O hey!
What am I doing? not much, just hanging around in my new jean jacket that until very recently was actually a few pairs of ancient old jeans!!! OHYEAH!
A jeans-to-jean-jacket project has been a long-term “thing” in my little bucket list of refashions that I have in my head. and one of the reasons I’ve been collecting my children’s old jeans for only like, forever… recently I was asked to speak at the 20th anniversary celebrations of Australian Sewing Guild, a huge honour! and in the general chit-chat heard mention of their Castaway to Couture competition… where you take some cruddy cast-off clothing and transform it into something new and spectacular of course; obviously my ears pricked up … I LOVE wardrobe refashioning!! I really the challenge and the FUN of repurposing old unwanted fabrics into something new, and I love the good self-backpatty feeling you get from being economical and not wasteful, in both the money sense as well as in the planetary resources sense as well. I’ve done quite a lot of it in my time but not for a while… I mentioned my intention to participate in the comp on IG back on the 2nd May, and knew straight away I would finally get on with my “bucket list” jeans-to-jacket. The only things I bought for this were the buttons!
before…
after…
I used the Named patterns Maisa denim jacket pattern, and three pairs of my children’s old jeans, above. Actually, technically I used only two and a half pairs of jeans, which I feel pretty good about! I picked out the most similarly coloured ones, for a cohesive look, and the widest legged one in my stash; pretty sure these were all Tim’s, he used to rock the wide legged style A LOT! I needed the wide legs so I could cut out the widest pattern pieces such as those upper sleeves. A few pieces, like the hem bands, the collar, and the back yoke were too wide, so I had to cut these laying up and down the leg.. i.e. cutting across the grain, rather than on grain.
While I lurve a patchy aesthetic to my clothing, and of course the beauty of a thing like a jean jacket is that it’s supposed to look a bit beat up and NOT a work of beautifully tailored perfection… I still wanted it to look at least a little bit intentional and not too bunged together. There was plenty of colour variation even within each single pair of jeans as well as fashionable distressing effects everywhere too, so I carefully cut so as to make sure the colour variations were matched symmetrically all over the jacket, for example; the upper arms are cut from the same area of one pair, the side fronts also both from the same area of another pair, ditto the two side backs, etc etc, so as much as I possibly could the lighter blue areas are balanced out nicely and symmetrically with the darker blue areas on the jacket.
I think this resulted in a fairly cohesive look, one that hopefully doesn’t scream “MADE FROM CRUDDY OLD JEANS” anyway.
I only kept ONE thing that even vaguely hints that this is a recycled product; for one of the cuff facings I unpicked a rear pocket from one pair of jeans and cut the facing for a cuff from this area… it’s just facing, so it’s on the inside and can’t be seen unless I roll up the cuffs. But I like that it’s secretly tucked away in there 🙂
For near total re-cycling, I even re-used the pocket lining of one of the pair of jeans for the new pocket lining of my jacket! well, it was a rather nice blue plaid and after unpicking the coin pocket there was just enough for my own new pockets.
Oh, yes, pockets! The Maisa doesn’t come with pockets like this; it does have two breast pockets but funnily enough I really prefer pockets that you can actually put things in and also take them out easily… so I decided to see if I could wrangle some hip pockets in there somehow. And I did!
I made two little welt pockets situated in the front/side front seams. On the inside, the bottoms of the pockets are sandwiched inside the button bands, for a neat look on the inside. They do work… however they’re not perfect by any means! because they do happen to have a button and a buttonhole respectively at the bottom edge of each one! hmmm, yes well… that was unavoidable. Maybe, just maybe a bit of a hacking fail, however I’m really really glad still that I’ve got them. I knew it was a risk since the cutting lines in the front of the jacket are very close to the centre front, and a pocket like this would work better if the seams were situated further out towards the side seams OR if the front closed with an open ended zip instead. Both criteria would have given a better result… BUT well, we live and learn… at the very least I can put a little bit of stuff in them, so not a complete and utter fail! I’m ok with them, and they do work! 🙂
Thoughts on the pattern: description says a classic, unlined, button-down denim jacket with collar; short and loose-fitting design with flap pockets at the front; sleeve vents and wide button cuffs, wide band at the hem. Well, hmmm, I’m not going to start ranting about my pet hate; the incorrect use of the term “button-down”. Noooo, I’m not. Apart from that! everything else about the pattern is pretty awesome. A slight negative; it is a bit more loose-fitting than I anticipated. Not 80’s loose, but still pretty loose. I’m ok with it really… I will certainly wear it anyway! it’s so comfy and feels absolutely fantastic on! plus I’m only wearing it over a thin little Tshirt here and of course a bit of oversizedness is a good thing when I’ll want to wear it over cardigans or long-sleeved woolly tops in the winter. I think when I get a little time I might have a go at re-jigging the pattern to be a little more form-fitting, for the future. I still have plenty of pairs of jeans that need refashioning, so a second, differently styled jean jacket might even happen. One which even has bigger and better functioning hip pockets!
Design decisions: all the raw edges are finished with overlocking in dark blue thread, and I double top-stitched all seam allowances down with two different colours of thread; a coppery brown, and a creamy ivory. These are both Gutermann upholstery thread, I actually prefer this to topstitching thread because A) it is tougher and B) it is less prone to fraying, so is easier to thread a needle with it. I’ve used it for all my previous jeans, as well as for all my Alabama Chanin projects too, of course. I decided to go with the two different colours, because it’s a detail I’ve noticed in some rtw jeans that I like a lot.
For the breast pockets: I originally double topstitched these in the two differently coloured threads too, however it just didn’t look very nice. To be honest, something about the curved edge; cup-shaped pocket shapes topstitched onto the front just suggested “topstitched boobs”, to me. Maybe that’s just me being weird… but I couldn’t stand it and unpicked the ivory and restitched the second line in the same copper brown as the first, as above. It’s less obtrusive now and I think looks better. Sorry, if that all sounds super weird, but just saying….
Some purely gratuitous details shots…
cuff topstitching and bar tack…
collar …
topstitching …
breast pocket…
waistband…
Details:
Jacket; Named patterns Maisa jacket, made from old pairs of jeans
Skirt; Vogue 1247, details here
Tshirt; Closet Case patterns Nettie bodysuit, white jersey, details here
Shoes; made by me and my own design, details here
location: the sundial at Cottesloe beach, Western Australia
You did a great job of getting the symmetry in front and back view – good planning and forethought. I think the jacket looks great on you and I don’t think it looks oversized just comfortable.
thank you Connie! Yes, it is a very comfortable style. I guess I meant boxy, rather than oversized, sometimes I like the nipped in look for a denim jacket too.
Great material reuse, and the different shades of blue go beautifully together! 🙂
thank you so much! 🙂
fantastic, and is there any thing better to throw on than a jean jacket? great use of the old jeans and I like the way you balanced the shading of the various pieces.
thank you Beth! I put a lot of thought into the pattern piece placement so the faded/non-faded blues would be evenly balanced out, so I’m very pleased with how they look 🙂
This is gorgeous! Love how you used the “old” jeans to make a new jean jacket!
You’ve done it! I’ve been drooling over other re-fashioned jean jackets from old jeans for a while now…just LOVE the look and I can imagine how great it feels. Already washed a zillion times – soft, faded almost snuggly. Of course yours is terrific. So neatly top stitched and pressed and the way you contrasted faded bits with darker makes the design lines sing. Beautiful and inspiring. 40 years ago I had a maxi skirt made from old jeans that I bought in a shop in downtown Toronto – I embroidered all sorts of flowers and leaves all over it and wore that skirt for years. I’ve been fantasizing about making myself a jean skirt out of old jeans (not maxi) – you might want to make yourself one of those with that pattern you like so much 🙂
Haha! ME TOO, re the recycled denim maxi, back in the ’70’s! ‘Twas the first thing I bought after arriving in London from Brisbane, Australia. Ahhh, what FAB memories!
As for your jacket Carolyn….YOU NAILED IT! Well done! 🙂
thank you Kathy! 🙂
thank you Kathleen, and that sounds utterly FAB! do you still have it? I hope so!
Adorbs! I love it, and what it represents. Way to upcycle!
thanks Mimi! 🙂
What a great idea! Your jacket looks amazing. If you ever make another one, there’s a Kwik Sew Jean jacket pattern that’s more fitted, and cropped too. Number 2895. I’m not sure if it’s in print still, but maybe you could find a used copy somewhere.
thanks for that recommendation Vicki, it does look really cute! I’m going to look for it the next time I’m in Spotlight! 🙂
This is such a gorgeous jacket, and outfit! All the time you put into planning which bits to use where really paid off as it looks so well balanced. I can’t imagine a denim jacket without pockets, well pockets you can actually use, so can totally see why you felt the need to add some!
thanks so much Kathryn! yes, breast pockets are nice but are basically decorative, really ! 😉
Awesome fark! I like the fit of this, not too tight, not too flapping-about. Maybe I could manage a totally slacker version of this with my old jeans. At least you’ve given me something to think about.
thanks Melanie, and yes, please do!
Cute and useful!
thanks Faye!
This is an amazing upcycle. Love your jacket!
thank you Tomasa!
Wow! You’ve outdone yourself here. This is one of the best refashions I’ve seen.
thank you so much, that’s so sweet of you to say! xx 🙂
I have major envy of your skills, time to devote to sewing and your creative brain. Absolutely LOVE this denim jacket! High point of my day if you’ve a new blog post. Muaahhh! From the Deep South of the USA!
aw, you’ve made my day! thank you so much Yvonne! xx 🙂
This is fantastic! It really doesn’t read as ratty old jeans at all, and the way you pieced them together looks great.
thank you Becky! 🙂
wonderful, certainly does not read as ratty old jeans but definitely has a lot of style and character! wonderful symmetry you managed – and you wear it well
thank you eimar! I put a lot of thought and care into getting very good symmetry and am very pleased with how it turned out! 🙂
Thanks for this precious information i really appropriate it.
Ethnic Wear For Boys
Epic! And fabulous outfit!
thank you Sarah! 🙂
Nice! And the reuse angle makes it even better! The thought you put into color matching paid off. It’s a stark reminder that fabric placement has a major design impact.
I used to think jeans were worthier of my sewing struggles than jeans jackets, because jackets seemed too difficult and good RTWs can be found in end of summer sales. Maybe I was wrong. Or…. maybe I’m being lulled into overconfidence by the illusion of doability conjured up by sewing sorcerer Carolyn. Hmmm.
Thanks for the upholstery thread tip, too. That’s the kind of information I get a thrill discovering. Your notes are full of such hidden treasures.
I’d also like to know how you approached pressing the jacket seams! Lots of thicknesses and seam overlaps. Do tell.
thank you so much Sankati! This is the first jean jacket I’ve made and I have to admit it was lots of fun… but then I LOVE making jackets and sometimes wish I lived in a climate where I could wear them more often. sometimes… 😉
With pressing, I trim and grade the heck out of my seam allowances, especially where three or more seams meet the bulk is just too much.
Also, I didn’t have to for this project… but gentle hammering, yes using a regular household hammer! for very bulky fabrics where you have bulky areas like seam allowances where four, five or more layers are all jammed in together in a waistband or some other area where you want them to lie flat and smooth and even. In extreme bulky situations I’ve found a spot of gentle hammering works an absolute charm.
You are my hero! I love things made of recycled jeans, and your jacket is perfect!
thank you so much Carmela! 🙂
What an inspiration you are! Recycled but so gorgeous. Would love to do this myself, have a box full of old jeans I was always going to make into a quilt! Not sure that my sewing skills are up to yours though 🙁
Have fun with more recycled projects!
thank you so much Else! I’ve seen a few quilts made using old jeans and they look absolutely fab. I hope you do it!!
Okay, I hope some day I will be able to under the topstitched boobs.. I never saw that Carolyn! Now I cannot unsee it and I tiostitched the boobs of my jean jackets.. 😀 Yours looks fabulous and I love the fact that you refashioned it AND that everything is so symmetrical!
I’m sorry! I think for me it was the ivory thread that really made it stand out, and doing it in the more unobtrusive copper really improved my jacket, I think. I’m sure yours looks gorgeous, everything you make does! 🙂
You never cease to amaze me!!! Great work!
thank you Margo! xx
so nice !! I love the fact that is an upcycled fabric !
thank you Liochka! I feel like doing some more refashioning now! 🙂
I love the setting for your time-less jacket. The sun dial looks very clever. I also enjoy your hidden pieces of an up-cycle project. Great inspiration!
This is great! I have been saving jeans for ages too, though I have a pleated skirt in mind. Maybe I want a jacket instead… Either way yours is fantastic 🙂
That had me a bit speechless there. It is fantastic. My denim jacket is 16 years old and is looking a bit tired. I have been keeping an eye out for a pattern. why didn’t it occur top me to make it out of recycled jeans? Jo x
Carolyn this is so beautiful! A real work of sewing art. I love the subtle variation in the blues themselves caused by the previous wear of the jeans as well as the combination of the three different denims and where you have chosen to place them. Beautifully sewn too
I love my Style Arc Stacie jeans jacket pattern – and seeing just how fabulous this ‘refashioned jeans’ jacket is I may just have to get it out again . Magnificent use of something that might otherwise have been discarded.
Brilliant remake with the jeans, your attention to the wear and incoporating the same pices is perfect. I have found most jean jacket patterns to be boxy but the Jalie one I have used has a much better shape for me.
I am always impressed how you can turn something old and uninspiring into something really cool. What a great recycling project. It looks great!
How did I miss commenting on this? You have done an absolutely magnificent job and I am really looking forward to seeing it in person at some stage. I am full of admiration for your refashioning skills!