Tuesday, May 13, 2014

New Favorite

As a result of my attempt to not spend a fortune on new clothes, I have been re-vamping some of my old clothing. A pair of mid-calf Capri pants fell in my radar. I cut them off and made Bermuda shorts. It was very quick and easy. Now, I don't have photos of the actual process but the process is fairly simple.  Scroll down below the photos to find the how-to steps.

I wore the pants last summer but didn't really feel that great in them. Now, after hemming them into shorts and adding some whimsical dots, they are my new favorite shorts! I could wear these every day and probably will end up destroying them this summer from constant use. I would love to see your version of this project!



top ~ Kohl's 
shorts ~ Goodwill (altered by me)










Bermuda Shorts

Supplies
  • pair of pants
  • pinking shears
  • pins
  • sewing machine
  • coordinating thread
  • paint marker
  • iron




1. Find a pair of Capri pants that fit through the seat and thigh. I found a pair of Gloria Vanderbilt Capri pants at Goodwill for $3.50. Put on the pants and take a pair of chalk and make a mark just above one knee. Take off the pants and lay flat on the floor, taking care to smooth out any ripples in the material on the front and back. 

2. Using a pair of pinking shears, cut a straight line across the leg of the Capri on your mark. Place the cut piece on top of the other leg and cut again, using it as a guide. Following me so far?

3.  Turn the hem under 1/2 of an inch and press with iron. Turn the already pressed hem under 3/4 inch and press. Now your raw edge should be folded inside the hem. Pin the hem so it doesn't slip. Try on the pants and make sure you have the desired length. (If it is too long, then unfold the hem and cut off an inch and repeat the steps.)

4.  Going slowly and carefully, sew a 3/8 seam around the leg opening. Remove the pins. If you want, sew another seam just above the first seam. Use the edge of the pressing foot as your width guide. 

5. You can stop here and just enjoy your new shorts or you can take it a step further. Using this tutorial as my guide, I added white polka-dots to my pair. I messed up in a few spots with the paint pen, uneven line and a few paint rings around the dots, but as the saying goes "it wouldn't be noticed from a trotting horse."





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