pictures of the process of blue jeans::My name is lesley chandler and i am a selftaught, mixed media artist from big spring, texas pictures of the process of blue jeans

pictures of the process of blue jeans::My name is lesley chandler and i am a selftaught, mixed media artist from big spring, texas.
Although i have a bachelors degree in nursing, i do not have a formal education in art.
I spend most of my free time exploring many art techniques through online tutorials such as this one, magazines, and my own experimentation.
I would love for you to come by later and visit my blog listed below in the resource list.
I am so excited that i was invited to share the techniques for making this altered denim skirt.
It is quite an honor to be here.
My love for art can only be compared to my love for teaching others the many techniques i learn throughout my creative journey.
Back to this altered denim frida skirt.
I have loved frida kahlo since i discovered her a few years ago.
I am so exposed to the mexican culture, living here in west texas that this might be one reason why i am drawn to her work.
I have always been very interested in the mexican culture too.
So, everything about frida and her art captured me.
Altering a pair of denim jeans into a skirt is quite thrifty and earth friendly.
I have also noticed altering denim jeans is all the rage right now.
People from every walk of life are reinventing their old jeans into wearable pieces of art.
I have seen jeans painted with stencils, jeans with rhinestones all over in fabulous patterns, jeans with extensive embroidery work and fabric transfers that rock!
There are so many possibilities.
Maybe we are just bored with plain old blue denim!
But a good old pair of blue jeans is hard to give up and you should not have to.
Tonight i am going to show you how to take an old pair of jeans and reinvent them into a piece of art you can wear proudly.
Turning jeans into a skirt is not a new concept.
This is a technique i picked up some where in my creative journey and i have adapted the technique to my liking.
If you are a rigid annie you are going to have to relax a little because my techniques are anything but rigid but the outcomes are both durable and attractive.
Note: i am using a different skirt for the tutorial pictures since i did not take pictures of the process while making the freda skirt.
Embellishments of your choice to decorate like fabric transfers, rhinestones, beads, found objects, embroidery thread, fabric paints.
Tip: you will need a large, flat work surface like a table or the floor to work on.
Use a good seam ripper or sharp pointed scissors to open the seams on the legs.
Now you need to open up the groin area a little bit because you are going to sew it down flat in the next step.
If it does not lie flat across the opposite leg, then you probably need to open up that seam a little more.
You just have to open the seam a little and check to see if it will lie flat.
Now pin that area that you opened up in step 3 and stitch it down with the sewing machine.
You should do two separate stitches much like the ones they do with jeans to make it more durable.
Slip a piece of newspaper in between so you can outline the triangle.
Use your newspaper pattern to cut out the fabric you have chosen for the front of the skirt.
Slip your fabric triangle in between skirt and stitch it to the denim from the front.
Use two seams for durability.
Repeat steps 57 for the back.
This is my favorite part of making these skirts.
Usually by the time i get to this point, i have already determined what my theme will be.
I find all the embellishments and create the fabric transfers that go with the theme.
I find charms, other fabric pieces, contrasting embroidery thread and have it close by.
I play with the composition of all of my embellishment materials and finally decide where everything should go.
This can change throughout the creative process as any artist would understand.
About the fabric transfers.
I buy the june tailor colorfast sewin inkjet fabric sheets.
All you have to do is follow the instructions on the package!
There is a link to that in the resource list below.
Hem your skirt and press it and go show it off!
Tell your friends where you learned how to make it!