You'd be surprised at what you can create from unwanted flotsam.
We can go over an example. Take this jean jacket I found abandoned. It started off as a mangled, gaudy mess. Firstly, I had to see if it fit and after that I figured that it was a good enough base to start off with.
To start, I got rid of all of the ribbons, plastic mirrored pieces, and all of the other excess until I had a pretty solid base. The first speed bump was that the front panels of the jacket didn't look quite clean enough. So, I picked up some denim fabric from Hobby Lobby that most closely resembled the fabric of the jacket to begin with even though I had already planned to add bleach detailing. After I let out the sleeves, added the sherpa (also from Hobby Lobby), and bleached the sleeves, I did some bleach brushwork on the front. Mind you, everytime that I did bleaching whether it was on the sleeves, front or the ombre on the back I was sure to rinse the jacket and dry it.
By the end of the process it still looked a little basic and needed "weight" on the front so I sewed on the "W" and use some E6000 to apply the American Peace patch. All in all it's an original that I had fun doing and to top it off the jacket itself was free. I think I only spent $20 to get it where it is now. Hopefully, you'll be inspired to go find some trash and make it your own. [...More photos below]
3 tips for D.I.Y. projects
1. DO with doing any kind of new projects or starting a new task, you always want to just get started. Whether it’s something that’s really trendy or something you’ve just always wanted to have. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Nothing goes perfectly 100 percent of the time. I fail all the time but truthfully I think that the process of attempt and fail builds my skills and my “what-not-to-do-know-how”. Once you know where your skills lie, you can better use them in your projects. Youtube can be your best friend when learning new skills. I only recently got back into sewing and Youtube honestly has been a gift. I don’t (and would probably never) consider myself a master seamster but knowing the basics has allowed me to create things that I see in my head and don’t want to spend duckets on. I will forever be a student in life and this attitude is really what fuels my passion project. Do, fail, and do again.
2. INSPIRATION There’s a reason why pinterest is the goliath that it is. Everyone is always looking for something to catch their attention. I never was able to grasp how to use the site so I tend to find “inspo” from things that I see. I ask questions like: I wonder if there’s a men’s version of this? Is there a way to make a headboard with this material, or what would this look like if I added bleach. In this process, you’re a bit of a scientist. Pull from the world and find things you like to try to transform them or create something completely new.
3. YOU the easiest part of any DIY project is to put your own personality onto whatever you’re doing. For instance, sometimes the tools I use for completing something may be unorthodox to others but to me it makes sense. I am a fan of painting and brushes. I experiment with these in a number of things. I hand paint cakes or like with this jean jacket; the bleach brushstrokes were completely intentional. Use your favorite colors or whatever peaks your senses the most. Nobody has to like it more than you do. This is not a world where you’re creating for the appeasement of others. You are the creator, originator, and the audience.
