It's easier than it sounds! There's always a simple way to manipulate clothing to take the shape you dream of.
Yes, some pieces require more time and love than others, but this is something anyone can do! I'd rate this tutorial for someone who has a Level 1 skill level (so knowing all the basics!) about sewing with a sewing machine.
You can also do this by hand sewing, but know that will take about 3x as long to complete because you want to really ensure you're securing your elastic band!
Okay, with that, let's see how I transformed my dad's 90's corduroy jacket into a short puffy bomber!
Le Materials You'll Need
1 inch or 2.5 cm elastic band
Pins (about 20 will do)
Sewing machine
Or, the will to hand sew (hehe)
FIRST: Play and Pin
First, try the thing on! You'll want to figure out how you'd like your piece to look on you.
When I asked my dad if I could steal his corduroy jacket forever (and, one that he never wore), I envisioned what I wanted it to look like on me, before I sewed that babe all up.
You can do this by playing around with the shapes your jacket makes (depending on the fabric. Thicker and more sturdier fabrics will hold a bubble bomber jacket shape better than a loose or thin fabric.
Then you can figure how much you want to shorten the hem before you start pinning it. After you pin your new hem, you can see how the fabric would naturally fall if you were to sew it!
For my jacket I folded the hem about 5 inches upward, to see if I liked the length of the bomber jacket for my height.
(I'm a little under 5'5 or around 167cm. The jacket's length was about 32 inches, 81 cm before I made it into a bomber jacket. After I sewed the babe up, it measured about 27 inches, 68 cm from collar to hem).
NEXT: Stretchy Time
After you figured out what you want the jacket to look like, how high you'd like the elastic band, etc. it's time to grab your elastic band!
If you have a jacket similar to mine, then you can follow the steps below. But things to consider when you're sewing a new hem on different fabrics and styles, is how it will affect current buttons, zippers, pockets, or the way you close your jacket, etc.
TIP: Button/zip your jacket or piece when trying it on after pinning it, to make sure it'll close!
THEN: Secure the Stretch
The next step to sewing the elastic band is creating an X inside a ▢. On each side of the elastic band, sewing an X inside of a square can secure the band as it pulls, expands, and contracts over time.
After you determine how far you'd like to raise the hem, pin it or mark it with clothing chalk, so you can see where the elastic would fit in the new seam.
The safety-pin makes sure you don't loose your elastic band as you snake it through the other side! (Peep my reel, to see how I did it—I used a lot of pins hehe.)
Overachiever Tip:
I wanted this to be quick, so I didn't secure the elastic with the usual 5/8 hem. I just raised the hem 5 inches and added the elastic in there—bam. Done.
But if you want your hem to look a certain way, you can always hand sew the elastic and the 5-inch hem, to the lining of the jacket (this will make the X and ▢ on the elastic and the 5 inch hem invisible to the outside of the jacket), and sew the 5/8 hem with a regular sewing machine (so only the smaller 5/8 hem will be visible from the outside of the jacket).
Once you sew the X in the ▢, it's time to sew down the ends and secure the other side of the elastic then sew the sides of the hem.
And, Done!
Close the loose ends on both sides of the hem, that are now holding the secured elastic, like shown above! If your piece is oversized, then you can finagle how you want the bunching to look and then slap that babe on, she's done—time to style!
Enjoy babe!
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