Tools and materials:
- Jeans
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Seam ripper
- Pliers
- Sewing machine
- Iron
- Marker
- Child scissors
- Eyelets
- Hammer
A great way to upcycle jeans when you’re sick of them is to turn them into shorts. Sometimes, though, you want to add a little bit of flair to a refashion project. That’s what I did with these shorts, by removing the zipper and button and making them lace-up shorts. I personally love how this turned out, so keep reading to learn how to do this yourself.
The first thing you’ll need to do is figure out how long you want your shorts to be. So put on the pants, and mark where you want the shorts to end. Then use your ruler to mark 6 cm (2.3”) down from the first marking. Now take your scissors and cut out the shorts at the second mark.
Take the edge of the shorts and fold them up twice, until you hit that first mark. Then sew the fold at the already existing seam on the sides of the leg so that the hem stays in place.
Using your seam ripper, take apart the seam at the front of the jeans. Then use pliers to cut through and remove the button. Now go back to the seam ripper, and take apart all the seams that attach the zipper to the jeans, until you’ve managed to remove the zipper. This will leave you with an opening where the zipper was, so reattach that flap to the jeans.
Now grab your ruler and figure out how wide and long you want your new closure to be. For me, that was 4 X 19.5 cm (1.6” X 7.7”).
To create the closure, take some of your leftover fabric and draw a rectangle on it in the measurements you chose. Then measure 3.5 cm (1.4”) from the bottom on the outer line and place a dot to mark it. Now connect that dot to the outer corner to create a diagonal line. Then add a 1 cm (0.4”) seam allowance all around the pattern. Cut out the pattern and place it wrong side onto your remaining fabric so that you can cut out a mirrored second piece.
Cut out the edges of the two pieces you just cut out to make it easier to fold over. Then fold over the edges and iron on the folds to make it easier to sew. Then attach the two pieces to the front of your jeans so that they are mirrored.
Using your ruler, mark where you want to place your eyelets onto the pieces you just sewed on. Make sure that they’re spaced out evenly. Then use child scissors to poke holes through the fabric where you marked, and make the holes a little bigger. Then you’re going to insert the eyelets by following the instructions they came with.
Next, take your remaining fabric and cut out three long strips. You’re then going to sew them together to create one very long strip. First, diagonally cut the ends of the strips, then sew them together at an angle. This will prevent bulkiness. Then you’re going to fold over the long strip, right sides together, and sew all along the edge. Use a safety pin to flip it right side out.
Take the strap you created and lace it through the eyelets. When you get to the top, you’ll have to poke a hole and use a safety pin to feed it through the last hole from the inside. Then just tie the ends and your shorts are done!
Oh man, you guys, I am obsessed with how this came out! They’re so cute and I just love the way they look! I’m so happy I did this project; what an amazing way to upcycle an old pair of jeans! My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner because summer is pretty much over, but I am very much looking forward to whipping these out as soon as the weather allows it!
Time to up your fashion game! I've listed 5 simple style tips to help you to elevate your look, no...
Happy, happy hump day! Hope you're having a lovely week so far. I am excited to share a spring look...
I don’t know about you, but I am obsessed with graphic t-shirts! In this tutorial, I’m going to show...
Deconstructed high-rise denim are all the rage this spring, especially those with wider-legs. I...
When it comes to styling trends don't give this one the cold shoulder. Shrugging your cardigan,...
I'm here to give inspiration to all of my ladies who are over 40 who might feel in a bit of a rut....
As I send off 2 of my boys to go skiing this morning, I’m reminded that it is indeed in the thick of...
Recently, the app TikTok has become super popular and I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t found...
This easy travel makeup bag is so cute, you’ll want to make one for everyone you know! I love the...
Are you new to sewing with Cork? This is a fabulous fabric, perfect for bag making. I am super...
All you need is a few simple supplies, a kiln to fuse the glass together and you can create gorgeous...
Looking for an easy way to save money, upcycle, and take your style to a whole new level? Then this...
Which ones really make a statement and which ones make your outfit seem over crowded. Personally I...
Spring is in the air! For me, pink is in season all year round. But, if you're not pink obsessed...
There’s no better way than making a statement with a beautiful statement necklace. This is the kind...
I did a reel on my instagram of my favorite gold jewelry pieces. I love gold jewelry– it completes...
Lace-up shoes, lace-up top, lace-up everything! Adding some lace to your clothing and shoes gives...
I found some inspiration for a lovely lace-up top and I decided that doing a DIY lace-up top on a...
You are not going to believe this! You can remove many stains with 1 single ingredients, and the...
I’ve been making and teaching how to make jewelry for a very long time, and I’m going to show you...
I found this incredible blazer at my local thrift store for only $2.99! It has such a fun print, but...
Today I will not be showing you how to sew a spaghetti strap top, because this tutorial is totally...
Overalls are becoming a must-have trend this Spring! These classic overall shorts from Walmart are a...
If you have been following me for some time, then you know I love to add a jean jacket to any...
Do you remember the 80’s cartoon, Jem? I used to love that show as a kid and I wanted to makes some...
I’m going to be showing you how to wear black leggings. To look trendy with leather leggings, you...
Today I am going to show you how to crochet a custom cuff onto your glove. I made several pairs of...
Cropped sweatshirts. We've all seen them pop up in all our favorite stores. But... how do you...
I’m so excited to write this blog post today! A few months ago, my dear friend Mijke reached out to...
Western wear for women has been very trendy recently. Everybody wants to slap on a cowboy hat or...
Are you tired of wearing your button shirt the same way over and over again? Well, I am going to...
Join the conversation