DIY denim jumper

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A few months ago I pulled an article from Nylon Magazine, entitled "Jump To It", sharing how to turn a pair of jeans into a jumper. I packed the article away in my binder of magazine clippings and this past weekend I decided it was time to pull it and tackle the project. I borrowed my mom's sewing machine, had her give me a quick refresher course (I hadn't used a sewing machine since Jr. High!), and dove in. I had a fabulous time getting into the groove of sewing and, granted, my seams are crooked, my diamond is crooked, and my straps are crooked but that's no surprise coming out of Crooked Shmooked, is it? I love how the jumper turned out and know you'll love the project as well. I modified Nylon's instructions as I felt they left a lot of things unexplained for the beginner. I hope you enjoy the project and let me know if you get a chance to complete it!

SUPPLIES:

[ ] Jeans [ ] Large safety pin [ ] Tape measure

[ ] Scissors [ ] Thread and sewing machine...

[ ] ... or strong hands [ ] A tasty snack- sewing is hard work!

1.) Measure 15"- 17" from the top of the jeans (depending on how long you want them, remember: they will be cuffed) and mark it with a piece of chalk. Then fold the jeans in half so that the legs match, and cut straight across.

2.) Take the bottom of the shorts and cuff them twice. Match the seams before sewing so that you can sew right on top of the existing thread. I chose not to sew the cuffs up in case I decide I want them to be longer one day.

3.) Take the two legs left over from the original pant and use a ruler to draw a 1 1/2" line from the inside seams all the way down the legs. Cut along the marking. These strips will be the back suspenders.

4.) Take the remaining outside seams and cut along either side to make spaghetti straps.

5.) Turn the suspender pieces inside out and sew the open sides together, and sew the straight end closed. Once you've finished sewing, clip a safety pin to one end and pull it through to turn the suspenders right side out.

6.) Pin one end of each suspender to the inside back of the shorts to figure out where you want them to cross. Sew a diamond shape at the point where they meet, then sew the ends inside the waistband.

7.) Take the spaghetti straps and stick them slightly inside the open top end of the suspenders and sew them in. (Note: the spaghetti straps will have raw seams on both sides. I just pulled at the loose threads to fray them a bit and then cut the long threads off.)

8.) Try the shorts on to figure out how long you need the straps to be. You may either tie the free end of the spaghetti straps to the front belt loops or if you don't want the ties, you may secure the free end to the inside of the waist band and sew into place. Now put them on and flaunt your DIY work!