the blue blog archives: notions

Made it to the fabric store yesterday to pick up some notions for the kwiky project. I got matching thread and some ball point needles for working with knits. I also picked up an extra sharp needle for denim, because I've got a notion in my head of something I want to do with some old jeans. Here's what I'm thinking...

I've got these old jeans. Well, they're not vintage old, but they are 1998 old, which is old enough that the styling is a little 'not quite right', if you know what I mean. I like the jeans and they still fit me (you'll agree that this alone is reason enough to keep them!), but the one thing that really keeps me from wearing them is the cut at the ankle. Although they're not tapered in at the ankles (they're not that old), they do date from the pre-Gap-bootcut era and seem too narrow. They've also shrunk a bit from many washings and are so are a bit short.

My idea is to open up the outside seam at the ankle, maybe two inches, and make slits, like on capri pants. What do you think? It could change the look enough that it won't seem too narrow or too short. And it shouldn't be too hard to do, right? Just some topstitching over the seam allowance to hold everything in place, a little stitching across the top of the slit, like at the base of a zipper, and open up the seam.

posted by alison at 8:15 am | in sew miscellany

Comments

sounds very suave and retro to me! are you going to crop them a little too? my legs are too short and when i buy pants that are supposed to be cropped, they're longer than cropped, but shorter than real pant length, so they just look like highwaters. but i love the look on other people!

Posted by: carolyn at April 2, 2003 8:34 AM

Sorry this isn't really a comment on the pants, but I live in the same town as you Alison and I was wondering what fabric store you go to. Is there one closer than JoAnn's in Natick? Also, where were you/are you taking your sewing class?

Posted by: Johanna at April 2, 2003 1:06 PM

Be careful with sewing the multiple layers of denim--it's tough on the machine. I've had goo dluck with hand-finishing my projects made from recycled jeans, but I have an old, weak Singer (and a fear of broken needles).

Posted by: Alison at April 2, 2003 1:16 PM

Johanna, I drive up to Woburn to go to the Fabric Place. It's a ways away, but much better than JoAnn's. I just keep a list of things I want/need for the next time I have some baby-free time and can make the trip. I'm trying not to be too annoyed that the fabric store is so far way, because the yarn store is just down the street! ;)

Posted by: alison hansel at April 2, 2003 4:51 PM

That's a great idea Alison, I think it would look neat. I had a pair of jeans that I took the scissors to last year. I rarely wore them as jeans but after I unpicked the seams inside the legs and resewed them as a skirt I wear it all the time. I love customising existing clothes, it is so much easier than making something from scratch!

Posted by: Kerrie at April 3, 2003 7:03 AM

I love your idea!!! So much so, that I think I'm going to copy it! :)

Posted by: Sarah at April 5, 2003 1:33 PM

Hey Sarah, I hope we get to see yours when you're done with them!

Posted by: alison at April 7, 2003 11:23 AM