{Sewing Tip Tuesday} #8

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Hi y'all!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

It's that time again...

Today isn't so much a tip as it is a tutorial. Raise your hand if you love that! I do!

I went through my jeans this weekend and had a pile that looked like this

Yowzers! That's a lot of jeans!

I took out the ones that fit me well that I actually wear. And the ones that are too small (that I dream about squeezing into again one day). And the ones that are too big (that I plan on refashioning into pregnancy jeans if that dream ever happens).

This is what I was left with...

A decent stack of jeans that I either want to hem, turn into skinnies, or cut up into shorts.

Since it's been like 90 blazing degrees for the last 4 days I went with shorts first. 

I wanted to be able to turn a pair of jeans I don't wear anymore into something trendy. We all know that elusive money tree does NOT grow in my backyard and I'm not the person in Kansas that won the megamillions! So I'm wanting to update some of my seriously old clothes to better suit me.

I saw these shorts as inspiration

source

Here's the jeans I decided to use

They just scream MOM JEANS!!!!!! AH!! No thanks

New shorts, here we come!

Start by deciding how long you want them to be and add an inch and a half. The best way to figure this out is to measure from your crotch down on the inseam. I wanted mine to have about a 3.5-4 inch inseam so I cut them at 5 inches.

NOTE: You can always cut more, but you can't add length back. Cut conservatively!! {unless you just love booty shorts}

 

Fold your jeans in half to cut them...it makes it easier to get the same length on both legs. Also, don't cut straight across, cut at a slight angle...it is more flattering and looks more like you bought them than did a hillbilly refashion

Next roll your new shorts however much you want. I wanted about an inch to inch and a half cuff. It also looks better if the cuff is slightly smaller in the back, but that's just my personal opinion. 

Then iron your cuff well! Like, stream the crap out of them. I think I even starched them a bit. I want to kinda train the fabric where to lay down.

ignore the hideous ironing board cover that's so thin you can see the ironing board through it. it's gross, I know.

To keep your shorts from unrolling every time you wash them I tacked them down on the side seams. I just kinda folded over that seam allowance part that's sticking out and sewed behind it, like 5 or 6 stitches should be fine. Don't forget to backstitch!

I also did some distressing on mine to make them look more trendy. If anyone is interested in how I did that, let me know and I'll do a tutorial!!

Here's what they look like at this stage

They're pretty good, but they need something else....

Throw them in the wash and the distressing and the edges will fray a bit more. 

Then they look like this...

No I'm not trying to show you my butt! 

I want you to see the distressing on my pocket and how the cuff in the back is smaller than the one in the front.

Not bad for a new pair of shorts huh? 

I'm also thinking about dyeing them darker. I saw someone do it on Pinterest and I have several pairs I think it would work with. 

Get out your scissors and make some shorts!