From Vintage Linens to One-of-a-Kind Paganoonoo Carol Jacket

There’s a special kind of magic that happens when you give old textiles new life. Recently, I finished a Paganoonoo Carol Jacket that began as two mid-century cotton tablecloths and a set of embroidered dish towels.

Now there is a joyful, story-filled jacket that carries both history and personal style!

The Finished Jacket

Here’s the jacket in its final form. I love it! 

The model is Carol Worthington Levy, for whom the jacket is named. She is the graphic designer and dear friend who helped me translate the Carol design into a PDF pattern format that can be printed at home or sent to a copy shop. It is my first Paganoonoo Pattern (the rest are tutorials). 

Although I didn’t make the garment specifically for Carol, it fits her perfectly and she looks beautiful in it. I'm going to gift it to her — how could I not?  They are meant for each other.

Choosing the Materials

Speaking of gifting, lucky me, Candy Olson gave me boxes of vintage textiles some years ago that included these tablecloths. I've been thinking about what to do with them.  I noticed that Patternreview.com was having an upcycle sewing contest—perfect!

I picked out these two mid-century cotton tablecloths for the body and front band, and a set of vintage embroidered dish towels for the sleeves. To tie in the sleeves, I appliquéd motifs cut from the linens, plus some swallows I had printed on Spoonflower (a fabric printing service).

Double Check your Vintage Materials

Vintage linens often come with quirks — frayed edges, stains, holes, fading, fraying, worn spots, etc.

Turns out for one of these tablecloths the print wasn’t centered, which meant the white edges varied in width — I did not notice this at first. To prepare for cutting, I did what I usually do: align all the edges, smooth out any bumps and folds.

Luckily, I wanted to make sure that the corners and edges of the colored print matched up.  I put a pin in the corner of the colored corner and pushed through to the second layer and looked to see if it matched the corner on the other side — No! It turned out that the white border was ½" off. 

I needed the printed centers to match. I explored with the pin until I had both corners matched up. I realized I would need to pin down the whole colored edges to exactly match before I could cut a pair of front panels. It took extra time and careful positioning, but those kinds of challenges are part of the fun.

There were also small holes in the tablecloths and a frayed edge on one of the dish towels. I fixed this with patched mending.

Cutting & Planning the Layout

The Carol Jacket pattern is loose-fitting, unlined, and works beautifully to highlight the complex patterns on a vintage tablecloth (it can be made with old jeans, dress shirts, or vintage cutter quilts too). To maximize the tablecloth designs, I made a few changes:

Almost added a beetle,
but did not.

• Split the back piece into two pieces with a center seam so I could include as much of the colored sections as possible and cut out as much of the white center as possible.  I wanted each side to be symmetrical.
  
  

• Added patching to the top of the sleeves (harvested from the tablecloth) because the dishcloth was mostly plain.
  
  Added giant rick-rack to the cuff — purchased years ago and I've always wanted to use some! It seemed like a perfect mid-century accent.   

• Widened the front band to show off the beautiful geranium border print, applying it with an overlap & topstitch instead of the usual right-sides-together method.  Stitched on by hand the day of the contest deadline because I was on post-surgery bedrest!

• Added appliqué birds on the sleeves for extra detail and movement.
  
  

Construction

The pattern itself is easy to sew, with only the band intersection being slightly tricky. You make a clip in the back shoulder seam — to the stitching line to release the fabric, allowing the band to be applied continuously.

Problem-Solving with Creativity

Uneven prints, narrow borders, unexpected stains — these are all part of sewing with vintage linens. Instead of seeing them as problems, I accept and visibly mend them, or let them guide my design choices. In this case, splitting the back seam and widening the band turned limitations into highlights.

Using Vintage Textiles for Garment?
...OK or NOT?

In the sewing world, there’s an ongoing debate: Is it okay to cut into vintage textiles? Quilts, tablecloths, and hand-stitched linens often carry deep history, and some people believe they should remain intact, preserved as they are.

I respect that perspective — but I also believe textiles are meant to be lived with, worn, and enjoyed. Too often, these pieces sit folded away in drawers, unseen and unused. By reworking them into garments, we can bring their beauty back into daily life. This is especially true for damaged textiles — we can salvage what is usable.

Based on the increasing numbers of upcycles I see done with vintage textiles on Pinterest and Etsy, I think there are others who agree. I’ve also noticed the prices of vintage textiles on eBay and on Etsy are rising, but I don't see anyone using them as originally intended.

For me, upcycling is a way of honoring the original makers by giving their creations a new life. When I wear garments made with vintage linens, I feel like I’m carrying those stories with me, while also adding my own.

The Joy of Upcycling

Every time I finish an upcycled garment, I’m reminded why I do this work:

• To rescue textiles that deserve another chapter
• To honor the handwork and design of those who came before
• To create unique clothing that can’t be bought off the rack
• To use existing resources rather than purchasing recently manufactured goods (greener choices)
• For the sheer joy of creating!

This Carol Jacket isn’t just a garment — it’s a celebration of history, craft, and creative reuse.

About the PatternReview Upcycling Contest

I entered this jacket in the annual PatternReview Upcycling Contest, which challenges sewists to transform existing secondhand garments and textiles into something new. #prUpcycleRecycleReuse

It’s always inspiring to see how creative the community gets with upcycling — from shirts and jeans to curtains and quilts. If you’re curious, you can visit PatternReview’s contest gallery to check out all the entries (including mine).  Voting is open September 3-10, 2024. You must have been a PatternReview Member for more than 90 days in order to vote.  (You could vote for mine! 😁) 

You...

Have you ever tried sewing with vintage linens? 

What treasures have you transformed? 

Share your stories in the comments — I’d love to hear them!

Next? 

I’m guessing this project sparked ideas! 

Want to make your own? The Paganoonoo Carol Jacket PDF pattern is available as a digital download. 25% off through September 14, 2025.  

This casual, unlined jacket is inspired by the Japanese hanten style, with a wrap front that hangs closed without buttons or ties. Two upcycle-friendly versions are included: one made from dress shirts (using the original cuffs) and one from denim jeans (reusing hems).  It is easily adapted to vintage linens, quilts and a variey of textiles. 

Offered in tiled PDF for home printing or full-size for copy shop printing, it’s suited for advanced beginner or intermediate sewists.  

There are also other upcycle tutorials to explore: Visit Paganoonoo on Etsy or our website.

See a trunk show of Paganoonoo garments and find out more about our upcycling methods. Watch this Video.

Want even more inspiration? See my collection of upcycling pins on Pinterest — garments and accessories. 

Happy Upcycling!  Michelle Paganini