Refashionista Basics // How to re-hem and add ankle zips to skinny jeans

 I don't know about you, but I have short legs and big calves, so buying a pair of skinny jeans almost always means alterations are in order. Despite my initial hesitation to get on the skinny jeans love-train, I've really grown into them and now i just love the comfort and the look. One thing I hate though, is that some of them are just so damn skinny in the bottom. Yes, I know, they're called skinnies for a reason, but some of them are just so uncomfortable to get over the heel. Anyone else have problems with that?

My Mom bought me a new pair of skinnies last week while visiting. I guess these can also be called jeggings as they have an elastic waist. They're very comfy, but like always, too long and too skinny. So, I figured I'll add some ankle zippers to ease getting them on and off.

What you will need:

1) 2x 10cm-long metal zippers

2) basic sewing equipment 

STEP 1

The first step when re-hemming jeans is always to measure how much you need to shorten them. I do this by putting the pants on, turning up the hem up to where I want it to be and pin one hem in place. One pin is all you need to add. You can measure the other leg and the rest of the hem from there.

So, take the pants off, and measure the amount needed to cut off. You do this by deducting the hem allowance (3cm) from the overall rolled-up hem.

Mark the cutting line and just cut it off.  

STEP 2 - ADDING THE ANKLE ZIPPERS

1) Mark the hem allowance, so you'll know where it ends. Place the zipper on the outer seam of the trouser-leg and mark the end of the zipper teeth onto the leg. Now, rip out that seam up to that point. This will create the opening for the zipper.

2) Place the zipper inside the trouser-leg, so that the beginning is aligned with the hem-line, and the end with the mark you made in the previous step. Then, place one side of the opening on the zipper, so that the edge aligns with the center of the zipper, and pin into place.

3) Repeat with the other side of the the opening.

4) Open up the zipper and and sew around the zipper on your sewing machine. Make sure to use you zipper foot to ease your sewing.

STEP 3 - HEMMING

Now, all that's left to do is re-hem the jeans.

5) I always press the hem into place before sewing. It's my top tip for getting pretty and even hems. Seriously guys, don't underestimate the power of a good press. So, fold 1.5cm once, and then again, 1.5cm.You can cut the ends of the zipper shorter before doing this to make the hem less bulky. I cut the zipper so it would meet with the first turn of the hem, so it would be just up to the second turning point.

6) This step is optional, but just in case, you can pin the hem in place. I've done so much hemming over the years that I usually just skip this part.

7) Sew the hem with your sewing machine. If you want your hem to be extra stretchy, you could use the lightning bolt stitch, but otherwise, a regular straight stitch should do the job.

Done and done! 

I really like how these turned out. They are so much easier to get into and out of. And, the zipper add some style to the otherwise pretty boring jeans. Mine have faux zippered pockets in the front, so the metal zippers really go well with the style of this pair.

Any other short-legged girls out there?  Hope this helps when you buy another pair of pants made for people with annoyingly long legs (#alwayswantwhatyoudonthave).

Just out of curiosity, though, anyone having trouble with their trousers always being too short?

Happy sewing!

xo. Hanna

DIY Flared jeans into skinnies with an embellished cuffed hem

Flared jeans used to be all the rage. I remember getting my first pair of flares back in the 7th grade. I felt so fashionable, you wouldn't believe. Now, most of us have already stepped on the skinny jean train, myself included. Although, it did take me a couple of seasons to really get into them. Somehow, I thought I'd look terrible in skinnies. But, luckily I got over it.

So, when I was going through the to-refashion piles back at home, these flared jeans sparked an dea in me. I'd seen a pair of embellished and cuffed jeans on Pinterest ages ago, and thought this would be the perfect match. Also, it's the perfect project to bust some rhinestone stash I had left over from other projects.

 Materials needed: 
1) jeans
2) pins and scissors (only when modifying the cut of the jeans)
3) sewing machine (only when modifying the cut of the jeans)
4) rhinestones, embellishment stones, pearls, beads
5) glue (E6000 works best)

 Step 1 

 If your jeans are already skinnies, then skip this step. But, if you're using an old pair of flared jeans and want to skinnify them, take these steps.
Turn the jeans inside out and put them on. Pin the flared part of the jean legs close to your calves. Take the jeans off (be careful not to hurt yourself with the pins). Sew new side seams where you pinned. Cut off excess fabric from the sides and zig-zag or serge the raw edges.
Dont' worry about the extra length, you'll need that to create the cuff.

 Step 2 

 Turn the hem twice so that it's the right length for you. When you want to use this on a new pair of skinnies, buy a longer pair to be able to cuff them.
Gather all your rhinestone and plan out the pattern or design of the cuffs. Then glue the rhinestones or embellishment stones in place. You could also sew them in place if you have sew-on rhinestones/embellishments, but I really couldn't be bothered.

Easy, peasy! I think next time I'd add even more embellishments, but I wanted to only use supplies I already had at home. More bling is always better, wouldn't you say? (haha)

Hope this inspires you to give your old pair of jeans some oomph.
xo Hanna

Refashionista: Cutoff shorts for summer

Summer is finally here! We've been having perfect summer weather this past week. This means, that it's time to dust off those summer clothes and put shorts back on top of the trouser pile in my closet. It's also  the perfect opportunity to upcycle some jeans that you're not wearing anymore. Cut-offs are super easy to make and customize with ribbons, lace, fabric paints, dye, fabric and so on and so on.

I had a pair of simple light blue denim jeans that I never really wore much. Somehow, I just didn't feel pretty in them. They fit great at the waist though, so I thought they'de make a great pair of shorts for the summer.

The process really was super simple:

I think the above process is self-explanatory. Take some jeans, cut off the legs, zig-zag or overlock the cut edges, pin lace to the legs, add some cute flower embellishments here and there, sew all of that in place, and that's it!

Love my new shorts! I hope they'll get loads of wear this summer.