I have vowed not to buy any clothes in 2015 so we can save money and pay off our debt. I planned just to survive with my current wardrobe, but thanks to websites like Trash to Couture and Pinterest, my new crafting obsession is upcycling (or “refashioning”) clothing.
My pack-rat tendencies have led me to hold onto virtually all of my outdated or outgrown clothing. I’ve been able to sell some items on eBay, but had little luck with the local consignment store. My mother has handed down a number of too-small-for-her clothes to me as well. As a result, I have tons of “raw material” to get me started with this new experiment.
My first project was very simple. There was a striped shirt permanently living in my dresser, as it was hardly ever worn. I kept it because the pattern was nice, but never liked the way the cap sleeves fit or looked on my arms. Inspired by my new plans, I dug out the seam ripper and got rid of those sleeves. After sewing a quick seam, I now have a new tank top for summer!
Encouraged by the success of my first project, the next goal is to do something with my oversupply of shirts. I have so many shirts that are either too short or too tight (old styles), or just boring. It would also be nice to have some clothing with a more forgiving waistline, especially since I recently gave birth to my third child. If you check out my “Upcycle” board on Pinterest, you will see that I’ve found a number of great ideas for these shirts. #1 – I’m planning to combine stripes of several different shirts to make a color-block sundress. #2 – I’m going to use to make “yarn” out of one shirt and use it to add macramé to lengthen or widen another shirt.
Summer is made for dresses, so I’m also going to challenge myself to make a maxi dress out of an old sheet with a cool pattern, from college (told you I save everything).
My one issue: how much should I spend on materials? I have my mom’s old sewing machine, but only a few different colors of thread. And I’ve come across quite a few projects that would require me to pick up some extra “embellishment” supplies, such as lace. Since the goal is to save money, however, I am going to refrain from starting those projects right now. Isn’t that what Pinterest is for . . . storing inspiration for use at a later time? I am not an expert sewer by any means, but should be able to work with my current supply of thread and hide most of the seams. In the future, I can shop thrift stores for supplies and/or materials. It’s absolutely amazing what people can make out of men’s clothing!
I definitely will post updates on this latest money-saving experiment, complete with before and after pictures of my creations. Hopefully, I can make some updated, wearable clothing with the items that are currently a waste of my closet space. But even if any of the projects end up classified as a “Pinterest fail,” I’ve really got nothing to lose!
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