Remember the pants that wouldn't quit? I think they did.
My readers who have been with me for a while (since last October, to be specific) will remember the pants I posted about last fall. If you're the sort that won't click on links, the Cliff's notes version is that I got a pair of mildewed khaki pants for free, bleached them, Sonia wore them for 3 seasons in varying ways, and I predicted that Zoe would also get 3 seasons out of them, which would make me ridiculously happy. Now you're all caught up. 😉
As I predicted, Zoe did indeed wear them all winter, and by this spring, she was tall enough to wear them as capris, with a few cuffs at the bottom.
She's been sporting them this way all summer.
But the other day, something bad happened to them.
The fabric had just gotten so soft and worn, it split apart at both knees.
And that's not all. The fabric around the corners of the pockets has started to sprout holes as well.
It's possible that I might find time to turn these into a skirt the way I did with a pair of my pants and a pair of Lisey's pants (I could cut the knees off and I know how to mend the holes by the pockets), but I'm thinking it's fairly doubtful that I will get around to it.
So, I think these pants have met the end of their useful life.
Goodbye, faithful pants. You have served us well, especially considering that you cost $0.00.
It's a bad sign when the weight of the fabric causes the fabric to rip. I suppose it's possible that if you make shorts of these, the decreased weight would allow her to wear The Pants That Wouldn't Quit a little longer, maybe. OTOH I bet they'd make lovely soft rags.
If she were a teenager, those holes would be MANDATORY!! I say let her keep wearing them!
I agree with Liz. However, a little apron, maybe a little purse made out of the pockets? If nothing comes to mind at least save the buttons and zipper.
What about patches near the pockets? The thing about old jeans is that they are so much more comfortable than new ones. My grandma could never quite get the jean shorts thing down.
I love that last picture of Zoe!
Re-invent them, Colorful patches appliqued on the holes, use more than one in an abstract layout and zigzag on. For the pockets....darning the corners will strengthen the area, cover with lace across the top or add some buttons.
Typo in the title of the post!
Your daughter looks very pretty in the last pic...
Oh great...now you have something to go into the broken pink laundry basket!! He he
I say leave the holes in the knees, too, or find some cute appliques for patches. Reinorce the other areas from the inside.
Reminds me that when I was in college I had this wonderful pair of white painter's pants--that is until I dropped some sort of greasy food on one leg of the pants with orangish spots climbing up the leg that no amount of bleach would help. So I got some fabric paint and painted a clown at the bottom of that leg with a big bunch of balloons. I painted over the spots going up the leg with more single balloons, as if some had escaped the bunch. It was really cute and I wore those pants for a few more years--until they really went out of style.
There is never enough time for all the projects we could create to make use of something.
And the last picture is truly precious. It really makes me covet your lens! And some quality time with my camera!!
It's possible the bleach weakened the fabric, so it will keep deteriorating. But look at all the use you got out of them!
I am just now reading this post, and I see the picture of the hole by the pockets. My husbands favorite jeans have these types of holes in the back pockets and I really don't know how to mend them. Can you please tell me how to go about doing that, or maybe refer me to a link that can talk me through it? Thanks and I LOVE your blog!!