Monday, April 5, 2010

Twenty-Three before Twenty-Four: SIX.

This sixth 'significant thing' was quite significant (...like mega). For some reason, I made this project over-complicated at times, and I had to set it aside more than once for the sake of my sanity. However, with coffee and the Fleet Foxes as my constant companions, I finally completed my sixth significant thing...

Barley's Knickers!!!

These knickers started out as a pair of Dickies' from a Goodwill in Langhorne, PA and a twinkle in Barley's eye. When I visited in February, I brought them home with me to start the transformation.
T-Diddy helped me out a couple times (thank you!) with measurements, because these were mostly a surprise. I also had just a few random measurements from Barley to work with. From those, I decided to cut off about 8" from the bottom of each pant leg. I deconstructed those legs and used the fabric from them to make cuffs.


After taking the front and back panels apart from the cut-off pant legs, I ironed the pieces and seamed them together to make a longer piece for the cuffs.

Hosh agreed to try on the knickers probably twice during the process. He's closer to Barley's size than I am, but let me tell you...he is NOT a fan of straight pins. I begged and begged him though a couple times and got him to help a sista out! After he tried them on the first time, I marked the inseams and slimmed the legs up a bit.

From the time I started these knickers, I knew I wanted to include a couple things, and some hand-stitching was one of them. Something about embroidery is really fun for me (I say as I look longingly at a current project featuring just that). I don't like patterns (I HATE patterns), so I don't use them when I stitch things. This first part ("Barle") took all of about 10 minutes.

The "Y", as you can see, posed more of a problem. I just wasn't happy with it the first two times I stitched it. (Yes, I tore out the "Y" twice before I decided I liked it.)

After I finished the cuffs and made (sort of) slits in the outsides of the legs, I pinned the cuffs onto the bottom. This was difficult...flat cuffs, curved pant leg. Ha.

This picture was taken in my car on one of my lunch breaks at work. By the middle of this project, I had a kit all put together to take back and forth with me wherever I was headed so I could work on it during my spare time. During this particular time, I was sewing on buttons. I didn't leave any of the original buttons on the pants.




The night before I sent the knickers on their way to Perkasie to find Barley at home, I put them on and took a few pictures, just in case this was the last time I saw them. =)

This is Nessie and he is way cooler than the Dickies' label that was there before I ripped it off. Also, this was copied from one of Barley's tattoos.

Finally, after over a month and a half of having these pants in my possession, the knickers are successfully complete and with their rightful owner.

Barley wore the knickers today (!) and sent me the following pictures as well as the following texties throughout the day. =)
Barley (10:24 am): THEY FIT GREAT
Jecca (10:28 am): Woot woot! I'm so happy.
Barley (10:30 am) Im so freakin sexy today. Holy crow.

Barley (11:41 am): These are so comfy!!! :]
Jecca (11:46 am): I slimmed the legs a bit. :)
Barley (11:47 am): Delicious

Barley (1:02 pm): IT SAYS BARLEY ON THE LEG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jecca (1:03 pm): You just now saw that. You're amazing.
Barley (1:05 pm): I just rolled up the cuffs to show the stripes on the inside and i saw it- lerrv lerrvv leerrrrrrrvv!
Soooo, there you have it--Barley's Knickers!!! They (ultimately) made me happy (even though they drove me insane a few times).

Lots of lerv to you, bloggy buds! Thanks for reading and following.
And lots of lerv to you especially, Barley. This Bud's for you. =)

*P.S.- I'm still taking suggestions for my list of significant things. There are at least 17 more things to do!*

Also, don't forget to submit your entry for my coffee contest! All entries must be submitted by Saturday and the winner will be announced on Sunday. Woot woot!!!

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