How to Upcycle a Denim Jacket With a Granny Square Doily

Tools and materials:

• Denim jacket
• Doily
• Fusible webbing
• Scissors
• Ruler/measuring tape
• Iron (or Cricut)
• Pressing cloth
• Spray bottle with water
• Sewing machine (you may need a thicker needle to sew denim so check your machine)

I like to take old, lonely, and forgotten fabrics and make them new again. Some fabric pieces, like doilies are too soft, or as I call them, too mushy to sew to another fabric without stabilizing them.

Without stabilizing, you may end up with sagging pieces, especially after washing!

1. Add stabilization to your doily

Measure your doily first. Then, measure the fusible webbing to match but add a bit extra to the webbing so you can then trim it the exact size once they’re affixed to each other.

Press the doily first. Make sure the wrong side of the doily is facing you. In this video, I’m using a Cricut heated to 350 degrees.

Some people think the Cricut is only used for stickers or for t-shirts, but I like using it for sewing projects as well! If you don’t have one, use your iron.

Check the fusible webbing for the sticky and rougher side. That’s the side you’re going to place on top of the doily. Use a pressing cloth so you don’t get the sticky stuff from the fusible webbing on your iron or Cricut.

You don’t need to buy anything fancy. You can use an old cut-up t-shirt. Just make sure it has no graphics or colors that could bleed onto your pressed fabric.

For a smoother finish, spritz either the fusible webbing or the pressing cloth with some water in a spray bottle. This is optional but gives a nicer finish!

After you press, wait a few minutes to let it cool down.

Remove the cloth. Trim any excess fusible webbing, being very careful not to cut into your doily. Once it’s perfectly trimmed, press the doily again using the pressing cloth.

2. Add the doily to the jacket

Lay your denim jacket so the back faces you with the right side facing up. Place the doily where you think it will look best. Here, I’ve placed it squarely in the center.

Once it’s in the right position, pin it in place.

Sew the stabilized doily to your jacket on the sewing machine along the edge. The fusible webbing keeps the doily perfectly flat and helps it not shift when sewing.

You’ve just made a DIY upcycled denim jacket with granny square doilies!

How to upcycle a denim jacket

How charming is this jacket? Please let me know in the comments if you tried this easy DIY with doilies! Thanks for joining.