I'm a big fan of anything Rudy Jude and might have a little obsession with founder Julie O'Rourke, her talent, her self-reliance, and her home.

I've had my eye on the Rudy Jude Utility Jeans. They're timeless, indestructible, and seem to simply get better with age.

The pant drops only happen a couple of times a year, and even though the description and measurements are very detailed and it seems you cannot go wrong when choosing your size, I've simply been too scared to make the investment.

I also noticed that they pop up on resale websites like Poshmark after every drop, it's worth knowing in case you missed the sale or would rather buy second hand...

Jeans come in abundance at my local thrift store and they usually only cost 5 bucks. I found a couple of pairs that were approximately my size and played with adjusting the waist, which never seem to fit my pear shape.

And then one day, looking at 2 exact same pairs of jeans, I had a lightbulb moment. What if I tried to make my own utility pants? The risk wasn't too high, $10 at most, so why not give it a try?

I documented the process here.

I studied pictures of the jeans, cut a piece of paper to test out the size and placement of the "patch".

I then cut the patch out of the back of one pair of jeans (there's more fabric on the rear side).

To make my job easier, I ironed the hems and stitched them in place with a contrasting thread color so it looks like the inspo.

Then I maneuvered around the arm of my sewing machine to attach the patch to the other pair of jeans with an inconspicuous color, making sure I wasn't closing the legs shut. I didn't quite manage to sew the bottom of the sides of the patch, as the leg was too skinny, so I ended up using fabric glue to secure the patch.

The missing stitches are not noticeable since the most noticeable thread is the one I used in the first step.

It's not an identical copy, it's not perfect either, but I'm very happy with the result!

I made another pair with contrasting colors, but I don't reach for it as much, so you can buy it here!

This color palette is also very appealing to me!

Next DIY, utility corduroy? the inspiration never ends!