My Grandfather’s Jeans

After my last blog post, a friend asked if I wanted to upcycle an old pair of jeans found on the bottom of his pile of work clothes. I asked if he would like me to make him a hat, but he doesn’t wear hats. However, he is a new grandparent and I thought his denim could be the beginning of a baby or toddler’s reversible bucket hat. A memento from grandfather to granddaughter.

Paint spatters, oil stains, and tears riddled the pants, but I managed to find enough good-enough fabric to work with. There remained dark staining at the back of the piece cut for the hat brim. Lately, I have been intrigued with Sashiko and Boro-inspired stitching (an ancient Japanese method of visible mending), so I decided to disguise the stain with some decorative hand stitching. The stylized embroidered flowers and floral fabric give a nod to the child’s grandmother, an avid gardener. Finally, I couldn’t resist tucking in the Levis label, a reminder of the origins of this bucket.