HOW TO MAKE A STAINED GLASS TRUCKER JACKET

DIYS
April 2020

Video of Levi's® Tailor, Jen Sharkey, wearing the customized stained glass trucker jacket she created next to an image of the laydown of the trucker.Video of Levi's® Tailor, Jen Sharkey, wearing the customized stained glass trucker jacket she created next to an image of the laydown of the trucker.

Meet Jen Sharkey, a Levi’s® tailor in San Francisco. She was recently out for a walk when something caught her eye—kids using sidewalk chalk to turn their grey driveways into works of art that reminded her of stained glass. She had an idea: What if she made a stained-glass Trucker Jacket?

Image of Levi's® tailor Jen Sharkey wearing a light wash denim western shirt, printed bandana, and holding a glass mug filled with coffee, a yellow straw and blue bandana wrapped around it.Image of Levi's® tailor Jen Sharkey wearing a light wash denim western shirt, printed bandana, and holding a glass mug filled with coffee, a yellow straw and blue bandana wrapped around it.

Jen decided to transform her Trucker using materials she already had at home. Then, she decided to tell us how she did it. Now you can create your own custom stained-glass Trucker. Just follow these steps.

Image of a folded blue denim trucker jacket with paint, paint brushes and neon colored tape laying on top.Image of a folded blue denim trucker jacket with paint, paint brushes and neon colored tape laying on top.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  • Trucker Jacket
  • 3+ Paint Colors
  • Palette and Brushes
  • Thin Painter’s Tape
  • Thick Painter’s Tape
  • Hair Dryer
  • Iron
  • Press Cloth

STEP ONE:

Tape your design onto your Trucker’s back panel. You can either freestyle or pencil in a template, then tape over it. Use thin tape for the pattern, and thick tape to outline your back panel.

Video of tailor creating a freestyle geometric design with thin yellow tape on a light wash denim trucker jacket.

STEP TWO:

Select three or more paint colors. Test them on the inside of your Trucker to see how they look when dry.

Image of grey, gold, silver, and black paint tested on the inside lining of a trucker jacket.

STEP THREE:

It’s time to paint that thing. Be sure to alternate colors. Use a thin layer of paint to get the washed-out, stained-glass effect.

Video of a Levi's® Tailor painting in the outlined geometric design they created for the denim trucker jacket by alternating between silver and gold paint.

STEP FOUR:

Hang your jacket until the paint is completely dry. If you’re looking to speed the process up, you can hairdryer.

Image of a green and purple blowdryer to help speed up the process of glitter and gold paint to dry quicker on the back of a trucker jacket.

STEP FIVE:

Remove the tape, then lay a press cloth over the paint. Now iron with high heat over the press cloth to lock in the design.

Video of thin yellow tape being removed from the back of a trucker jacket and the Levi's® tailor ironing the newly painted design with a layer of cloth to protect and lock in the design.

STEP SIX:

Add paint detailing to the collar, cuffs, or both, using the same prep, paint, and drying steps you used to paint your panel.

Image of the edges of a blue trucker jacket and a hand with multiple rings on it using a paintbrush to paint glitter on the edges of the jacket.

STEP SEVEN:

Try it on. Do a spin. You’re now the owner of a one-of-a-kind, custom Trucker.

Video of Levi's® tailor, Jen Sharkey, smiling while holding up her newly designed trucker jacket and putting it on.

We’ve got plenty of DIY projects for you to try at home. Check them out here.