Hi Everyone!
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I know it has has been a while, but I have a new offering for you!
Meet the beautiful denim jacket that I can no longer close. 🙁 I bought it when I was very, very, skinny and have been waiting for the chance to make it work again…without a diet!!
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Front-Before
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Back-Before
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Nothing made any sense to me until I met this little beauty…a great jacquard denim jacket in perfect condition!
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After the Remake
The front is exactly the same. I gave myself extra room by adding panels to the back.
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TUTORIAL:
I really made a mistake right from the beginning. I was so excited to get this going that I got cut happy. As you can see in the picture, I did not leave any seam allowance on the armhole and across the back. I totally had to rethink my strategy and piece together a back. Despite the ooopsie, I think it turned out better than the original one piece back I had planned in the beginning.
First, I made a small yoke on the upper back. I did not seam this area to eliminate bulk and have better control of the piece. I merely turned and edge stitched the yoke to what was left of the old back.
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Here you can see the rest of my strategy from the inside. I pieced and seamed together the new back using both the front and back of the fabric as contrast. I think it gave the look a lot more shape and style.
Finally, I put in some lining after all of the trimming and sewing. I hand stitched the lining in for more control of the fabric. It would have been too tough to machine stitch. Now I will be able to send it to the dry-cleaner and the lining covers all of the inside seaming giving it a much more finished look.
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Thanks for the inspiration! I especially appreciate you sharing your mistakes and how you recovered from them.
Hi Nancy,
Thank you so much. Yep I make mistakes quite often and sometimes I don’t recover from them hahah
Love it!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
You are so welcome Suzanne. Thank you for your comments!
Love it! I have a white denim jacket that I have the same problem with. I had used some type of fabric glue and put lace and lite blue ribbon on it and the glue has turned yellow, so I don’t know if I can do anything with that, but it woould be great to change it aroound and wear it over summer dresses.
Hi Debi! If you send me a pic I could give you some ideas!
I think it looks good Mary and the pictures are very helpful. I think you must be prepared to change plans when upcycling and altering as things do not always go according to plan. Nice job.
Karen, Thanks for your comments. You are so right. You must always be ready to create a plan B if the first plan does not go well. Happens to me all the time!
I really love that you used both sides of the fabric! I recently found a denim vest, and I’m planning to replace some areas with lace because I need air (I’m that age.) Thanks for sharing your refashion.
HI Judy! It wasn’t the original plan but I like my plan B better. There are always surprises when you refashion!
As a beginner, i find your blog to be one of the best, in both your descriptions, your excellent photos and instructions, and just your creativity – all very inspirational to keep me interested in sewing! I find something at a thrift store I “kinda like”, but now look at what I could do to it to really like it! It is amazing what a little redo can do to something old.
Thank you so much for the lovely comments Kristine! I love feedback and am glad to hear my blog helps and inspires! Happy sewing!
What a great idea. I am in the same spot and couldn’t come up with a solution so my denim jacket just hangs there. Now unworn. I will be looking for a compatible denim to marry it to! Thanks.
Keep up the search Betty! You WILL meet the perfect match. I have thrown away pieces because I thought I would never find something to fix them with and then regretted it! Keep the faith and keep the stash!
Amazing job, Mary! Your “new” jacket is awesome!
Thanks Anny !!! So glad to hear from you!
Like it. Especially as you have two colours of that lovely Boteh pattern
Hi Suella,
Actually, the pattern is a woven denim. You taught me something new though about boteh. Thank you for the comments.
This is wonderful. And the jacket you made is now “in.” How great is that?? I think it’s a win-win!
Thanks Pat! WHen I have something with beautiful structure I love to give it a new life. It feels good to save and repurpose a gem!
Beautiful. Love the lining idea.
Thank you Sarah! Adding some lining makes all of the difference when you refashion a jacket like this . It makes it look more professional!
This is so fantastic, absolutely love how you did this refashion. Glad you are back at it.
Thank you Denise, I am glad to be back at it too. My day job has been a killer lately but being creative is still my happy place.
Mary, I love this! Personalized denim jackets are my favorite and this one is really special with the lining you included. Great idea to fix the error with piecing which also personalizes it.
Thanks Kathy, I love to mess with denim jackets. My closet is going to be full. I have a denim jacket refashion of a refashion ready to go too!
Great tutorial. Enjoyed the share. There is life after- I have one of these.
I enjoy your posts
Hello SHelly! I think we all have one of these. Good luck finding an answer to yours! Let me know how it goes.
While you don’t post frequently, your posts are worth the wait & I continue to check your blog for updates. I love this jean jacket refash!
Hi Maria, My day job is getting in the way hahaha. Lots going on. I really do want to post more and I am working on it. Thanks for hanging in there.
This is a genious refashion and it means there is potential for clothes I have that just don’t meet in the front anymore! Thanks so much…looking forward to your next post.
That’s supposed to be a “genius” refashion. Spelled either way, it’s still true. Thanks so much.
Hey Georgie,
I know right? I am too old to worry about being stick thin anymore. No more diets! Refashion!!!!!!:)
Love it you are so clever
THanks so much Barbara! I am so glad you are with me!!!
I love how the side panels now highlight the beautiful pattern! What a fantastic save, if you hadn’t said it was a mistake I would’ve presumed it was intentional. After seeing this post I can’t believe I didn’t think to refashion my ‘too boxy’ denim jacket before giving it to goodwill.
Hi Neola!
You can do it! If it is in good condition and you love it, don’t throw it away. The right piece will come along and “speak” it’s magic to save it!