How-to: Faded and Jaded Denim Shorts
hello, dolling!
Welcome to this page dedicated to making our
DIY Jaded and Faded Denim Shorts
I published a couple videos on Youtube back in 2017 here, but it's quite old and low-quality so we have a new shiny one! Yay!!!
Here's the link to the new playlist, dollings!
This video series has four (4) parts:
So in this series, you will learn step by step how to make your own doll's denim shorts just like this one. I'm gonna teach you how I turned this into its faded state, as well as how to carefully distress some parts to give that ripped, worn-out look. You will also learn how to embellish to make it look like it has buttons and rivets.
Alright, let's look at the tools and materials I used in making this piece. Unlike many of my videos, I used a sewing machine to assemble this piece.
Here's a complete list of tools and materials that I used for this project:
Preparing the sewing patterns
- Doll shorts sewing pattern- Plastic tape
- Paper scissors
- Eyelet puncher (optional)
- Curved scissors (optional)
Tracing the pattern and Preparing the fabric
- Denim-looking light to medium-weight fabric- Light-weight lining fabric (I used pongee)
- pencil or fabric marker
- measuring tape
- anti-fray solution
- medium-sized paintbrush
- fabric scissors
Sewing
- sewing machine or hand sewing needles- matching thread
- pair of scissors for cutting thread
- thread for basting (preferably in a contrasting color)
- tweezer
- dressmakers' pins
- seam ripper
- doll for fitting
Fading the shorts
- Bleach- water
- plastic containers
- small synthetic paintbrush
- gloves and eye goggles for protection
- detergent to wash the bleached shorts
Distressing, Embellishing and Finishing the Garment
- Small sharp scissors- tweezer
- seam ripper
- clean toothbrush
- set/s of metal snaps
- matching thread
- hand sewing needles
- carpenter's nail
- (4) flathead pins
- quick-drying glue
- wirecutter
- long-nose clamp
- flat nose pliers
- kitchen tissue for wiping off excess glue
- toothpick for applying glue on small areas
Up next is our Step-by-Step Process.
As always, before you begin any doll clothing using atelierniSHASHA patterns, please prepare your pattern page such that it is on the right scale ;)
Here's a quick video for that:
Hmmm, I think we're ready!
Preparing the pattern and fabric
1. For this series, we are sewing for the curvy girl so I'm printing the appropriate pattern page. But even if you're making for other doll sizes, this printable instruction sheet still applies. As always, I use plastic tape to seal the edges before cutting.
2. Cut your patterns out of the page.
3. Make small cut-outs along the dashed lines for tracing later.
4. In this denim shorts project, I am using a lightweight fabric type which is best for flowy dresses and tops. This thin version is perfectly scaled for our dolls. So a tip for you guys - don't use those heavy, thick human-sized denim fabrics, okay? It's not gonna look nice on our dolls.
5. Trace the patterns. Using a 3B pencil, or anything you have there that glides easily and marks clearly on your fabric, we start by marking out our rolled cuff hem allowance. I use about 1.3cm or half an inch. This is the total allowance for when I fold my cuffed hem twice. The first fold is about 5mm, and the second fold is 8mm. 8mm then is what's showing as my final cuff thickness.
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| Please mind your hem and seam allowance. |
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| Front panels |
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| Lower sections of back panels |
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| Upper sections of back panels |
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| snap placeholder |
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| front pockets (2) |
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| back pockets (2) |
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| the waistband |
6. Apply an anti-fray solution around the raw edges of your seam allowance. I'm just using a synthetic paintbrush to spread the solution. If we’ve just met, and you have no idea what that solution is, it's basically just wood glue with some water to dilute. A watered-down version is easier to apply on fabric. I go for a milk-like consistency like this. Yep, super simple yet so effective.
7. Trace and apply the anti-fray solution to pocket lining pieces. I'm using a white pongee fabric. You can use other fabrics as long as they're thin and light.
8. Let these fabric pieces dry - perhaps at least 20minutes depending on your region's temperature and humidity levels.
9. Start cutting the fabric pieces, making sure your seam and hem allowances are of correct thickness. My typical seam allowance is 6mm.
So here you go, all the fabric pieces that we will need for this project. A waistband, a couple front panels, and their corresponding pocket linings, two back patterns, each with upper and lower sections, then that one snap placeholder. We also have two front pockets and another two back pocket pieces. Now, we're ready to sew.
Sewing the garment
10. Make the lining and the front panel face each other's right sides. Stitch along the pocket hem.
11. Sew the top and bottom pieces of each back panel.
Attach the snap placeholder to the right-hand side back panel.
12. Topstitch the front panel pocket hems.
13. Top Stitch the back panels as well.
14. Hem the back pockets.
15. Fold and baste the back pocket seams folds first, then stitch-baste to the back panels to secure.
16. Run final stitches along the sides of the back pockets. Remove the basting by first cutting it into small lengths. This is to avoid damaging the pockets.
17. Join all three pieces - the front panel, the back panel, and the front pocket, by the side seam or what the pros call the outseam.
Pin first on the bottom hem corner.
Then pin on the top corner.
Adjust and pin the middle of these corners to secure before sewing.
18. Sew the outseams.
Secure that pocket piece to the waistline seam allowance so it doesn't move.
Do the same on the other assembly.
Topstitch the outseams as well.
19. Next, join together the front center seam.
Pin first to get the corners aligned and secure.
20. Run a stitch along the center of the seam allowance.
This is because we will be ripping off half of the outer stitch we made.
21. Remove that length parallel to the inner stitch.
We are basically removing the seam so we are left with just the fold that will look like a zipper flap on the front.
We are basically removing the seam so we are left with just the fold that will look like a zipper flap on the front.
22. Cut slits along the curve, and fold the seam allowance, getting ready to topstitch our zipper flap.
23. Topsitch the zipper flap like this L-shaped topstitch that we see in human-sized denim shorts. I believe the purpose of this is to reinforce the zipper flap. Just does the same thing for our mini flap, right?
24. Cut slits along the curvy sides of the waist seam allowance.
25. After making sure that your waistband and the shorts assembly face each others' right sides, let's pin to secure the two at the seamlines.
26. Sew along the waist seamlines.
27. Cut off the extra side edges, as well as the waist allowance to avoid having a bulky waistband.
28. Fold, pin, and sew the side edges to secure.
29. Flip the corners, and tuck inside the seam allowance.
30. Pin that waistband fold.
Pin the cuffed hem fold as well.
31. Stitch along the pinned waistband and cuffed hems.
32. Stitch along the center back of the left-hand back panel.
33. Sew the bottom half of the center back.
34. Cut slits along the curved seam allowance.
35. Pin and sew the inseams.
36. Secure the inseam allowance flat to the sides.
37. Seal those pocket bags.
38. Let your model doll try on the assembled garment to check for fit and adjustments if necessary.
Fading/bleaching the garment
39. Using bleach, brush some on to areas that you want to distress. Let sit for a minute.
40. Dilute about a tablespoon or two of bleach in half a cup of water in a container, and submerge your denim shorts there for about 5 minutes, depending on the level of fading you want.
Wash your shorts well to entirely remove any bleach residue and let dry.
Embellishing
41. Once dry, find the super faded areas where you want your ripped parts to be.
42. Start with a small cut using a really sharp and small pair of scissors along the horizontal fiber of the fabric. Avoid cutting into any horizontal fiber as much as possible. If you cut into it, you're likely to create a hole in your rip, which is fine if you're going for it. I avoid it because I just want to remove the vertical fibers.
43. Pull out the small cut parts using a tweezer, a seam ripper, or even a clean brush.
44. Cut small slits along hems for an additional distressed look.
45. For the longer horizontal cuts, use straight-blade scissors.
46. Trim off some frays from the seam allowances inside.
47. Stitch in your snaps set.
48. Collect your embellishment materials. In this case, I used a small nail as my button and flathead pins as rivets.
49. Cut the shaft nearest to the nail’s head.
50. Cut a sharp edge on your flathead pins.
51. Insert the flathead pins.
52. Glue the nail’s head to where the button should be.
53. Clamp with pressure up to 10 seconds if you're using an instant glue like mine here.
54. Glue the flathead pins to their positions.
55. Clamp flathead pins with pressure up to 10 seconds if you're using an instant glue like mine here.
56. Cut the excess pin shafts.
57. Try to feel the back of the pins and cut off anything that feels sharp.
Check the rest of the garment for further adjustments.
So here goes our Faded and Jaded Denim Doll Shorts.
Let's grab my curvy model Aki and let's see what she thinks of our creation.
Welp, I think she's loving it.
Lastly, I hope you're loving what you've made too, dolling!
Really awesome job there!
Ahhhh, reminds me of that pair of shorts I had in college that I thrifted for only 10 Philippine pesos.
Yes, it cost me just the price of a piece of candy but I wore it to death because it was a really great styling piece (summer forever here in my country), and it was durable (I forgot the brand though but I think it had Japanese characters in its tabs)!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to reminisce the good old days, dolling.
I hope you enjoyed this sewing session with me.
Let me know what you think of this one, okay?
Lotsa hugs!
shasha
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