Refashioned Designer Jeans

I LOVE thrift store shopping.  Its seen me through the health related 30 pound weight fluctuation I've gone through 3 years in a row now (and of course pregnancies before that).  I feel free to dress and enjoy whatever size I'm in without shaming myself in frustration that not only I'm bigger or smaller but stressed about spending money on more clothes.  I can get a usable full "mom" wardrobe for about $50 in a pinch--but usually its just a pair of pants or something I need.  Today I tried on several pairs and a few fit--yay!  This pair was priced at 3.50.  Not bad for 7forallmankind, right?

Check out this brand's regular prices, yo!

But I noticed a big gaping hole in the fly when I tried them on.  Ooops!  Don't think they noticed that when they set them out.  It looked easy to sew, and right on the seam, so I asked for a discount and paid 1.99.

To make my 99.9% discount deal totally worth it, I hit the sewing machine right when I got home.  That seam was stitched back up in about 30 seconds and then I got out the scissors.  Both of the jeans I found fit great but were extremely short.  I'm guessing that's why no one bought them already because they were both awesome brands.  Anyway, I was thrilled to find them at any length because my plan was to make shorts or capris anyway.  That I do not have in this current, chubby size :).

Out came the sewing scissors.  I decided to cut right below the knee.  I lay the cut off portion over the other leg before cutting to make sure I get them exactly even.

Then I stitched about 1/2 inch in (no rolling--not hemmed).  The stitch is just to set a stopping point so that the edges can fray.  I've done this before for my kids' cut-offs and it does well in keeping the fringy cut off look, without being un-even.  So they look like store bought cut offs if you will.  Then I do a second row of stitching above the first for reinforcement.

This picture is actually the other pair

The last step for all of my thrifted purchases was to hit the laundry.  They all need that used smell rinsed out :) and the cut offs need a few washes, dries, and then clippings to get the perfectly civilized frayed look.  I'll post pictures when that process is complete.