Fabric to widen Cotton/polyester/elastane mix lightweight jeans

[Emerion]

Hi,
I’m a very amateur sewer, so not sure on where to look for the fabric that I need for this project. I have a pair of excellent quality skinny “jeans” that I want  to widen to straight-legs. They aren’t really jeans, just made like them, and are a lightweight Cotton/polyester/elastane mix. Can you advise me on what search terms to use when shopping for this kind of fabric online?

Also, does it have to be exactly that mix of fibres? I imagine it’s the weight, and having a little stretch in it that matters most?

 I’m nowhere near a fabric warehouse, so can’t really shop in person, which would be the ideal.   

[Ohsewsimple]

I’m assuming this is woven fabric and not knit (as in tee shirt type fabric).
You will want a fabric with elastane, lycra, spandex ( all the same stuff).
I would suggest getting some samples first to check it’s a similar weight to the jeans.  Are they denim or just a cotton/poly mix?

[Emerion]

No denim in them at all. A cotton poly mix. Woven.

[Ohsewsimple]

Ok so you’ll need to look for a fabric and get some samples first to check if it’s compatible. 
Cotton/poly mix comes in different weights and thicknesses.  It maybe that it’s a stretch drill or twill and there will be a surface pattern of diagonal lines on the fabric.  It may not be.  It’s very difficult to know without seeing the fabric.  So you might want to look for a medium weight fabric to start with.

[Emerion]

Hello again,
Thanks for that. It isn’t twill then. I will look for some medium weight poly/cotton then.

[BrendaP]

Apart from the problem of knowing what the fabric is called, you are never going to find an exact match, so a good contrast will be better than a bad match.  It's the weight of the fabric and the amount of stretch that needs to compatible.

Presumably you are looking at inserting long triangles of fabric into the  leg seams so go for a contrasting colour and make it a feature.

[BrendaP]

The words to search are  stretch poly-cotton fabric.

Does the label in the jeans tell you the percentage of Lycra/elastane/spandex?  You need to get a similar percentage so that the amount of stretch is similar.

Stretch fabrics usually have most stretch across the width of the fabric and patterns are cut so that the stretch goes around the body.  Even non-stretch wovens have a little give across the width whilst the lengthways is stable, and that is why main pattern pieces are nearly always placed lengthways on fabric.  You will need to cut the inserts lengthways so that the trouser leng length remains stable.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

@Emerion How are you going to widen them?  Are you inserting a strip all down the outside of the leg?  Or the inside? 

I would suggest that it's perfectly possibly to use any sort of fabric you like as long as its a similar weight.  I don't think the stretch would matter in a narrow insert.

[Catllar]

Ask yourself if they are worth the bother.