric pools in my crotch in an unsightly way. Changing the Morgans to a zip fly from a button, was a complete success. I love the way it looks and lies, the zip front is perhaps a bit small (the zip shouldn’t be visible like that) but I don’t mind, it still looks professional enough in my opinion. I’m wondering if I could do the waist and fly front of the Morgans, grading into the balloon leg of the Workers? Definitely something to experiment with for my next version. I’m also still in the market for a pair of corduroy trousers for the autumn/winter season so I’ll be looking to thrift some corduroy from somewhere.

Let me know if you try this pattern!