Upcycling has been around for years. In the past it wasn't called upcycling, it was "hand me downs". I remember my mother making me a dress from one of her beautiful chiffon and velvet party dresses with itchy netting under it.... I LOVED that dress, but sure HATED that netting....
Here is a tutorial of an upcycled pair of jeans and fabric. You have seen this on the net before. There is probably someone who has a better tutorial than mine, but I wanted to try and make it look as simple as it really is. This project took less than 2 hrs. to make from beginning to end.
What you will need.
a pair of jeans, either old or new
1.5 yrds of fabric either 45" or 60" (I used 60" and had enough left over for another project)
scissors, pins, measuring tape, sewing machine, thread, and serger (optional)
To start you will cut your jeans just above the apex of the crotch. Be sure that you don't cut the zipper or the pockets (both front and back).
Measure from waist to the cut length. Measure how long you want your skirt to be. Then subtract the length of the upper portion of the jeans and add 1" example: you want your skirt to fall 37.5". Your jeans that you cut are 9.5" = 29" Now add 1/2" for gathering and 1/2" for hemline. This = 30".
Cutting the fabric: The best way to cut the fabric is to open the fabric up. Holding the selvage up and let it drop to the floor. You are going to use the selvage as your gathering part of the skirt. From the selvage, you will measure your fabric using the formula above. (so measure from selvage to selvage). This will give you your length.
Now you are ready to sew. You will have one seam with this skirt, so stitch up the back of the skirt by matching pretty to pretty down the whole length of the skirt. (will make a big tube, serger can be used here if you have one). Take your fabric to the machine and lay the selvage under your machine foot. Put your machine on a basting stitch (mine is 5), but whatever is your longest stitch. Be sure to leave long tails to use for gathering. (if you have a gathering foot you can use that also).
Once you have baste stitched your fabric, then you are ready to gather and pin this "tube" to your jeans. So with pretty side of fabric to the outside of the jeans portion, you will pin together. You will have to make a little adjustment as you go around the jeans. See picture...
Sew this together, being sure you remove your pins as you go. Once you finish sewing those together you are ready to make your hem. (this is where a serger comes in handy too.)
Almost finished: If you don't have a serger to do the hem, then the best and easiest way to do the hem, is to take it to the iron fold over the hem 1/4" and then another 1/4". Pin this after you press.(a little at a time)...Take back to the machine and stitch your hem. NOW, if you have a hemming stitch on your machine then it will make it easier. LOL.... I also iron the skirt when finished.
You are done! Once you make one you will want to make another. What I like is that you can use really any kind of pant; linen, leather, even a stretch knit if you want. For the skirt; you can use cotton, rayon, lawn (what I used here), lace, linen, the skies the limit on the fabric that can be used. Also if you have a young one who has outgrown their pants, but still fit in the waist, take them to the next level! Hope you will give this a try and not be afraid to work out of your comfort zone... Have fun with this!
**a special thank you to my daughter for encouraging me to think out of my box of safety with patterns. **
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