Steps to the Perfect Designer Look Jeans

It was a process!!! From the 2 pair of cut up jeans you see on the left to what you see on the right.

Using a copied pattern from my RTW XOXO jeans and 2 pair of Goodwill jeans....

A pair of size 14 Tommy jeans have been cut to make the front and back of the new jeans. A pair of Rt. 66 were cut up to make the pockets, carriers, waist band and the yoke.

After all the pieces were cut out I used my embroidery machine to do the pockets and 2 matching but smaller designs on the front legs... then a few matching really small flowers here and there....

You can see at the top of the back pockets where the old pockets on the Tommie jeans were placed....

I made a contoured waist band this time instead of a straight waist band which I always have to place darts in to get it to fit.

I don't know if I made the contoured band right but it worked great!!!

I simply took the straight waist band and used the hinge method of fitting... which gave me a perfectly curved waist band.

This was much easier than all the ways I read to draft a contour waist band.

After all embroidery was done and all the fitting was done (honestly there's not to much fitting to be done when you make a pattern from something that already fits well)

Then place rivets and button... get the seam ripper and rip along a few edges and poke some holes here and there. So when washed they'll get that worn frayed look.... then get out the dish washing liquid!! Using dish washing liquid with bleach I smeared it up and down the jeans... waited about 45 minutes and washed.... bleach spots and frayed look in place....

Last thing to do.... get out my rhinestone setter and place some small rhinestones around the embroidery areas.

Yes! All done!!! Alot of work does go into distressed designer jeans. But paying $300 or more for jeans is not in the budget!!!

Next step is to tell husband after all this work a really nice dinner out is in order! Hey he can afford a nice dinner out since he didn't have to buy me these designer jeans!!!

Shirt I'm wearing is an Oscar da la Renta... very nice couture item I got at Rag-a-Rama in Atlanta for $14!!!!!

The necklace,,,, Vintage rhinestone necklace that belonged to my Grandmother. There's a great story behind it that makes it extra special!!!

The Bald Man! Wearing the most recent shirt I made him... looking sharp!!! Ready to take me out for a great Saturday night!

Marathon cooking Monday!

I am very much in to healthy whole food eating. But if I don't plan some meals.. Especially lunches I grab easy things like nuts or a green juice.. not enough to keep this body going! something I started a few weeks ago on Monday was what I call marathon cooking. I make up a couple of high protein desserts and snacks , a couple of easy things for a few lunches and dinner with enough leftovers for the next days dinner or more lunches. A couple hours in the kitchen and solid healthy food for days! While things are in baking/cooking mode I use that down time to organize patterns , work a simple project or promote/check social media. Don't let ok at it as, yuck 2 hours of cooking .. I look at it as 2 productive hours of multitasking. Today's marathon cooking consisted of,, simple egg salad that we like put on a low carb wrap with spinach. Huge Baked sweet potatoes which I'll cut in half and eat for lunch or a snack with butter and goat cheese mashed up! Super yum! A huge ...

Work in Progress Wednesday: Natural Dyeing, organization and new fleece!

Ok! Well I had so much fun posting yesterday's theme post I decided to do one today too! Organization is a big deal for me. I live in a small house but I have big crafty area needs! I need areas to dye , to store fiber, yarn , to blend fibers and card, to spin, to occasionally sew, to make and store soaps .. and on and on! Dyeing is done now on my back porch and green house. I have a stove, stainless steel work table , shelving and screens. Picking and drying fleece also takes place there. Solar dyeing saves time and energy too! Only certain plants will successfully dye this way though. This works well! Gets the dyeing components out of my house kitchen! And gives me a large area to spread out and do several things at once. Organizing work in progress projects has been a challenge until now! No fiber person I know only has one project going at a time. It can get messy and confusing! I try to limit myself to 4 crochet ( or knitting) projects at once. I come up with this...

Knocking it off dress

I feel in love with this Chanel look last spring.... so instead of making a Chanel jacket I decided to put that time toward knocking this off the best I could.... I am pleased with my results! Fabric from Miami's Rex Fabrics for the top..... and ofcourse fabric for the jacket and skirt... I found a close to perfect match at walmart! Of all places! Add so hip chain belts and here is my knock off! I made the skirt longer than the original.... and no collar on the little jacket... lower neckline on the top... and a bit longer on it too.... I have several other Chanel outfits I want to knock off too... soon as I can find similar fabrics for them! I had fun with this outfit and fun wearing it! Next V8489.... I bought this fabric on a trip to Panama City, Panama. This was an easy pattern and I will use it again in the future. I added a personal touch to the dress but it didn't photograph at all... asymmetrical from shoulder across the waist and to bottom I hand beaded swarvoski crys...

Handworks Crochet and then Some!

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