Episode 403 | 26m 46s | Video has closed captioning.
Eric Yelsma has been drawn to sewing since a teenager. Now his shop makes jeans from American sourced, sustainable fabric that is constructed and sold in Detroit. Host Eric Gorges gets to stitching, confirming threads do make the man.
Aired: 11/03/21
♪ >> There is more than one way to leave a legacy.
For some, it means plaques, monuments, and halls of fame, but for others, legacy comes from a place more simple.
>> Snip off the ends.
♪ We're building a tepee shape.
>> The Ford F-150, a proud supporter of "A Craftsman's Legacy."
♪ >> Blue jeans are a staple of my wardrobe.
I've worn them with everything from a tux jacket to T-shirts, and I'm not alone.
Everybody has a favorite pair of blue jeans.
Eric Yelsma has built a company that handcrafts people's favorite pair of jeans right here in Detroit.
♪ A craftsman battles for perfection, never willing to give in or walk away.
I'm Eric Gorges.
I build custom motorcycles using skills passed on by countless generations before me.
I used to work 9:00 to 5:00, chasing money and titles, and it nearly broke me.
So, I started over.
I decided to work with my hands to feed my soul.
Please join me on a quest to uncover the skills that built our society.
We'll discover what drives the men and women who I call my heroes.
We'll learn their craft and maybe even find some inspiration along the way.
There's a part of you in everything you create, your legacy.
"A Craftsman's Legacy."
♪ So, how'd you find your way into it?
>> [ Laughs ] >> Did you know from a young age that you wanted to make blue jeans?
>> Oh, gosh, no.
I grew up on this completely different trajectory of, you know, what my life or career was going to be, and I actually worked in the chemical industry for 15 years.
You know, I was just in that corporate environment, just kind of doing my thing, fighting, you know, the bureaucracy of it and meanwhile had this sort of -- I don't know -- we'll call it, like, this burning ember of denim.
And if you remember when oil hit $100 a barrel, that really threw the whole chemical industry into a tailspin.
>> Oh.
>> And then, all of a sudden, they're like, "Hey, you're done."
But it wasn't that easy, because it wasn't just like, "Hey, thanks.
Now, I'm going to go do jeans."
It took me a full year to talk myself into this.
>> Did you try to make your own pair at that time?
>> It was a funny story.
I had this pair of jeans that I absolutely loved.
I wore them out.
They were threadbare.
It was like tissue paper.
And so my tailor had been fixing them.
And at one point, she refused.
She said, "I never want to see these jeans again.
I'm not going to fix them."
And I was like, "Great.
Let's make a pair," and that's when she said it couldn't be done.
Like, "We can't do that."
>> Really?
>> "Buy a pair, and we'll tailor them.
We'll alter them for you, but we can't make a pair."
And that really kind of set off a light bulb in my head of, like, "I accept that challenge."
So I found someone.
I got the materials.
I figured out the pattern.
You know, we went through some iterations, and I had a pair to show for it.
>> Okay.
>> And they're pretty awful, and I do actually have the first pair I ever made.
I hung them on the wall over there.
Don't look too closely at them... >> [ Laughs ] >> ...but they look like jeans if you squint your eyes and everything.
But nonetheless, you know, it took me a while to talk myself into this.
Specifically making apparel in Detroit, if you think about it for not very long, you're like, "No one is doing this."
And so it begs the question, "Why?"
And I realized, if I did this and it was this colossal failure, I could always go back -- sell your soul, go back to corporate world.
>> Sell your soul?
[ Laughs ] >> Well, it was.
You know, I don't think I really knew that.
I was probably numb to the fact until I was doing this and was like, "I love this."
Like, "I'm happy.
This is super hard, but you know, I'm happy."
>> So, do you look at yourself as a craftsman or as an artist?
>> [ Sighs ] I think, more of a craftsman, quite frankly.
Yeah.
I think there's some artistic elements to this.
There's definitely a design aesthetic to what we do.
And you know, we're in apparel, so a lot of people sort of default us into fashion.
>> Right, right, right.
>> And that's always kind of made us bristle because, you know, I never considered us, like, a fashion brand, like, or especially a luxury brand.
It's premium, and it's as nice as you can get, but it's not a thing of leisure and fun and exclusivity.
These are just a serious pair of jeans.
>> Yeah.
Have you always been a sort of a hands-on person your whole life, a mechanical-type person your whole life?
You talked about repairing machines and... >> Yeah, yeah.
A machine goes down in Detroit, you don't have the luxury of just calling the local industrial-sewing-machine mechanic.
>> Right, right, right.
>> And so you better figure it out.
The nice thing is that a lot of machines we use are, like, these old, rock-solid works of art, you know, these sewing machines.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> And so they're well built, and if they're well maintained, you can have them for a long time.
We have a machine we use every day.
It's over 100 years old.
It's a gorgeous machine.
>> Do you think much about your legacy within this?
>> I do think about that.
I actually wrote up a manifesto.
I hope it to be a timeless thing in terms of what we do, how we do it, how we treat people.
Someone can come in here, and I know exactly what they need.
They don't know what they need... >> Really?
>> ...in terms of, "What's your fit?
What's your style?
Should you be tapered?
Should you be straight-legged?
You know, do you need a little bit more room?
Do you need a little bit less room?"
You know, and it's just sort of that... >> Have you sized me up already?
>> Mm-hmm.
I would guess you're probably a 35, 36.
Probably 36 because we run pretty true to size, and you're definitely not a taper.
You're probably a boot cut with a slight flare.
So that fits your shape, your proportion, really kind of your image, your... >> Man, you are, like, spot-on, too.
>> Yeah.
>> Seriously.
>> [ Chuckling ] I do jeans.
>> So, what do you think?
You about ready to get to work, make some jeans?
>> I think it's time.
We should do it.
>> Let's do it.
>> Get off our keisters here.
>> [ Laughs ] Blue jeans are an iconic image in American culture, but they actually come from much humbler beginnings, starting off as tough, utilitarian work pants.
When thousands of men flooded into California to strike it rich during the gold rush in the 1850s, Bavarian-born dry-goods merchant Levi Strauss had what they needed.
He had partnered with Jacob Davis, a Nevada tailor, to obtain a patent on the process of putting rivets in denim to create a durable and sturdy work pant.
Before long, the waist overalls, as they were called then, became the standard uniform for Americans working in mines, railroads and on farms.
Around the same time in North Carolina, two brothers, Moses and Ceasar Cone, were creating a textile empire and perfecting the production of heavy-duty blue denim.
By 1908, their White Oak cotton mill was the world's largest producer of denim.
Today, over 100 years later, Eric Yelsma is creating his own classic blue jean, and like those who came before him, he's getting his high-quality denim from Cone Mills.
>> This is what's referred to as selvage denim.
>> Selvage?
>> Selvage.
Here's an example of selvage and nonselvage.
So, selvage is just an abbreviation for self-edged.
>> Self-edge.
>> So, if you look at the denim that we have, it has a tighter finished edge that's actually been wrapped over, and that accounts for about 1% of all the denim that's made and used out there, so it's pretty unique.
>> 1%?
>> 1%, yeah.
>> Get out of here.
>> And the other piece that you see is more of just considered a standard denim, and you see how the edge is a little fuzzy or frilly.
>> Yeah.
>> That's how denim is typically made these days.
>> Selvage tends to sew better.
I believe it tends to wear better.
It tends to last a little bit longer.
>> Okay.
>> And it tends to be a lot more expensive.
>> [ Chuckles ] Right on, right on.
>> A pair of jeans takes 27 different parts that all come together to make it.
>> Really?
>> We're going to be cutting out six different parts, which are the main pieces, but then there's pockets, there's belt loops, there's fly.
This is kind of the big parts.
>> [ Chuckling ] Okay.
>> And that's what we'll be cutting out.
>> All right.
Well, why don't we start?
>> Shall we?
So, I'm going to ask your help to get it started.
>> I like to help.
Right to here?
>> And put it right exactly on that.
And then we'll put some fabric weights to hold it.
>> Okay.
>> Look good?
>> I believe so.
>> All right.
♪ >> Now, this is for more than one pair of jeans, right?
>> Yep.
>> I mean, we're not using all of these for one pair of jeans?
>> Oh, gosh, no.
That'd be a big pair.
>> That's a big pair.
>> So, here's our fourth and final layer.
♪ All right, so, we're going to take one of these patterns off of one of our cuts... >> Okay.
>> ...and lay it down, and we'll mark it.
I'll have you help me with that.
>> Okay.
>> And then we will cut it out.
Just mark it right along the edge.
And do the same over there.
♪ That's perfect.
Well done.
Yeah.
Excellent.
>> Are we using scissors?
>> No.
>> Are we using this cool little tool here I saw?
>> Yep.
That is called a Chickadee.
It's got a cute name, but it cuts really well.
It's a little rotary cutter.
[ Motor revving ] Keep your fingers away from any of that that moves.
>> Okay.
[ Cutter whirring ] Wow.
That seems pretty effortless.
>> Yeah.
It's a very nice tool.
[ Cutter whirring ] Much handier than scissors.
♪ So, let's get these out of our way.
♪ >> Am I too close to that outside edge?
>> Nope.
You're doing good.
That looks good.
[ Cutter whirring ] ♪ Voilà.
>> All right.
>> Good job.
Okay.
>> Looks like we have a lot of steps left.
>> Oh, we're just getting started.
>> [ Chuckles ] >> From here, we go to the front panel.
Eric, I'd like to introduce you to my business partner and other owner -- Brenna.
Brenna, this is Eric.
Eric, Brenna.
>> How are you, Brenna?
>> Eric, welcome to our shop.
I'm well, thank you.
>> Thanks for having me.
>> It's our pleasure.
>> We're making jeans today.
>> Yes, we are.
First thing we're going to work on is front panels.
>> What's all this stuff?
>> So, these are prepped pieces that are ready to go onto the front panels.
>> Okay.
>> And this specifically is the prepped pocket assembly.
>> They'll get sewn to what we cut out earlier?
>> What we just cut out, yep.
>> Hmm.
I like that.
>> Yep, and there's our coin pocket.
>> And then we've got a bunch of stuff here.
What is all this stuff?
>> So, those are our fly pieces.
We call that a fly taco.
>> Fly taco?
>> Yeah.
>> [ Laughs ] >> It looks kind of like a taco, and it worked.
>> And all these pieces make up the fly, basically?
>> Yeah, there's three different pieces to a fly.
So, this is fly piece 1, this is fly piece 2, and this is fly piece 3.
So the first thing we're going to do is put the pocket-bag assemblies onto the front panel.
>> Okay.
>> That starts at a single-needle lockstitch machine.
>> Is that what that is?
>> That's where we're at now.
We'll move to the iron.
Then, we'll go to a double-needle lockstitch and then finally back to the single-needle to finish it up.
>> Lot of operations for the pockets.
>> Yep, lot of steps.
>> Well, let's start sewing.
♪ >> Adjustment right there.
[ Steam whooshing ] And...there it is.
And this will eventually arrive here.
But right now, why don't you try it on that one?
>> Okay.
[ Steam whooshing ] >> Right now... >> [ Chuckling ] Oh, that's hot.
>> And you can push the iron on without using the steam.
[ Clicking ] [ Sewing machine whirring sporadically ] So, what we're doing is called a French seam.
[ Sewing machine chugging ] [ Click ] We're done.
♪ [ Sewing machine whirring ] ♪ ♪ >> [ Chuckling ] Wow.
How cool is that?
>> It's a pretty nifty machine.
It's -- It's a special machine.
>> Yeah.
>> It's actually [Chuckling] a Union Special.
It's the 35800, which is kind of an icon for denim making.
>> It's cool-looking.
>> Let's give it a try.
>> All right.
I'm going to turn it on.
>> Yep.
Good, good.
[ Sewing machine starts ] So, one hand is going to go on each piece, and just kind of hold it in there.
There you go.
Yeah.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] There's your flat-felled seam.
>> That's pretty neat.
>> Yeah.
So, let's look behind just to see how -- >> See how bad it is?
This part is really good.
And then you could see, it just completely came apart.
>> Kind of fell out from that.
So, that's where you have kind of a hand-eye coordination, and it's just sort of a learned muscle memory for holding it as it goes through.
But this is what we use for the back panel.
>> Front panel is already done?
>> Yep.
We'll stitch the risers to the back panel.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> And then we'll stitch the two back panels together, and then we'll go to a different machine -- single-needle machine -- and put the pockets on.
And then, finally, we will bar-tack the back pockets onto the back panel.
[ Motor whirring ] ♪ >> So, we've got the front panel and the back panel.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Right?
And now we have to marry them together?
>> Right.
This is a serger, also called an overlocker.
It's a five-thread overlocker.
So, there's two threads -- the blue, that'll be putting on a chain stitch, and then the white threads will go on an overlock.
So, this machine will trim our edge and then overlock it so that nothing unravels.
>> All right.
So, where do we start now?
>> All right, so, we're going to be doing the inseam.
I've pinned it together at the center crotch point.
>> Okay.
>> And we're going to use your body to kind of help manage the material.
And you're going to start at the foot.
>> Uh-huh.
>> You're going to sew up to the center crotch point and then down the other leg, down to the other foot.
>> Okay.
>> Okay?
>> All right.
About that like that?
>> Perfect.
>> Yeah, we'll give this a shot.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] How am I doing?
>> You're doing great.
Slow and steady.
Yeah, perfect.
So, you're using your fingers to adjust to make sure that the line is straight.
That's perfect.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] >> Boy, oh, boy, this takes a lot of concentration.
>> Yeah.
So, we're going to -- Now that it's starting to curve on the inseam, we're just going to readjust a bit.
Pinch your fingers here... >> Okay.
>> ...and sew to there, and then we'll readjust again.
>> Ah, gotcha.
>> There you go.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] >> Whoa!
This thing will fly.
>> Yeah, if you let it go, she'll really rip through it.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] You're getting it.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] There you go.
Now, help it out through this center seam, where we're about to go over eight layers of fabric.
>> Eight layers.
All right.
>> There you go.
Now we'll pull your pin.
>> Pull this out?
>> I'll take that, and then we are going to go straight on down until the end of the next leg.
>> Straight on down.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] >> There you go.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] Yeah.
>> You have a nice, reassuring voice.
>> Well, we're working with a blade here, so I'm trying to be very gentle.
>> [ Chuckles ] >> Sometimes you have to talk sweetly to the machine to get it to work with you.
>> There you go.
>> Thatagirl.
>> Yep, just like that.
Yep.
Is that -- Yeah?
>> That's great.
So, now that we're through the curve of the leg, we're going to draw down to the toe.
>> Oh.
>> And there's a little bit of extra fabric on top here -- just a little.
>> Just about a couple inches.
>> No, just about an inch or so, which is, you know, not ideal, but we'll work with it.
>> [ Laughs ] >> So, you can pinch right here.
>> Uh-huh?
>> And you're going to kind of just ease it in.
>> Okay.
I'll try that.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] >> You did it.
Pull it off, give it a trim.
>> There.
>> There you go.
>> Don't want to snap you.
>> And you're all set.
There you go.
>> Well, look at that.
>> Look at that, indeed.
>> That's something special.
>> You got the whole inseam sewn up.
Yep.
>> Huh.
All right.
>> Now we'll go to the topstitch.
>> Wow.
>> We're going to add a decorative gold topstitch that both reinforces that inseam and also looks really good and is kind of a traditional gold topstitch that goes along that inside line.
>> Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay, okay.
And then what happens after that?
How do we get the other side?
>> So, we're going to then sew the outseam, the left and the right... >> Okay.
>> ...top to bottom.
And then we're on to waistbanding.
>> Now, this looks like a cool machine.
>> This is a great machine.
This is one of my favorite machines in the shop.
>> Okay.
>> This is a waistbanding machine.
It's a double-needle chainstitch with a beautiful folder on the front.
We take this strip of fabric, which is the waistband before it's sewn on, and we put it through the folder and up towards the needles.
>> All right.
>> And then you're just going to sew on.
And I'm going to get you started with the hand crank by putting the needles on.
So, you can push forward just a little, and we'll get the needle started there.
>> Ready?
>> I'm ready.
Whoo!
>> Whoa.
>> Yeah.
>> Sensitive.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] All right.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] >> And just keep pulling.
There you go.
There you go.
Let's take a look.
Beautiful.
Great job.
>> We're really close.
We're on the homestretch.
We're going to do the leather patch here.
>> Okay.
>> We've got the leather.
We have the dye, and we have the press.
>> Okay.
>> So, I'm going to have you finish the stamp... >> So, we just got to -- >> ...on the leather.
>> Wet the leather first?
>> Wet it and then press it.
>> All right.
[ Sprayer whooshing ] >> Yep.
About four sprays is good.
Perfect.
>> [ Chuckles ] All right.
And then just locate the stamp?
>> Yep.
>> Try to center it a little bit?
>> Visually center it.
That looks really good.
Put a little weight into it.
[ Press cranking ] Nice.
You got it.
>> Oh, nice.
>> Beautiful.
>> It looks pretty cool.
>> Yeah, well done.
>> So, now we've got our patch, which is super cool-looking.
What's next?
What other hardware needs to go on this?
>> Next is the hardware.
We're going to put buttons on... >> Okay.
>> ...up on the fly, and then we're going to put some rivets in.
Two more steps after that with the belt loops.
Then, you'll be sewing on that patch.
[ Sewing machine whirring ] There you go.
Just like that.
Just like that.
By hand to finish it.
Look at that.
Those are going right in.
Perfect.
Pull it out.
>> [ Chuckles ] >> Take your scissors.
You did it.
>> Ah!
Not too bad.
>> Well done.
Very good.
>> Not the perfect quality that you guys do, but... >> That's a... >> Not too bad for the first time.
>> That's a heck of a start.
That's awesome.
Good job.
>> Thanks again, man.
>> You bet.
Thank you.
>> I had a great time.
It was totally cool.
>> We're glad you came.
>> I love jeans.
>> Very good.
>> I couldn't begin to guess how many pair of blue jeans I've owned in my life.
They've been my favorite go-to piece of clothing since I was a boy.
I really enjoyed working with Eric in his unshakable resolve to create blue jeans that are more than just another pair of pants.
It must be so special for him to see his handiwork become part of someone's identity.
♪ ♪ >> There is more than one way to leave a legacy.
For some, it means plaques, monuments, and halls of fame, but for others, legacy comes from a place more simple.
>> Snip off the ends.
♪ We're building a tepee shape.
>> The Ford F-150, a proud supporter of "A Craftsman's Legacy."
♪ >> To discover more about "A Craftsman's Legacy" and the craftsmen we feature, please visit our website.
And you can also follow us on social media through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
♪
