Welcome back! In this post I’m going to talk about another sashiko based project I completed earlier this year. I started with the basic problem of: How to reuse old jeans? Tbh, it is one of my favorite things I’ve ever made, and I enjoyed the process almost as much as the final project 🙂 While I didn’t document the step by step process I hope to share my general approach so you can attempt something similar if you want.
Material
A little background on me. Over the last two years, I’ve lost around 70 lbs, which has of course left me a lot of items of clothing much too large for me. I’ve got quite a few bags worth of nice clothes earmarked for donation, but I had accumulated quite a few pairs of jeans that I had worn through, patched, and worn through again. These obviously weren’t fit to be donated, but I kept them thinking I could up-cycle them somehow.
I also had accumulated a few very old cotton button-down shirts a pair of worn-out cotton pants that I planned to use as well. (Note: I did end up having to buy about a yard of new cotton fabric for part of the lining due to incomplete yardage from my old clothes.)
For the embroidery – I used DMC No. 8 pearl cotton embroidery thread for this project because I had it already at home. I believe actual sashiko thread is preferred and works best, but I would have had to buy more materials and didn’t think it was strictly necessary when the cotton thread I already owned needed to be used.
Style
As I was deciding how to utilize my plethora of denim, I ran into a problem: I wasn’t a big fan of the aesthetic of reused denim. Whenever I browsed Pinterest I largely saw more traditional western patchwork, which of course isn’t objectively bad, just not for me. Fortunately, this put me off using the jeans for anything for a while and by that time I had accumulated 4 pairs of worn-out jeans.
I had already been intrigued by sashiko embroidery, and done some small projects practicing the technique. It was through learning more about the technique that I ran into the practice of boro-mending, and the beautiful, traditional Japanese garments produced by this running stitch method. The common indigo dye used in Japanese fabric production reminded me of my stacks of unused denim, and I realized this may be the perfect use for my unwanted clothing.
I decided to use the historical kimonos I had seen produced by this patchwork method as inspiration for choosing a form for my jacket. However, I am a beginner sewist! This would be the first garment I had attempted to sew since making gym shorts in middle school. I knew I needed to find a simple pattern to make this a doable project but complicated enough that I would learn some garment construction basics. In the end, I chose the now discontinued Unfolding Jacket pattern from Wiksten.
Note: This pattern has created quite the controversy over the years in regard to accusations of cultural appropriation. It was first named the Kimono, then the Haori (as pictured here) and has since been renamed again to the Unfolding jacket and discontinued. I believe the objections have been that to name the jacket either Kimono or Haori without the pattern reflecting the true, Japanese definitions of these garments was appropriation, and I respect this point of view.
I debated posting this project at all for fear that what I was doing was appropriation as well (using a Japanese embroidery and mending technique along with a Japanese-esque silhouette). However, I decided to proceed with the added disclaimer that I am still learning about the cultural context and rich history of sashiko and boro-mending and plan on continuing to do so. I chose this pattern because I was a beginner, it was accessible, and it was the type of silhouette I love. It is not my intention to claim I am an expert in Japanese dress or embroidery techniques, and greatly respect this beautiful technique and it’s proper place in Japanese material culture. I have A LOT of work to do on my technique and understanding and I hope to learn more from Japanese experts such as 刺し子 & Sashiko Story.
Method
My basic strategy was perhaps a little un-traditional as I understand boro-mending, which is a form of patchwork, covering holes developed in fabric over time with new pieces and reinforcing with the running stitch. I used sashiko embroidery as a piecework method instead, overlapping denim a few inches using the running stitch method to create pieces large enough to constitute a full pattern piece.
Construction
Step 1
Deconstruct jeans (cutting around thick seams, pockets, and hardware) and take stock of the resulting usable pieces of fabric.
Step 2
Layout fabric with pieces overlapping by a few inches and pin into place.
Step 3
Lay pattern pieces over fabric and cut out.
Step 4
Use sashiko stitch over the few inches of overlapping denim to securely hold the pattern pieces together.
Step 5
Use pattern pieces as usual and construct the garment per the patterns instructions!
For the lining, I managed to get full patter pieces out of my old shirts/pants/a bit of new cotton so no piecing was necessary. I just followed the pattern.
Final Thoughts
I had some puppy helpers along the way, and I’ve got to say I love the end result. I am so excited I figured out how to reuse old jeans in a way to match my personal style!
In terms of the Wiksten Unfolding Jacket pattern: I found it easy to follow as a beginner. I am, however, the type of person to take on slightly more ambitious projects than my existing skill level would normally allow and learn new techniques as I go. If you are brand new and that isn’t your style of learning, perhaps start a bit simpler. I made the size Medium, and wish I had made the size Small, but I still love it 🙂
