Monday, September 14, 2015

Canadian Tuxedo

I was in a bit of a refashion funk this weekend. Not feeling terribly creative. Finding zero inspiration in my refashion closet. So I decided to go back to the basics with a simple pants-to-skirt transformation. Enter these too-short dark denim Express trousers.

Denim Pencil Skirt - BeforeDenim Pencil Skirt - Before

I started by cutting open the inseam.

Denim Pencil Skirt - In Progress

I turned the pants inside out and folded them so the side seams were together. Then I sewed straight up the front and back seams with a straight stitch then a zig-zag stitch, and trimmed off the excess fabric.

Denim Pencil Skirt - In ProgressDenim Pencil Skirt - In Progress

I cut off the bottom 15 inches of the legs and gave my new skirt a new hem.

Denim Pencil Skirt - In ProgressDenim Pencil Skirt - In Progress

There's is nothing remarkable about this project. Nothing ground-breaking.

Denim Pencil Skirt - After

But sometimes you've gotta just do something to get yourself out of a funk.

Denim Pencil Skirt - After

And sometimes you get a great, versatile wardrobe staple out of it!

Denim Pencil Skirt - After


Denim Pencil Skirt - Before & After

15 comments:

  1. This is the first Canadian tuxedo I've EVER seen that I liked! haha!

    Great skirt. Nice background for the pics too.

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    1. Well, I'm not sure how widespread the phrase is, but down here a Canadian tuxedo is an outfit comprised of multiple denims. No offense intended. :)

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    2. None taken - I was serious when I said this is the first one I've ever liked! Somehow it's just not as denim-y ... I think the 70's and 80's were probably the worst decades for jeans and jeans jackets, and that's what I think of when I see the term :)

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  2. The project itself might not be all that remarkable, but the outfit you put together with it surely is!!!

    JJ
    www.dressupnotdown.blogspot.com

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  3. I'd love to see more photos of the outside finished edge. Every time I try to do this it looks wrong from the outside. Like the seam isn't flat but sort of folded in. I'd love any pointers because I have a pair right now I am trying to convert and it just looks wrong.

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    1. If I may answer Toni, because I've had the same issue, you might find a good pressing fixes that - it did for me :) Iron the seam to one side, then flip it to the other, then press the seam open (if you haven't zigzagged it). That should make it lie flat......

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    2. Like Gema said, I make sure to press all my seams nice and flat. It's funny actually - I love ironing my sewing, but I hate ironing laundry!

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  4. Absolutely Darling, Carissa !!!
    (This so reminds me of a pair of bellbottoms that I had in the '70s).
    First of all the denim is very nice along with the original styling of the waist band/pockets - so classy! AND then you used your "magic" eye in seeing a high end skirt.

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    1. The waistband is what originally drew my to the pants as well. Unfortunately, that fact they were too short kind of distracted from the cute details. :)

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  5. Classics never go out of style. This look is so you!

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  6. I love this, it's just such a versatile piece...and I've also been feeling that way about refashioning for the past couple of weeks, so I'm glad I'm not going mad!! I'm hopeful that, in doing a couple of simple refashions, I'll be more motivated to try exciting/challenging stuff... Keep going!!

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    1. Sometimes a couple simple projects get me going again, and sometimes I just have to ride through the funk, work on other crafts in the meantime, and eventually, I get my sewing mojo (sewjo?) back. Stick with it, Gema!

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