As most people already know, I'm all about the Do It Yourself lifestyle in most every sense of the word. At the same time, I can definitely appreciate the quality and craftsmanship that goes into a well-designed often-times expensive garment. I usually don't mind paying a little more money for exactly what I want. However, I much prefer an article of clothing that I can say that I customized and/or created.
One such garment project that I recently completed consists of what was originally a Topman denim jacket that I purchased a few years back in Chicago. It's been through quite a bit and the light blue look has turned into an all out bleached/washed out look. One hot New York summer day, out of desperation and heat exhaustion coupled with the fact that I didn't want to find a new button and rivet for the cuff, this garment was transformed into a vest:
Topman Jean Jacket
The second piece to this project is a military standard issue uniform hood from the Field M-1943 uniform initially rolled out to U.S. Army troops in Italy in 1943:
Field M-1943
I came across a bin of these hoods in a Brooklyn thrift store. My only regret is that I didn't buy the entire bin. At the same time, due to age, and the war time conditions under which these garments were worn, it was hard to find a piece that didn't already have too much "character (ie. Holes, and questionable stains that I don't think anyone wants to know the true story behind).
apologies for the emo expression
I originally planned to attach buttons to the interior of the vest's collar to line up with original holes of the hood, but instead opted for a more permanent and less rain permeable option of sewing the hood into the lining. This would serve me better on the days that I enjoy long walks in the summer rain (which is more often than one might imagine).
And now a brief interlude featuring the sewing process:
the process
artisan hands
trying to get the line straight
And voila...the finished piece:
front view
not pictured, I added a new button to close the hood for wind resistance
All in all, I think that the piece came out nicely and it's given new life to an older piece in my wardrobe that keeps reinventing itself for. Maybe in two more years, I'll re-attach sleeves to it. On never knows.
As always, feel free to leave me praise or criticism in the comments section. Thanks for reading
My latest urban endeavor finds me in the house all day cooped up with a sewing machine and a dream, errr, or loosely formed idea of how to save $25 or more on a genuine leather camera strap for my new vintage Canon AT-1 film camera. Also, the idea of handcrafting my own pieces makes the labor of love that much sweeter.
I've recently been working on a secret photography project that will very soon come to fruition (more details on that to come later). However, since procuring this vintage camera, it was only right that the camera accessories have that same flair for eccentricity.
Enter: Vintage Black Leather Jacket
This jacket probably cost me about $10 while thrifting back in Chicago (I miss paying thrift store prices for secondhand items; it doesn't work that way here in NYc). Due to the broken zipper that I swore to have fixed before the first wear, this jacket was steal. Fast forward three years and this jacket has finally come full circle in its investment potential.
In an effort to preserve the numerous original panels from the jacket's designer construction made for some interesting fabric pulls.
Enter: Seam Ripper
Tedious process...
Having a functional sewing machine in your place is beautiful thing and great way to let your creative juices flow for a couple of hours. I've got access to 3 of these devices in my home. I've never had formal training in how to use these but that's never stopped me from doing anything in life. Learn as you go. My best sewing tips to share so far: steady your hands and move slow until you develop your technique.
Machine work:
Finished Product:
I'm looking forward to sharpening my sewing skills so that I can repurpose more of the remnants of my leather; stay tuned.
