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DIY:denim jacket with leather sleeves

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  • tomatous
    Banned
    • Jan 2009
    • 446

    DIY:denim jacket with leather sleeves

    I figured I would try my own hand at making a denim jacket with leather sleeves. I had set out to accomplish two things with this side-project, extra long slim sleeves (to accommodate my albatross arms) & 100% hand construction of the sleeves.

    My last project (aside from some jewelry) was the leather gloves I made.

    Materials needed:

    Old denim jacket: I found some beat up levis denim jacket buried in my parents closet. Cut the sleeves off.


    (save these sleeves, as we will use them to make the initial pattern, before altering it!)
    Two packets of RIT black dye, one packet of Brown:

    Velcro tape: Invaluable in securing the sleeve to the shoulder while sewing it in place. I found this rudimentary tool perfect for keeping the leather from moving all over the place.
    2 Goat skin hides: Premium buttery soft goat skin. Not too thick, not too thin - bunches very nicely on the arm.
    Leather sewing awl:
    2 x hand leather sewing needles:
    1 spool of black rayon thread:

    Step one, paint it black:


    2 parts black, one part brown: Ideal for a black dye bath when dyeing anything navy in color. I also used some touch up black fabric spray paint, giving the jacket that "overpainted feel"



    Step 2: Rinse out the excess dye after letting it bathe for a few good hours.

    Here is a before and after shot of the color..


    Not as black as I had expected, but much darker than that bruised blue..

    Step 3: place a goat skin hide under the severed sleeve, then trace the pattern with a stanley razor, and make adjustments as you please for sleeve length. Also keep in mind, that you will be tapering the sleeve as you sew, unless you would like a levis balloon sleeve.

    Step 4: Use the velcro tape on the outside of the leather and inside of the shoulder seam. Box stitch around two times at the shoulder to re-enforce this area. (once the stitches are in place, remove the tape from both.)

    Step 5: With the Velcro taped sleeve in place, pull the leather through the jacket. The idea here is to create an invisible singular seam running down the back of the arm. If you stitch the leather together inside out in this manner, this can be accomplished.


    be sure to cut any excess leather outside of your seam.

    step 6:Taper below the biceps. be certain to make adjustments along the way, as you could make the sleeve too slim..


    Step 7: Sew all the way down the arm, until desired arm length is met. Fold off the ends with a few stitches, and repeat these steps for the next arm.

    ta daaa

    Last edited by tomatous; 07-02-2010, 08:11 AM.
  • zamb
    Senior Member
    • Nov 2006
    • 5834

    #2
    interesting.........
    the photo of you wearing the piece looks rather nice, i would love to see a better picture of it.

    Also, did you decrease the shoulder width? I know those jackets come with a wider shoulder than the fit you would be used to in high end clothing...............
    “You know,” he says, with a resilient smile, “it is a hard world for poets.”
    .................................................. .......................


    Zam Barrett Spring 2017 Now in stock

    Comment

    • tomatous
      Banned
      • Jan 2009
      • 446

      #3
      Thanks Zamb,

      Im still working on a "everything by me" waywt. I'll take some better shots of it then.

      The jacket was one size too small for me to begin with, so by removing the sleeves, I opened the shoulder area to my imagination.

      The leather sleeves are attached farther in than the actual shoulder seam, making it appear as if I have some sort of leather shirt on underneath the denim vest.
      Last edited by tomatous; 07-01-2010, 11:54 PM.

      Comment

      • mack
        Junior Member
        • Mar 2009
        • 29

        #4
        this looks awesome tomatous.
        the color turned out really well imo. especially from what it was to begin with.
        i have had trouble dying using black before. often times i got a purple-ish color, but the mixture of the black with denim is really nice here.

        i would also like to see some better fit pics aswell. but from what i see here, this is a great DIY.

        and much respect for the hand sewing construction. Having hand sewn a couple things myself i know it takes much patients.

        Comment

        • diorowen
          Senior Member
          • Aug 2010
          • 415

          #5
          looks very nice!!..congratz..
          haha..not long after you make the jacket, your parents ask you,
          " do you see my favourite levis denim jacket?"
          still trapped in my juvenile state

          Comment

          • thaiison
            Senior Member
            • Dec 2009
            • 197

            #6
            I like how the jacket looks cut-off as well, good teasing picture!

            Comment

            • tomatous
              Banned
              • Jan 2009
              • 446

              #7
              Thanks mack, dio and thaiison!

              I managed to take a better fit picture. I'll get more of it as the temperature continues to drop

              Comment

              • Test
                Senior Member
                • Dec 2008
                • 196

                #8
                Very nice work. Something I've considered, especially after the Odyn V one came out. Already referred someone to this, thanks.

                Comment

                • ryuatmn
                  Junior Member
                  • Dec 2011
                  • 14

                  #9
                  I'm actually midway through a similar project myself. I know I'm a little late but would you mind telling me if you used any lining on the leather sleeves at all?

                  Comment

                  • tomatous
                    Banned
                    • Jan 2009
                    • 446

                    #10
                    I didn't use a lining

                    Comment

                    • ryuatmn
                      Junior Member
                      • Dec 2011
                      • 14

                      #11
                      Due to the nature of the leather, didn't that make the jacket a bit tiresome to put on when wearing something long-sleeved? I only ask since most of the stuff I'd be wearing it with would most likely be long-sleeved. Thanks for responding anyway.

                      Comment

                      • tomatous
                        Banned
                        • Jan 2009
                        • 446

                        #12
                        Guess that depends on how tight you make your sleeves. I have slim arms, and have had zero problems getting it on or off. Hope that helps.

                        Comment

                        • ryuatmn
                          Junior Member
                          • Dec 2011
                          • 14

                          #13
                          I just presumed the inside layer of the leather would be suede, making it tricky to slide on and off against other fabric. No worries! Thanks a bunch man, you've really helped me out.

                          Comment

                          • pennickNY
                            Junior Member
                            • Jan 2012
                            • 25

                            #14
                            -Ryuatmn

                            You should definitely line it, my jacket as posted under Elk leather jacket, is very tight, and I haven't gotten around to lining it yet (but still wear it often) and the sleeves are a huge annoyance, since I always wear hoodies or long sleeve knits under.

                            Comment

                            • ryuatmn
                              Junior Member
                              • Dec 2011
                              • 14

                              #15
                              I thought it might be. I'm aiming for the same long, slim sleeve look both you and Tomatous have. That jacket of your's is amazing looking might I add. Do you think I would be able to just source the leather from an old goatskin jacket to use? That way it'd be pre-lined. I'm having quite a bit of difficulty finding anywhere I can actually get a feel for the leather "irl" as it were.

                              Comment

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