Today's consumer, of which I include myself, gets bored with things faster than they can become unusable. Old socks and T-shirts are usually used as dishcloths, but what to do with high-quality and expensive jackets and down jackets?
Before introducing the reader to the ideas of remaking old jackets with your own hands, I will tell you about kurpacha.
The exotic word means rug-blanket-mattress. It came from Central Asia, where such a product has been a household item for centuries.
First, the master quilted a layer of cotton wool, first beating and fluffing the natural fiber. Then a cover made of silk, velvet or cotton was put on the resulting mattress for the upper, front half. The bottom surface of the cover was always cotton. A thin soft mattress was sometimes additionally stitched with threads.
They sat on kurpachi while eating and talking, and slept at night.
In Russian culture, the closest relative of kurpacha was quilted cotton blankets.
Such things are still preserved in Russian families and serve faithfully.
Here are some remakes of old jackets based on the kurpaca technique, hopefully they will inspire the readers.
Children's play and bedside mats
If the size and style of the down jacket allows, use the largest parts. For a small rug, the back of the product is enough.
Draw the desired shape with chalk and cut it out. It is better to seal the edges with braid or bias tape; a tied edge also looks good.
- If there are several jackets and they are small in size, for example, for children, overlap the pieces into fabric of the required size.
- Then cut out and sew a cover made of natural fabric from two identical halves, leaving an unsewn part of 20-25 cm.
- Place the voluminous piece inside the “bag” and sew up the hole.
- Now machine stitch or hand quilt the lines of the pattern.
Kurpachy in a European style
Europeans did not like colorful fabrics, but the idea of kurpacha seemed promising to them. For several years now, multifunctional rugs in the shape of leaves have not gone out of style:
The original product can serve as an interior decoration, a bedside rug, a bedspread, or a blanket. It is convenient to roll it up and take it with you on a picnic. With its help, you can protect the children's area: if the baby falls, the synthetic padding layer will soften the blow.
We recommend: How to clean a leather jacket and restore its shine at home?
European “kurpachas”, unlike Central Asian ones, are easy to wash. They are often waterproof. If you accidentally stain the product, it will be enough to wipe off the dirt with a damp cloth.
For mountaineering tourists
It happens that you have at your disposal not just a down jacket, but an entire mattress or duvet. Don't rush to waste this treasure on trivial pillows. Sew a real down sleeping bag!
In general, approach the issue creatively. Put the item in front of you and look closely at it: does this piece of outerwear inspire you to transform it into something beautiful? If not, take it to the trash or to a charity. Perhaps someone will be happy with such a gift - don’t be greedy.
Kurpacha - what is it?
The exotic word came to us from Central Asia. Kurpacha is a quilted mattress that simultaneously serves as a carpet, blanket, bed, and chair. People sit on it during meals at a low table, lay it on a trestle bed or the floor. We can say that in the east, mattresses replace furniture. They give the body real relaxation, create comfort and coziness.
The bright little thing seemed to have stepped out of the pages of the fairy tale “One Thousand and One Nights.” It has a centuries-old history. Kurpachy symbolizes the wealth and well-being of the family. Traditionally, they are sewn by hand from khan-atlas or panvelvet. For the back side, colorful cotton fabric is used. The filling is cotton, which is quilted, beaten and quilted again in a fabric cover.
Kurpacha's closest relatives are Russian quilts. Many families still use them to this day. Thanks to a special technique of execution, they serve faithfully for decades!
Stool seat
Even a sewing novice can handle sewing a seat on a chair. To sew such a seat, you can use both the upper and lining fabric of the product.
We will need:
- tape measure;
- scissors;
- tailor's chalk;
- sewing machine;
- for fastening: buttons or contact tape.
Procedure:
- Measure the dimensions of the stool and cut a square of the appropriate size from the base of the jacket with a seam allowance of 1 centimeter.
- Sew the pattern blanks, trim the edges and decorate the resulting cover at your discretion. Fill with padding polyester.
- Come up with a way to secure it, it could be a sticky fabric base, buttons, ties, etc.
Second life of house slippers
The only thing that definitely won’t be useful when creating old-new slippers is a zipper from an old jacket. Although it can become part of the decor, the main thing is not to overdo it. So, for new slippers you need to cut out the necessary pieces of material according to the template. Usually they take it from the sleeve - it’s more convenient. The sole is left the same, or thick leather is glued to the bottom. It is important that you didn’t have to “fly” on it later. The upper part of the slippers can be of any color, style and made of any dense material.
How many types of bags
Clutches, backpacks, shopping bags - if you look closely at their cut, you can easily notice that they consist of leather squares and rectangles. And their handles are made of the same material. The only question is in what mood the master approached their creation. The main thing here is to start cutting up an old and essentially no longer needed jacket. It will not be worse. But even a beginner can sew a clutch or bag. Nobody limits it either in time or in design. And let it be, for starters, a burgundy bag with a black snake and an orange fur strip along the edges.
Unusual headband made of ties
A stylish hair accessory with a bow is what will be popular in the summer of 2022. We suggest making it yourself from scrap materials.
We will prepare the following materials:
- two ties;
- scissors;
- hoop;
- glue;
- clamps.
Choose a tie to decorate the hoop and cut off the narrow edge.
We thread the hoop into the tie and cut off the second part.
We glue the edges of the tie on the hoop and use clamps for better fixation.
We use the second tie to create a beautiful bow. To do this, cut off a wide part of the material.
Glue the edges of the tie and leave it for a while.
We give the workpiece the shape of a bow.
Cut another part of the first tie to secure the bow.
We connect all the details. A stylish and unusual hoop is ready.
New clothes
If the original purpose of a down jacket as outerwear is not relevant, it makes sense to experiment. Imagination and skillful hands will help you transform it into other wardrobe items.
Vest
It’s not difficult to make; even a novice craftswoman can handle it. To do this you need:
- Carefully tear off the sleeves at the seams.
- If necessary, cut the bottom to the required length, separate the hood and pockets (they can also be used, but more on that later).
- Cover the raw parts with trim, trim or tie.
- “Hide” existing abrasions under applique or other decorative elements.
@secondstreet.ru
By the way! It is better to crochet a newly made vest. In order to have something to “catch” the loops to, it is better to first sheathe the edges. To do this, it is advisable to use the same threads as for tying, threaded into a darning needle.
@korfiati.ru
Skirt
It will turn out warm and practical, and if you try, it will be beautiful. It can be made long or short, straight or flared, with a zipper or buttons. It all depends on the length and width of the source material, as well as on the imagination of the needlewoman.
Warm trousers for children
They are perfect for winter walks; they are comfortable to ride downhill in, even without sleds or tubing. Need to:
- rip the down jacket at the seams;
- attach the finished pattern to the canvas (you can use other children's trousers);
- trace the pattern;
- cut and stitch parts;
- sew on an elastic band and finish the bottom of the legs.
Important! It is better to cut trousers one or two sizes larger so that they do not restrict movement.
@kloomba.com
Stylish windbreaker
Most often, the top of a down jacket is made of water-repellent and airtight material. By removing the filler and shortening the product, you can get an autumn windbreaker. It will be light, but will perfectly protect from rain and wind.
It is worth considering that after removing the down, the product will increase in size, so it will have to be adjusted to fit the figure: sewn in on the sides, trimmed or rolled up the sleeves.
@ceciliestaerk
Other useful things from an old down jacket
In addition to clothes, you can make a lot of practical things from it that will be useful in everyday life.
Pillow
For its manufacture, the filler left over from converting a down jacket into a windbreaker will be useful. It is placed in a bedspread made from a small piece of durable fabric. Linen, calico, denim, velvet are suitable - the choice of material depends on the function of the product (applied, decorative).
Cushion under the head
It is usually used when traveling. It “hugs” the neck, thereby providing complete rest and even sleep in a sitting position. To make it, you can use, for example, sleeves from a down jacket:
- insert one sleeve into the other;
- place a medium-hard wire in the middle so that the roller can be bent;
- if the volume is not enough, fill it a little tighter with what you have at hand (cloth scraps, filler, etc.);
- carefully sew and trim the ends.
You can make a cover for the roller from a breathable material that can be easily washed when it gets dirty.
