Rita's Jeans Challenge

Emails from Bonne & Jan: (these two women are VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE)

From Bonne:

Hey Rita,
How about some clues from you??? Jan & I have shown you some bits and pieces of where we are going with ours, but what direction are you going with yours?

You know Jan, if we ever did do a Martha Pullen challenge it would be the perfect inspiration to use that pleater I just had to buy because you had one!!!! Then there are all those wing needles we could use..... you know there may be a future Expo challenge depending.... Rita you are aware of our challenges, but did you also realize we have a sewing -machine, tools, patterns, gadgets, embellishment- competition of sorts as well? I mean I certainly can't let Jan having a cool sewing item and not have my own :-) Bonne

From Jan:

Ya rita, some clues - we WANT clues!!! I mean we were generous with our pics - we NEVER see anything like that between between bonne and I on our challenges!! No patterns, no nothin'!!! And bonne, you would bring up the pleater! ha ha! I love heirloom stuff and have almost every book from martha............maybe?!!!! jan... trying to find some thread......could ya send me some blue.............or red, or bright green..............more clues.....no zipper tho! I really need thread now that you mention it.......

Rita: Gheesh...pressure, pressure...it looks to me like the two of you are actually SEWING something fabulous out of the recycled jeans. Whereas, I'm more of a "put three pair of old jeans together to make something new" kinda girl....

BUT -- HEY -- you two are doing the RIGHT THING when it comes to shopping for sewing innovations at the show. I LOVE a little competitive shopping, babe! Our vendors bring their newest, latest, hottest stuff -- and WE MUST BUY IT so they can come back next year with more bounty!!

Okay -- here's one of my first jeans-redo-project pics. I cut out the embellished areas of two different pair of Goodwill jeans. If you scroll down -- you'll see I've been "fraying" away the edges...it's a nice "television" activity.

Maybe I've taken it too far, eh? The fringe is about 2" long so far and I JUST CAN'T STOP...(can you see the cute little reverse applique peaking from the underside of the denim?) Hummm...what's my next step?

And right now, my biggest problem is that I can't actually ZIP the recycled pair of jeans I was gonna restyle....

Well -- I may have to insert a gusset for my butt...(it's not like THAT would be a new experience...)

I wonder if "butt gusset" is an actual sewing term??