Buttress Jeans in Yardblox Corduroy

Buttress Jeans in Yardblox Corduroy

This post is a collaboration with Yardblox, who graciously provided me fabric for this project. You can explore their entire corduroy range here.

Over the past few years, my sewing has mostly consisted of wrangling heavy duty upholstery fabrics through my humble sewing machine. It's been a time of ebbing inspiration around sewing pattern design and my lifestyle has changed considerably.

I had drawers full of hip hugging, high waisted jeans and a closet bursting with structured blouses. But, I kept reaching for the same four or five garments that I wore on repeat: stretchy dresses, flowy pants, and hand knitted sweaters. I was struggling to see the reason for more sewing patterns and more clothes. I had more than I needed; which was simply loose, comfy basics.

Then, at the start of 2025, I moved to a small house in the mountains. As usually happens with a house move, a huge purge effort was set into motion. As I found myself angrily stuffing clothing I never wore into too-tiny closets, I was resigned to downsizing about 75% of my mostly handmade clothes. And with each trip to the thrift store, a sense of relief and mental space appeared in the clothing's absence.

As the months have worn on here at the cabin, life has been reduced to a quiet simplicity in other ways too. Traffic noise is nonexistent; only the whisper of a dry pine forest and the various calls of its bird inhabitants are audible. Natural rhythms of sourdough baking, dog walking, and writing have mysteriously woven themselves into each day. Life is changing just being here, and I am still in awe of how much a setting can transform a life.

As we settled into our new home, I started to put together my sewing space in the loft attic of our log cabin. After installing a few skylights, and finally honing in on the furniture and lighting configuration, I have a little light-filled studio that I never want to leave. I think back to my cold basement studio at my last house, a place where not even the dog wanted to hang out, and I realize how important it is to enjoy the space you create in. Here, I lose track of time.

The desire to return to apparel design and sewing is slowly starting to return, but from a different vantage point. One that feels more measured and less heady. And now, as we head into our first full winter up here, I am aware that I do need some other things to wear.

When Yardblox featured corduroy in one of their recent newsletters, I was impressed with the wide range of solid colors they stocked. (They also carry designer deadstock corduroy, both prints and Japanese versions. You can explore their entire corduroy range here.)

A vision for some comfy, cold-weather pants instantly materialized. I knew a pair of corduroy Buttress Jeans in View B is what I was making next. But for this version, I wanted to make some modifications.

I sent Annie at Yardblox an email, to see if she’d be interested in sending me some of their wide-wale corduroy for this idea and she so graciously said yes. The fabric arrived just days later and I got to work on my plan.

First, I decided I wanted to lower the front rise by 2.5” and the back rise by 1”. I love this higher-in-the-back, lower-in-the-front rise, because I can bend over and still have full coverage of my bum, but don’t have a waistband digging into my natural waistline all day. I also think the visual of the slightly swooped, curved waist on the body is so pretty.

Second, I wanted to eliminate the front slit pockets of the Buttress Jeans and create a normal curved jeans pocket.

The result is a pair of comfy pants that is a welcome alternative to denim jeans. This Solid Cotton Elephant Corduroy (in colorway Brown 14N) is lighter than a non stretch denim (295 gsm), but just as warm, and so, so soft. I find myself reaching for these pants and a wool sweater for these quiet fall days that still include a good amount of time spent outside as the temps drop.

I love earth tones, and I’m enjoying creating little monotone outfits with these pants and all my cream colored sweaters. The pants look great cuffed with my well-loved Blundstone boots too.

Yardblox and I are so excited to offer the supplies of this project to one lucky winner, so you can make your own version!

For this collaboration, Yardblox is graciously giving away three yards of their Solid Cotton Elephant Corduroy to one winner in their color of choice. And I’m giving away a copy of the Buttress Jeans sewing pattern (or other pattern of your choice).

To enter the giveaway, by 11:59pm MST on Friday, October 24 you must:

A winner will be chosen and contacted via email the morning of October 27.

Best of luck and happy sewing!

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