#RefashionFriday Cargo Pants to Vest Refashion

It’s the first Friday of the New Year and the first #RefashionFriday!

It’s pretty obvious I love sewing, and over the years I’ve dabbled in all different variations of sewing. Lingerie, Active Wear, Basics…etc., but the category that has always been close to my heart is refashioning. With every refashion I do, I feel a better sense of accomplishment than some regular apparel project. My creativity is tested, my environmental heart is happy, and I am always blown away by the response my pieces get.

When I share refashions, I’m often asked where my ideas come from or how others can start refashioning. I’m no expert in the field – but there are some aspects of refashioning I take seriously, and I wanted to start a new series to showcase my latest refashions, refashioning ideas, and your makes!

My (personal) refashioning rules:

1. Make it wearable. When I used to hear the word “refashioning”, images of patchwork and franken-pieces came to mind. My refashioning style tends to steer away from pieces that look refashioned, and one of the ways to avoid this homemade look is to reference fashion from today!
2. Don’t cut up precious vintage. I love fashion, and know a good, valuable piece when I see it. If it looks vintage, or has a hefty price tag in the store, do a little research before deciding to chop it up (the same goes for designer pieces).
3. Keep an eye on today’s styles & shapes. I am always window shopping my favorite stores to see what pieces are not only selling in real life, but what new styles could fit into my everyday wardrobe. I’m on Modcloth.com & Anthropologie.com constantly!
4. Don’t be afraid to keep it simple. Refashioning doesn’t just mean transforming a piece into something unrecognizable. It can be as simple as hemming, taking side seams in or adding/removing sleeves!

Refashion:

Today’s refashion is a direct copy from Chickie Walsh – yes I get inspired by other makers all the time! I loved her version of cargo pants to vest and had the perfect pants to experiment with.

I bought these cargo pants a few years ago and had a really awful shopping experience to get them. Long story short, it was a pain to have them delivered, and when they arrived, they didn’t fit properly (the waist is way too big). Because of the hassle, I decided to just keep them, and over the years they’ve gotten some wear, but I’ve never been in love with them. I replaced them last year with a handmade version, but still didn’t get rid of the original. After seeing Chickie’s version, it all just clicked.

For this refashion to work, it was all about strategic cutting. I wanted those side cargo pockets right on the front, so the top halves of the pants were the front. This meant the bottom of the legs had to be the back. I ripped the seams in the crotch and all the way down the inner legs. I then chopped the leg pieces in half, having two waist and upper thigh pieces and two bottom pieces. Using my Kelly Anorak Pattern, I cut out the jacket front pieces from the pant tops, and the back pieces from the lower legs. I chose this pattern because I already knew it fit and I liked the style. The Kelly Anorak also has yoke pieces, which I needed since my pants didn’t yield enough fabric for the vest.

I bought this amazing vinyl from Joann Fabrics a few months ago to make purse straps, and spared a little of my two yards for the front and back vest yokes.

I didn’t want to add closures to my vest since there was already so much action on the front, the thought of inserting snaps or a zipper felt like a huge project so I added a drawstring around the waist, like in the Kelly Anorak. I also made the drawstring out of vinyl, a little tough to insert, but I love the look.

Since my vest doesn’t have a lining, and I didn’t want to leave any raw edges, the neck and armholes were finished with fabric binding left over from pant scraps. Almost every bit of the pants were used up! (My awesome cactus shirt was a gift from my mom!)

Inspiration: 

Today I have a few winter refashion-inspiration photos to share to get those creative juices flowing! It’s a breezy 10 degrees here in Jersey today, so I’m all over the warm weather styles.

Give those hole-y jeans from summer a makeover with hand stitching and flannel inserts!

Have a few sweaters laying around that just aren’t doing it for you anymore? Sew them together! Sweater refashions are so common, but for a modern take on it, keep it simple! Basic colors, and combining just two pieces can make the look clean.

Do you have a pair of cargo pants that need a makeover? Need a little more fabric than what you have to work with? Try a large piece of lace or chunk of sweater over the back like in this jacket.

This #RefashionFriday will be a regular series, I’m hoping 1-2 times a month ( always a Friday! ;]  ) Have you done a recent refashion? Send photos and details to trish@trishstitched.com to be featured! And follow along my refashioning finds through Pinterest!

{Side note: I am totally aware there are other bloggers who have done “Refashion Friday”; I googled the title after coming up with the name and writing this post, but I’ll be putting my own twist on it – hope you will follow along!}