DIY Denim Jacket to Vest Transformation

Hi, and welcome to another super-easy DIY transformation!

I inherited a nice denim jacket recently. I didn't want to turn it down even though I already have a denim jacket I like (and in my opinion, there is such a thing as owning too many denim jackets. Personally, my limit is, like, 1). Fortunately, I realized that I could quickly turn this jacket into a denim vest, which is something I'd been interested in getting anyway.

All this DIY needs is a good pair of scissors.

 I cut nice and close to the seam to remove the sleeves at the shoulder. If you want a frayed look, leave a little extra fabric and kind of...mess it up, or whatever.

So long, sleeves! You've served your purpose.

 Here's my new (old) vest! It's in the perfect wash, too :) A denim vest is a pretty versatile piece--you can use it to layer over a long-sleeved shirt, a tank top, a dress, or whatever.

 I like it!

It doesn't get much easier than that. Now go forth to the thrift store, find a denim jacket, and give it a new life as a vest!

DIY: Old Sweater to Cardigan Transformation

Do you have a sweater that doesn't fit right, or you're just tired of it, or your sister was getting rid of it and let you have it for free (sounds familiar)? Don't fret. You can give it new life, and it's ridiculously, unbelievably EASY! In fact, there are only 2 steps:

1.) Just get a v-neck sweater like this and lay it down flat....

2.) ...then cut it downward from the V like this...

 That's it!

Yes, I am very aware that my mirror is filthy

 

The fabric, which is a mix of cotton and nylon, didn't fray or come apart at all after cutting, so I left it. You  might need to do a little sewing near the edges where you cut if the fabric of the sweater isn't behaving. You could also do all sorts of things to decorate your new/old cardigan, like add some lace, pins, flowers, whatever.

You could probably use any type of neckline but I don't know how well it would work. The v-neck turned out great, though!

Not bad, and it was free!

Lace Curtain to Lacy Top Transformation

I was inspired by these projects here and here to create a lacy, drapey top.

 At the thrift store, I found a lacy drape panel for $4. It was a small price to pay for such an elegant and pretty top!

 This "fabric" was a beast to work with because it pissed off my sewing machine. But it got easier over time. Unlike the tutorials that inspired me, I attempted to make a more finished neckline because I was afraid the lace might tear or stretch if I left it. I'm not good at sewing, but it did turn out to my liking.

My dog was excited about it, too, apparently :)

DIY: Clearance Rack Dress to Skirt Transformation

This is literally one of the easiest DIYs you'll ever do. It's all about finding just the right dress to butcher.

I found this dress on the clearance rack at Kohl's a while back. This dress is a great candidate to turn into a skirt because it has a wide elastic band in the middle (which will become the waist of the skirt) and no pesky zippers or anything complicating things.

I picked a dress that was a size or two bigger than I'd actually wear, were I to actually going to wear it as a dress. Because that elastic band is meant to sit at the waist as a dress, it will be kind of small as a skirt unless you go for a bigger size--you need that elastic to fit comfortably around your hips (unless of course you want a high-waisted skirt. That's up to you!).

A great thing about this is that it doesn't matter what the top of the dress looks like because you only need to be concerned with the skirt. So even if the dress is kind of ugly or ill-fitting, it's okay! And hey, that's probably why it was on the clearance rack to begin with, right?

Start cutting off the top of the dress where the fabric meets the elastic. Take your time to ensure you don't miss-cut anything.

And...once you've hacked off the unwanted part of the dress, you'll have yourself a lovely skirt! This is an inexpensive way to expand your skirt collection. You just have to have a good eye for ideal dress-to-skirt candidates!