Release the Chains!

Upcycle worn and preloved jeans with parts you might have overlooked. Some of the most creative work with denim upcycling comes from using jean parts that are often overlooked.

The denim material found inside the hems and seams of jeans are usually different shades of blue and may have texture and even stitch holes. It may be from wear, washing, sun or even manufactured that way.

Deconstructing denim by taking out seams can be frustrating or fun, depending on how you react to it. Some people find it slow and frustrating while others find it therapeutic and meditative.

Did you know that 90% of all the different sewing stitches in the garment industry are either chain or straight stitches?  Both are used in the manufacturing of jeans, so learning how to easily unstitch them as part of “deconstruction” is useful.

Typical gold thread is used for chain stitching in jeans.

This diagram is helpful to see how the top and bobbin threads make a chain stitch.

If you are unpicking a straight stitch, get ready for a lot of work. Focus on the stitching on just one side and unpick about every third stitch with a seam ripper. When you finish, the thread on the reverse side will simply pull out and quickly unravel when tugged on.

For the chain stitch, it is much easier to unpick.  Of course, the key to this is a simple trick that must be mastered first. Follow these two steps, or just skip right to the videos to see how it is done.

  • First – begin on the fabric side that has the single thread seam. This is the needle thread, not the one from the bobbin.  Use a seam ripper to cut a few stitches out.
  • Second – turn over the fabric to the side that has the looping thread which is the one that was in the bobbin. This thread will be released in just one direction, so the trick now is to decide which direction it will be released. Pull up and try both ways. It should unravel quickly and easily.
  • Finally, look at the following two short videos and it will be much easier to see how to master this final part:
  1. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLauZFCmajE     by Angela Woolsey
  2. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFbFLiULdy0    by ClothTechVids

Now that you know how to unpick a chain stitch, you can use this technique to upcycle your old denim jeans into something new and fashionable. Upcycling is a great way to reduce waste and create unique pieces that reflect your personal style.

By upcycling preloved and worn jeans, you can contribute to slow fashion and reduce waste while creating unique pieces that reflect your personal style.