Distressed Denim Overalls- An Overall Success!!

Humble Beginnings

We all start out somewhere, and these humble $2 thrift store rejects were nothing special, but they were a perfect start for this distressing experiment.

I like the idea of taking an ugly duckling, and at least turning out an owl or bluejay.  These were not badly worn, and not expensive enough that I was worried about messing the whole thing up.  It was very freeing!  I have been wanting to try my hand at denim distressing for quite some time- this was a perfect starter project for me.

I used several different 'tools' on my project. I liked using a cheese grater the best, I could rub away the most fiber the fastest- however I also rubbed off a little of my knuckles as well! I used some 180 grit sandpaper to age the edges along the pockets and bib, and my handy seam ripper was great for adding tears.



I have been saving and cutting up my families old jeans to make a rag quilt, and I used some of the 'saved' pockets to add dimension to these bibs. The patches on the knee and vestback are from an antique 'cutter' quilt I have been looking to use on something- I love the worn out look of the quilt pieces with the distressed denim! On both the front and back quilt patches I set them from behind, so the ragged edges of the denim would add to the look.

One note on bleaching spots- I found that using a regular cotton ball worked the best. I could control the amount I squeezed out onto the fabric better than using a sponge. Anyway, it is what worked for me.

I made the Ticklish Moose applique patch out of some leftover creme-colored flannel, and added it after I bleached the denim and distressed the pocket.  The neat thing is that I know these will continue to wear and age and just keep getting better with time.   

Distressed in the New Year

Not me- just having some fun with a pair of overalls I purchased at the local thrift store for $2!  I don't think there is any way to 'mess them up' in the distressing process, but I did a little research on methods of distressing, which I have added on the blog.

I love the idea of upcycled clothing, and taking some things that would normally be cast offs and making something fun out of them!  I have combined a thermal shirt and skirt to make a great 'bag lady' dress- these are my favorite style of dress.  I wear the 'bag lady's' around the house all of the time, and if I am feeling especially shlumppy I even wear them to the market.  I found that if you look like you're crazy, people pretty much leave you alone.  Humming or singing "mahna-mahna" or "kumbya" pretty much guarantees a trip to the store without being harrassed from the kiosk salespeople. 

I will add some pics, but I am really excited to unleash some pent up energy on the destruction and recreation of these unsuspecting overalls!  Maybe you can find some inspiration in these links, and add some creativity to an article of clothing you have lying around!

How to Make Distressed Jeans: 8 steps (with video) - wikiHow

How to Make Distressed Jeans: 8 steps (with video) - wikiHow