One cropped Jean Jacket from a sale rack finds new lives, becoming two unique jackets that are equally loved. Rae was encouraged by her friend Sally, who you have met in this blog before, to deconstruct parts of the original jacket. Her first recycling idea included a small quilt with some stains to be combined into a quilted/jean jacket mashup. What remained of the jean jacket was combined with bouclé to make a rather edgy version of a French Jacket. Here are the details in Rae’s words.
Jacket #1
Sally has been really interested in the quilted jacket trend. The first quilt she asked me to upcycle is pictured above. Then she asked me to turn two patchwork quilts into a long jacket. Most recently, she unearthed a small, stained quilt to use for sleeves on a cropped pink jean jacket she found on sale and asked me to get to work. (Sadly, the original jacket was never photographed before deconstruction.)
The first step was to remove the jean jacket sleeves and plan for the quilted sleeves. I was able to work around the quilt’s imperfections to cut the sleeves out, using her Tabula Rasa Jacket sleeve pattern in mirror images. The sleeves were basted onto the jacket body which had been altered with Sally’s darts and shoulder. When Sally tried it on, it just seemed a bit unfinished with this one change, so we draped the remainder of the circular quilt pattern around her to plan a skirt-like feature that followed the curved lines of the quilt’s colorful design.
In order to add the “skirt” onto the bottom of the jean jacket, I removed the classic jean jacket band at the waist. The inside seams and hems of this jacket were all finished with a pink gingham binding.
The original jean jacket buttons, buttonholes and collar created the front closure.
Jacket #2
Once this coat was finished, Sally took the scraps shopping. She found a lovely bouclé to design into a new jacket featuring the denim sleeves and hem band. It took me a while to wrap my head around how to integrate these disparate pieces, but once the Sewing Quilted Patchwork Jackets book was off to the editor last spring, I had time to think. A spin through the Inspo: French Jackets and the Inspo: Denim Details Pinterest boards @fitforartpatterns got my design wheels turning. While there was no definitive inspiration, the shape and structure began to reveal itself.
Sally’s Tabula Rasa Jacket Pattern that had been altered for a French style jacket was found in its appointed envelope among the many variations we have designed together. Then I began to play. It seemed that one more fabric element was needed and in my boxes of washed wool I found a seafoam green wool crepe that became the perfect addition.
As the design began to take shape there was one more deconstruction needed. The cuff bands were removed from the end of each sleeve so the boucle and wool could become the cuffs finishing the jean jacket sleeves. The detached sleeve cuffs were incorporated as the top of each front pocket to add the denim in a third location while the cuffs’ buttons and buttonholes became the front closure. The bouclé and washed wool on the jacket’s front band were left raw on the edges; it just looked too clean when folded neatly.
The finished jacket was fully lined to keep the inner workings tidy, including the silk organza underlining of the boucle pieces. Stay tuned to this blog later in the spring to learn about the Bouclé Carpe Diem Dress that was made to finish the ensemble.
Organza Rose Flower – The Perfect Accessory
When the Chanel style jacket was finished it seemed to need something. There were so many little scraps of thread and yarn that had unraveled from the bouclé, I used them to make a few pieces of scrap lace mixing in the tiny scraps of denim and seafoam wool that remained.
Then I decorated organza rose flower petals with the scrap lace. It was cut and stitched on loosely by hand to keep it all very textural. A bit of bouclé fabric was twisted into a bud for the flowers center. Find the directions for making an Organza Rose Pin and Scrap Lace on Fit for Art’s free downloads page.
Start planning a refurbishing project as the seasons change!
As you are thinking about sewing for the transitional weather ahead, why not repurpose a jacket that is languishing in the closet? This one jean jacket’s new lives project was mind expanding, but it ended with fabulous results. Be sure to catch some additional photos on Social Media this week to see more of these fun projects.
