While I was at the thrift store the other day I saw a not-so -lovely navy blue leather trench coat.
Isn’t she lovely. I have never sewn with leather before, but the leather on this coat is so beautiful and in great shape. I have been craving a cropped leather jacket and this seemed like the cheapest way to get one. So I came home and ripped it apart with my trusty seam ripper. I had to cut a lot of fabric away from the collar. I added a zipper, and took the sholders in quite a bit. I chopped the sleeves off. Then I topstitched around the whole thing which my machine did NOT like.
I LOVE this jacket, there is something about wearing leather that makes you feel really cool and amazing! I am going to use this as my “allready owned piece” for the pattern review mini wardrobe contest. I did this contest last year and had so much fun! I am going to make the following
- Maxi dress out of a big floral in bold fall colors
- Red kind of skinny corduroy pants made with uncut corduroy (love the stuff it is so soft and almost velvety.
- A lace top, I think with some sort of peplum
- A pencil skirt made out of a camel colored knit
I am giving myself an extra challenge this year and drafting all my patterns. I hope it all goes well, I am almost done with the maxi dress so hopefully I can keep on track.
montanachic 
What an awesome refashion! And you probably have enough of that leather left over to draft a whole other jacket at some point (or pants, or a skirt).
amazing transformation ~ you are so good !
WOW. You took something hideous and made it look amazing and brand new! I would have never thought of that. You’re really quite creatively talented…this could totally go on Project Runway:) Also, the pieces you’re going to make sound awesome, and I don’t even know what half of what you said means (perplume?). Looking forward to it!
omg I totally LOVE this! I’d rip it off your back and wear it in a heartbeat! The piping detail on the front is just fantastic, too.
And you remind me that I’ve still got 3 navy skins in my stash from Global Leathers in NYC… 🙂
Really really cool….love all those stitching lines….wondering, are you going to top stitch the edge of the sleeves?
Oh and you look totally hot in the pics…love the rip in the knee! haha!
Karen, totally awesome jacket. I want one of those circle tops!!!!! So glad you are sewing again and looks like you and Audrey are having a great time! They should have a parent/child edition of project runway.
What a great update for that piece! It has such great seaming but it was totally obscured by the giant dated collar. Love it.
!!!! this is a chic little jacket! i love all the changes, the removal of the collar, the shorter sleeves, the swingy look to it. i think the vertical pin-tucks look really special in this sleek design! love it!
Woah! This is Rockin’ !! Truly fabulous refashion–Bravo!
This is AWESOME! I love how you kept the tucks, and it is TOTALLY cool! 😀
… now I want a cropped leather jacket. /sniffle.
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You did an amazing job with the jacket! I sew but I can barely work out how you did it – plus I would never ever think that it was “home sewn”.