I feel like all sewists have that one project that keeps getting kicked down the road in favour of more shiny and exciting ones. For me, that project has been these black bull denim Yanta Overalls. I really wanted these, I knew how much I would love them and wear them, and yet I could never actually bring myself to make them. Well, the day has finally come!
I have been plotting this project for YEARS! I love the Yanta Overalls and I really like my other black pair (yes, I now have two), but they are quite lightweight and I have been wanting a proper 9oz bull denim version for ages. Something that feels more workwear, more industrial, and more durable.
For this pair of Yantas I actually decided to make a fresh muslin of this pattern. My size has changed over the years and I really wanted to be sure this would work out the way I envisioned. I ended up taking my size 20 Yantas in a bit at the waist (probably about 1.5 sizes) and adding length in the rise and leg. Those length adjustments are standard for me. Yanta does fit large in the waist but it is easy to take them in to suit your personal preference.
I also decided to try a new pocket style on these Yantas! I felt like the front pocket could be swapped out for something larger and more comfortable for putting my hands in. I saw Elise from @midnightseaming do this on her Yantas and I loved the idea! In order to make this change, I just drafted a new pocket and played around with the proportions for this on my muslin version.
If you want to make your own pocket, here are the dimensions of the one that I made so you can copy it! You may want to make it a bit smaller for smaller sizes. I made size 20 Yantas.
I also opted to make my Yanta straps extra long and add overalls hardware to them. I love how this looks and it is really easy to do. I ended up not having the right brass buttons to match my overalls hardware so I went with black buttons instead. I actually think this combination of metals looks so awesome!
To get the workwear look of my dreams, I decided to put some jeans rivets on the pockets. I was only going to do a couple but I got rivet-happy and ended up putting in a total of 12 rivets! Including two at the base of the back straps. I really like this little detail.
I love love LOVE my new Yantas. It feels so good to finally execute on this project after so much procrastination. I’m glad I took the time to get them right and add some nice details to make them my own. The hard work totally paid off!
