Welcome! This is a truly ambitious and rewarding project that transforms an old pair of jeans into a stylish, one-of-a-kind jacket for a child. The combination of sturdy denim with soft, comfortable knit fabric creates a unique and fashionable look. This pattern is designed for an experienced sewer who is comfortable with upcycling, creating patterns from existing garments, and working with different fabric types.
Materials
One Pair of Adult Jeans: The straight-leg or "mom" jean style is best, as it provides large, flat panels of fabric. The legs will be used for the jacket body.
One Old Sweatshirt: A hooded sweatshirt or a piece of knit fabric will work perfectly for the sleeves and hood.
Zipper: A separating zipper that is the correct length for the front of the jacket.
Thread: All-purpose thread that matches your denim and another that matches your knit fabric. A contrasting thread can be used for topstitching.
Basic sewing supplies: Sewing machine with a denim needle and a ballpoint needle, scissors, pins or clips, a fabric pen or pencil, and a seam ripper.
A Child's Jacket: An existing jacket that fits the child well. This will be your pattern guide.
Key Concepts & Pattern Making
The success of this project depends on careful deconstruction and pattern making. You'll be using the existing seams of the jeans to your advantage to save time and add a professional, ready-made look.
Deconstruction: You will use a seam ripper to carefully take apart the jeans and the sweatshirt, preserving the main panels of fabric.
Pattern Making: You will use an existing, well-fitting child's jacket as your pattern. Lay the jacket flat and trace the front, back, sleeve, and hood pieces onto paper to create your pattern guides. Don't forget to add a seam allowance!
Sewing Instructions
Note: Use a 1/2-inch seam allowance throughout the pattern unless otherwise noted.
Step 1: Deconstruct the Jeans and Sweatshirt
Deconstruct the Jeans: Lay the jeans flat. Use a seam ripper to open the inseams and the crotch seam of both legs. This will give you two large, flat panels of denim. You can also carefully remove the back pockets if you want to reuse them.
Deconstruct the Sweatshirt: Carefully cut the sleeves and the hood off the main body of the sweatshirt. If it's a pullover, you'll need to cut it down the front to create an opening for the zipper.
Step 2: Cut the Jacket Panels
Cut the Denim Body: Place your front and back pattern pieces on the flat denim panels. The side seams of the jeans can be a great feature to include in your design. Pin the patterns in place and cut out the front and back body panels. You'll have two front panels (right and left) and one back panel.
Cut the Knit Hood and Sleeves: Place your hood and sleeve patterns on the flat sweatshirt fabric. Pin and cut out two hood pieces and two sleeve pieces.
Step 3: Construct the Jacket Body
Take your two denim front panels and place them right sides together with your denim back panel. Sew the shoulder and side seams to form the jacket body.
Press the seams open and topstitch along the seams for a classic denim look.
Step 4: Assemble and Attach the Hood
Take your two hood pieces. Place them right sides together and sew along the curved top edge to form the hood.
Now, pin the raw edge of the hood to the neckline of the jacket body, right sides together. Make sure the center of the hood is aligned with the center of the back of the neck.
Sew the hood to the neckline. Finish the raw edge with a zigzag stitch or serger.
Step 5: Attach the Sleeves and Zipper
Take one of your knit sleeve pieces. Place it on the armhole of the jacket body, right sides together. Pin the armhole seam. Ease the fabric as you go to fit the curve.
Sew the sleeve to the jacket. Repeat for the other sleeve.
Install the Zipper: This is the most challenging step. Lay the jacket flat and place your separating zipper along the front opening, teeth down. Pin one side of the zipper to one side of the jacket opening, from the bottom to the neckline.
Using a zipper foot, sew the zipper to the jacket.
Repeat for the other side of the zipper. Make sure you don't twist the zipper.
For a clean finish, you can hand-sew a facing on the inside of the jacket to cover the zipper's raw edge.
Step 6: Final Touches
Cut a strip of knit fabric or ribbed fabric for the bottom band of the jacket. Sew it into a tube and then attach it to the bottom of the jacket, sewing the raw edges together.
Trim any excess threads and give your jacket a final press.
Your upcycled kids' denim jacket is now complete!
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