My 'upcycled' denim disaster cost me a full weekend and $45 in supplies

I saw a video about turning old jeans into a patchwork jacket and thought, 'how hard could it be?' I bought fabric glue, a bunch of thrift store jeans for $30, and special thread for $15. After two days of cutting and gluing, I had a stiff, lumpy mess that looked like a quilt made by a kindergartener. Has anyone actually made one of these that didn't fall apart or look ridiculous?

3 comments

3 Comments

beth_webb7626d ago

Oh man, I feel this in my soul. My own attempt at a jean jacket looked less like cool streetwear and more like a sad, blue potato sack. The fabric glue made everything weird and crunchy, and my patches just kind of... slid off after one wear. I think those videos leave out the part where you need actual sewing magic powers.

evanschmidt26d ago

Okay but that "sewing magic powers" line from @beth_webb76 is exactly the problem. Those videos make it look like a special talent when it's really just a basic skill. The fabric glue is always a trap, it never holds. You just need a needle and thread, the cheap kind is fine. It takes time but it's not magic, it's just following a straight line. My first one was lumpy too but you get better by doing it, not by watching another shortcut video.

garcia.tyler26d ago

Totally agree with @evanschmidt about the fabric glue trap. My first patch job fell apart in the wash, which was super annoying. What finally worked was just getting a basic needle and thread kit from the craft store (the kind that costs like two dollars). It's really just about making small, even stitches along the edge of the patch, even if they're a bit messy at first. The glue always gets stiff and peels, but thread bends with the fabric. You just have to push through the lumpy first try, and the next one comes out way better.