Fringe Denim Jacket DIY
I love the idea of adding simple embellishments to staple clothing pieces to make a statement. And fringe, especially, has been on my list as of late.
Don't get me wrong, patches and embroidery projects are good options too. But I thought fringe would give this stiff jean jacket a lot more movement.
And now that's it's finished, I want to fringe ALL of the things! You really can't even tell that the fringe was added on after the fact because it's tucked into the seams.
Yield: 1 jean jacket
Materials
- jean jacket
- chainette fringe trim
- denim thread that matches jacket threading
- sewing machine
Instructions
Match the thread.
- Choose a thread that matches the thread of the jacket.
- I used denim thread (this exact one), which is the yellow thread commonly used on jeans. It matched my jacket perfectly.
- Typically the seams of jean jackets (and regular jeans) will have flat felled seams.
- Which means you can open up just one side and easily fit the fringe underneath, then stitch it back up for a clean look that will look like you bought it that way.
Measure and cut fringe.
- Measure and cut the fringe for each arm and the back panel of the jacket separately (so you'll have 3 pieces of fringe).
- Set aside.
Open the seam.
- Next, use a seam ripper to carefully open one side of the flat felled seam.
- You want to to open the seam closest to the edge NOT both stitch lines.
Insert the fringe.
- Insert the fringe under the opened seam. Pin it to keep in place / prevent from moving around.
Stitch the seam closed again.
- Then use your sewing machine to stitch the seam closed again (with the fringe sandwiched in between), trying to hit on top of the old stitch line as you sew.
- Basically you're recreating the original stitch line to make make it look finished again.
Repeat these steps.
- Repeat these steps with each arm and the back panel separately.
- We added a second layer of fringe of a different color fringe to the back panel to make it stand out. And kept the arms just one fringe color.
Notes
Something to Note about this Project: You can definitely attach the fringe straight to the jacket without opening up the seams if you want. BUT I think it looks a lot better to have a clean line.