Trash to Treasure: An Upcycled Jersey's Story
On a really busy Saturday at the thrift store, this Mexican team jersey was being ignored because of the ink mark near the hem.
I saw it as a challenge in my upcycling clothes journey!
Follow me as I transform it into something beautiful.
Tools and materials:
- Oversized football jersey
- Fabric marker
- Ruler
- Scissors or rotary cutter
- Seam ripper
- Shirring elastic
- Sewing machine
- Iron
1. Crop and hem
I measured a straight line across the bottom of the jersey above the stain.
I cut along the line and then turned up a new hem.
2. Remove the sleeves
I used a seam ripper to carefully remove the sleeves, because I intended to replace them later.
I also removed the embroidered badge and put it to one side.
3. Stitching lines
The rest of my preparation time was spent drawing lines 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart across the front and back of the jersey and across the sleeves.
I matched up the lines at the side seams and counted them to make sure I had the same number on each sleeve.
I also drew lines across the shoulder seams to join the top horizontal lines on the front and back.
4. Shirring
I threaded my bobbin with shirring elastic and stitched along each line.
This was the most time-consuming part.
5. Finishing
I hand-sewed the embroidered badge onto the white stripe.
I pinned the sleeves back into the armholes and sewed them in place.
Finally I used a steam iron to straighten out the lines and gently reshape the jersey.
Upcycling clothes
I turned a pretty ordinary but well made football jersey into something pretty special, don’t you think?
This is the essence of upcycling clothes for me. Not just to make something work, but to make something beautiful out of it.
If you agree, please drop me a comment below and let me know.
Next, learn How to Give Your Jeans the Tilted Pockets Look.
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