DIY CUSTOMISED NEXT DENIM SHIRT - COMPETITION ENTRY

Next are currently running a competition among bloggers to customise a Denim Shirt so I thought I would share my entry.

After looking on Kirsty's blog (fashionforlunch.net) I was pretty inspired to create my own interpretation of her gorgeous DIY Patched Denim Jacket. To buy ready made these jackets end up crazy expensive so I think it's a great opportunity to really personalise something to your own taste and save some money in the process.

Initially my idea was to jump onto eBay to order some sew-on patches. I probably would have ordered some Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Johnny Cash and Guns'n'Roses style patches but it soon became apparent that all the ones I like would take a few weeks to arrive and I wouldn't have been able to customise it within the deadline. I jumped onto Pinterest and made a board full of customised denim inspiration that I liked.

I decided that I would work with what I had, and got the idea to reuse things I had been keeping for one reason or the other. It's not overly trendy, and it might not be perfectly executed (I'm no seamstress) but I decided to customise my denim shirt using bits and bobs from my daughters old clothing and baby bits that I had kept because I liked the pattern or the memory.

Because I'm pregnant and have an ever growing bump I decided to customise just the upper half of my shirt. This way I can easily tie it up for comfort, or style it with a belt above my bump to make it look a bit more flattering. I loved the really grungy biker style denim jackets that I pinned on Pinterest but studs and spikes just aren't toddler or baby friendly so I searched for different options.  

When searching for inspiration I was really drawn to the patches. Since I couldn't buy any I decided to carefully cut two images from a pair of Indie's first jeans that I had kept (funnily enough they were actually from Next). I used fabric glue to add a denim backing and make it look a little more like a patch and then sewed them onto each arm. It pains me to say that both patches took two attempts, both times I sewed the patches right through both sides of the shirt meaning I couldn't fit my arms through the sleeves! Ah well, they say you learn from your mistakes.

I had a few of Indie's triangle bandana style bibs kept because I really loved the print of the fabric so I decided to cut one in half and sew it on either side. I really like the way it turned out. I think when the bottom of the shirt is tied up it looks quite like a cowgirl jacket because of this print.

I then unpicked the stitching from the pocket of Indie's jeans and used it to cover one of the pockets on the denim shirt. I've got a photo of her first rolling over wearing these jeans somewhere so it's a great memory for me to remember. I also replaced the original button with the button from her jeans, waste not want not!

I wanted to leave the back pretty plain so I just added some elasticated lace along the seam of the shoulder. I think it looks simple but nice.

Something I did really love the idea of was bleaching denim using stencils to create a pattern. I found a photo on Pinterest here and was all ready to give it a go but unfortunately because of my nausea and sickness that I'm having with baby number two, the smell of bleach was just too much for me to handle.

Lastly I cut the waistband off a pair of Indie's teeny tiny trousers and sewed the multicoloured band on the other pocket.

I'm quite happy with my final result and it's something that I can keep to remember Indie's teeny tiny clothes.

Maybe I can add some more teeny tiny clothes in the future when baby number two is born.

For more entries visit the Next Bloggers Network.