Denim Jacket Refashion

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase from these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Hmmm! 

Somehow I missed posting this jacket before now!

But here we go!

 I had this idea in my head to refashion a denim jacket for over a year. But believe it or not, I couldn't find the perfect denim jacket...because I wanted it to be from a resale store.

Well, I finally found one at Salvation Army for $6.99! And it already had stones on the collar! Oh, the bling! I almost did a happy dance in the store.

  Sorry, no "before" pics, but you can see the stones on the collar!

I altered it just a bit, because it was a bit too big and the princess seams were not hitting correctly across my bust.  

My alterations were a bit tricky and only done on the front of the jacket...not the side seams as that would have pulled the front seams even farther from my bust.

 I then embroidered the back with a sewing themed design from embroiderylibrary.com.

Then I remembered that I had some "fusible" strips of bling that I'd purchased at the Houston International Quilt Festival in 2018.

I added it above and below the design.

 For these photos, I styled it with my well worn, well loved self-drafted cold shoulder hi/low top made with fabric from Vogue Fabrics!

I was a happy camper! 

So much so that I took it with me to wear at the Quilt Festival this year!

 Then the mishap!

At some point I noticed that the bling was coming off!

Yikes!

 What to do?

Well, of course there are sewing machines all over the Festival. 

And because we were under the AllBrands booth where the Brother Machines were being demoed and sold, I ran over to a machine and carefully stitched the strips down. 

My goal was to stitch them without breaking a needle!

Whew!

Yep, Reen from Embroidery Garden snapped this pic of me sewing away! 

Lol! 

Those strips won't be coming off ever again!

I love this jacket, which started with just a bit of bling, but has now been completely transformed. 

It's cold here now, but I can't wait until spring to wear it again! 

Have you refashioned or upcycled a denim jacket or pants?

Happy Endless Sewing!

Online Class Registration

Join my Facebook Group

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Email:

Don't want to miss a blog post? Sign up for email notices.

Sewing Encouragement for Beginners from the Pros - Elizabeth Made This

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase from these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

My sew sister Elizabeth Farr of Elizabeth Made This, who is a self proclaimed sewing nerd and refashionista with a passion for DIY wrote a blog to encourage beginner sewists. 

I am honored that she included my advice along with many friends and pros who I admire!

There are a total of 3 pages of quotes!  

Some of the topics are: Sewing Fearlessly (check out my quote on page 2), Enjoy the Ride, Mastery, Going Easy on yourself and Starting Small.  All of the quotes are packed with help and encouragement for new sewists!

The pros and friends who contributed are:

• Meg Healy 

Lead educator, Burdastyle and Co-host of Sew & Tell Podcast

• Sandra Betzina

Author of many sewing books, Power Sewing dvds, host of the Power Sewing Web-tv show, Vogue Patterns designer under the Today’s Fit Line

  

• Rachel & Kate

Owners of the Fold Line Online Sewing Community

• Melissa Mora of Melly Sews and Blank Slate Patterns

• Eryn Shields of Style Sew Me 

• Heather Paulsen of Heather Handmade

• Carolyn of Diary of a Sewing Fanatic

• Designer Joi

Sewlebrity, Designer, Author, Licensed McCall Pattern Designer, Craftsy Instructior

• Judy Hale

Designer at Patterns for Pirates

• Lauren Guthrie

Owner of Fabric Emporium and Sewing School Guthrie and Ghani and finalist on the Great British Sewing Bee, series 1

• Colleen G Lea

Certified Fashion Design Lecturer, YouTuber #fsbtv

• Amy

Editor of Love Sewing Magazine

• Anita Morris

Sewing Blogger, Sewing Teacher at Anita by Design

• Helen Wilkinson

Sewing Pattern Designer, Blogger, @Helen’s Closet and one half of the Love to Sew Podcast

Check out Elizabeth's blog to read all about it!

Happy Endless Sewing!

Online Class Registration

Join my Facebook Group

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Email:

Don't want to miss a blog post? Sign up for email notices.  

Summer UFO

Summer UFO

I found this year-old self-drafted UFO in my sewing room as I was moving to the larger space (I think I can call it a studio now). 😊 Because it was from a year ago, I needed to alter the side seams - then I only needed to attach the sleeves and finish the hems. It was a quick project and I was able to wear it the next day!

The fabric is a semi-sheer polyester with a bit of spandex in it. I don't remember where I purchased it, but it may have been part of my Hancock's Fabric stash (who has since gone out of business).

This top is perfect for these last days of summer!

The hems (neckline, bottom and sleeves) were finished with a narrow hem. I really wanted to finish the neckline with fold-over elastic, but out of all the colors I have, I don't have white or this tealish color! Sigh!

Moving on...

To make the narrow hem: 

I serged the edges first with a 4 thread set up.

Then I folded the edge along the serged stitches and ironed the seam - the serged edge rolls over beautifully and eliminates measuring. We all love that, don't we? 😊  By the way, I love using my clapper to hold those folds in place.

I then folded the edge once again - and of course pressed again - and used my clapper.

The last step was to top stitch. You want to top stitch from the "top" of the garment (right side). I can do so by feeling for the edge to start, then using the guides on my face plate to keep it straight as I sew.

If you need to, you can mark your stitch line - just make sure your marking tool of choice is removable, I like Flexion pens,but recently tried and like this pen by Maderia, which I purchased here: 
http://www.sewingpartsonline.com/magic-pen-madeira.aspx

And Tada! I was done with my UFO!  Who doesn't like quick, easy projects! ❤

I hope this helps you to understand one of the many ways your garments can be finished - and that you are inspired to finish those UFOs.

Happy Endless Sewing!

Don't forget that September is National Sewing Month! I'd love to hear about your sewing adventures!


     I welcome your comments and questions and invite you to visit often for sewing tips and tricks!

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Join my Facebook Group

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Coming soon: Online Sewing Classes

Scrappy Tops

Hi all,

Welcome to my Blog, SEW CARRIE SEW and my 1st Blog Post!

I have recently discovered a new use for my scraps!  My Scrappy Top!  I love color and just could not bear to have the printed piece just sitting on my shelf.  It is actually left over from and over-sized failed top.  I was about 70 pounds heavier when I made the over sized top, but after seeing pics of myself in it - I knew it was the absolute wrong style for me then and now. LOL!

I"m pretty sure we've all been there - saw a pic of something we purchased or made and thought - "What was I thinking?" I know it's happened to me more than a few times.  Looks good in the mirror, but the pics tell a different story!

Well now, even if you can't save the garment, you can save the fabric!

I used one of my self-drafted tops and slashed the front starting at 10 inches from the underarm to the hemline. I then added seam allowances to each of the slashes.  I spent some time deciding where the print would land on the pieces, making sure to match my notches (including the sleeves). Once the layout was completed and cut out, I sewed the 2 front pieces together to recreate a full front piece. From there I constructed the top as normal. I added binding to the neck edge and sleeves and a narrow hem on the bottom.

                                                                        Back View


I welcome your comments and questions and invite you to visit often for sewing tips and tricks!

Happy Endless Sewing!

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Join my Facebook Group

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Email:
Don't want to miss a blog post? Sign up for email notices.

Coming soon: Online Sewing Classes