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DANIELLE RUDY DAVIS

Just an overcommitted girl trying to keep up with it all. Mom of three, co-owner of Lemonade PR, sports lover and F1 enthusiast always counting down to the Kentucky Derby. 

Styling: DIY Pom-Pom Denim Shorts

Jul 10, 2014

cut-offs  cocktails
When it comes to getting crafty, I fall squarely on the aspirational side. If you follow me on pinterest, you may see lots of DIY inspiration but when it comes to actually making stuff – I really want to but rarely actually do. #aintnobodygottimeforthat

But then maternity leave happened and my DIY schedule opened up a little bit so I was game when Sauza asked me to get crafty and whip up a pair of jean shorts (or if you prefer, jorts). So I made myself a little margarita and got crafty (drinking and crafting may sound like a bad idea but it actually made me chill out on trying to get everything perfect and then getting discouraged). Lately I’ve been on a bit of a pom-pom kick (me and everyone else it seems) so I thought it would be fun to embellish a pair of shorts with a some of the preppy trim. I love lace embellished jean shorts so I figured pom-poms would be just as sweet. For once, I was right.

I’ll keep the writing short so we can get down to the directions but it’s worth noting that I took a little bit of a shortcut when it came to crafting my own jorts. Unlike this guy, I bought my jorts pre-made but it would be just as easy (and more economical) to make your own pair from an old pair of jeans (pick a pair that are a little too big now – they’ll make for the perfect loose/relaxed jean shorts).

Materials & Cost:
* White and Denim Cut-Off Jean Shorts from Target: $15 per pair x 2 =  $30 total
So I bought these two pairs in a size 9 thinking they would totally fit. Yeah, I was wrong. It’s going to be a couple more weeks before I actually get to wear these. My b.

* 2 Yards Each of White and Teal Small Pom-Pom Trim from Jo-Ann Fabric: $4.99/yard -x 4 yards = $20 total
There are two sizes of pom-pom trim. I went with the smaller, more petite version which I thought would be easier to work with and would be less likely to snag or get messed up. This one is similar but it will be easier to find in the store.

* One Pack of Stitch Witchery No-Sew Tape from Jo-Ann Fabrics: $3.99 total
* An Iron
* Wet Rag

DIY Pom-pom Denim Shorts * Lou What Wear * DIY Jean Shorts (9)
Oh and a cocktail…obviously. For this easy at home margarita, I mixed Sauza Blue Tequila with Sparkling Limeade and garnished with berries. Delish!

Get Crafty:

Step One: Measure out the pom-pom trim to the leg opening on your shorts. Give yourself an extra half inch or inch JUST IN CASE. DIY Pom-pom Denim Shorts * Lou What Wear * DIY Jean Shorts (8)Step Two: Get all your gear together on your ironing board. Turn on your iron to the Wool setting. Truth be told: my iron just has numbers (they go up to 6) so I set mine around 5. After a few rounds, the hotter temperature worked best. DIY Pom-pom Denim Shorts * Lou What Wear * DIY Jean Shorts (7)Step Three:  Starting at the crotch, measure out enough of the Stitch Witchery tape for the back end of the jeans. I figured out after doing a couple pairs that starting at the seam in the crotch is the best way to hide the overlap.

Place the pom-pom trim over the tape. I used the stitching on the jeans as my guide but I would just make sure they were high enough to adhere to the jeans but low enough to hang out a little over the fringe. Don’t be worried about the tape that’s not attached to the fabrics messing up the jeans, it will melt away.
DIY Pom-pom Denim Shorts * Lou What Wear * DIY Jean Shorts (6)Step Four: Get a damp rag and place it over the fabrics. I used a standard kitchen rag. I found that the adhesive worked best when the rag was really wet. After a few failed attempts, I ended up heading back to the sink for each round with the iron.

Hold the iron down on the fabrics for at least 10 seconds but more like 30 seconds. DO NOT run the iron back and forth instead pick it up and move it from section to section. Peel back the rag and check the trim. If it hasn’t fully adhered, reapply the rag and hit it with the iron again.
DIY Pom-pom Denim Shorts * Lou What Wear * DIY Jean Shorts (5)Step Five: Continue on the front of the jean shorts using the same technique. Don’t forget to re-wet the rag in between each ironing session. Make sure to pull the leg taught to ensure there are no gaps or weird spacing issues.  DIY Pom-pom Denim Shorts * Lou What Wear * DIY Jean Shorts (4)Step Six: Continue until the trim meets up. You can have it overlap a tiny bit to make sure there is total coverage. Also, if there are remenants of the stitch tape, wait until it cools are peel off.

Tip – If there are any sections that didn’t stick, just measure out a small piece of the Stitch Witchery, slip it under the trim, place the rag on top and go at it again with the iron. DIY Pom-pom Denim Shorts * Lou What Wear * DIY Jean Shorts (3) Step Seven: Flip the shorts inside out and run the iron along the trim again. DIY Pom-pom Denim Shorts * Lou What Wear * DIY Jean Shorts (2)Step Eight: Flip the shorts back, let them dry and VOILA! You’ve created an adorable pair of embellished pom-pom trim denim shorts. Enjoy! DIY Pom-pom Denim Shorts * Lou What Wear * DIY Jean Shorts (1)
cut-offsYou know you want to pin this.

So what do you guys think? I thought about possibly adding a little of the extra trim to the back pockets or the tiny front pocket but in the end, decided against it. I preferred the simple look but if you wanted to go all out, I think it would look cute especially on the white pair. I’m pretty happy with how they turned out – now I just need to fit into them (poor planning on my part).  Louisville gals, these would be perfect for Forescastle Festival next week.

If you decide to make a pair – let me know how it goes in the comments or tag me in a pic of them on Instagram.

Ever think you could make jorts with a cowboy? Here’s your chance to meet a man who crafts his heart out. Okay, so maybe he’s not the best DIY-er. But what he lacks in cutting skills, he more than makes up for when he makes the perfect Sauza-rita. Watch him in action for ideas for your next ladies’ night in: http://bit.ly/1juaLln.

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  1. Hollyn Baron says:

    I am OBSESSED with the idea of crafting + tequila! Love it!

  2. Love these shorts! very cute idea!

    madeinmauve.com

  3. […] Danielle updates her denim shorts with this fun new detail in this great DIY over on her blog, Lou What Wear! […]

  4. Monique says:

    Oh my I am just in love! I adore pom-pom everything and DIYs … I can’t wait to try! Thank you for sharing!
    Cheers, Monique
    Casually Chic by Monique
    Find me on: bloglovin’ & facebook

  5. […] one of these projects…(*insert alleluia chorus here*)! Awhile back I saw this super cute DIY Pom-Pom Denim Shorts tutorial by Lou What Wear, and I felt good about it. It was cheap, I already had most of the supplies on […]

  6. […] all the tassel and pom-pom trimmed pieces out right now. Last year, I used that inspo to create these denim shorts but this year I’ve left the DIY behind (because now that maternity leave is long gone, […]

  7. […] You know you’ve been on Pinterest and without even thinking about it, added a pair of pom-pom trim anything to a board. Okay deny it all you want to but I will freely admit my love of all things pom-pom trim.  […]

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