Clothing makeovers can save you money. It requires some basic sewing skills. Typically, this involves modifying clothes you already have. This method can also be used for bargains from thrift stores, yard sales, and the like.
Clothing alterations can take many different forms. Often, decorative embellishments are added or the length of an item is changed. In addition, clothing can be altered to create new articles.
General Tips for Altering Clothing
- The necklines of dresses, blouses, and tops can be given new shapes. For example, items with high necklines can become a square or V-neck. For some styles, another possibility is a drawstring neckline with gathers.
- There are many ways to alter sleeves of blouses, tops, dresses, and jackets. You can add trim, ruffles, bands, cuffs, embroidery, or patches. Sleeves can also be shortened.
- For a decorative touch, add smocking to cardigans, blouses, and dresses.
- To update jeans and slacks, add pockets, embroidery, or appliqué. Change the length as needed by adding cuffs or shortening the legs.
- Some skirts can be given new shapes. A full one can become a flared or gored style. A gathered skirt can be turned into a straight or A-line.
- Enlarge skirts or slacks that are too small by adding side or front panels and a new band.
- An item’s length can also be modified. Dresses, skirts, sweaters, jerseys, and blouses can be shortened. Make garments longer by adding trims or scallops of fabric, or by letting the hem down. For full skirts, add underlayers to provide extra length.
- Dress up collars and cuffs by adding ribbon, rows of lace, or other trim. Collars can be reshaped and made smaller.
- When a favorite garment becomes stained, it can sometimes be saved. Cover the stain with appliqués, pockets, patches, trim, or embroidery.
Recycling Fabric from Clothes
- When all else fails, fabric from old clothes can be used to make new garments. One example is a patchwork, gored skirt with panels from a number of dresses or full skirts.
- Crazy patchwork is also a possibility. With this method, it is possible to create almost any type of clothing.
Making New Clothing From Old
- Many garments can be turned into new items. Shorten a dress to create a blouse, top, or tunic. A dress can also be remade into a halter.
- Modify sweaters to create jerkins, vests, and halters. Long sleeve sweaters can also become short sleeve tops.
- Pants can be transformed into skirts. Cut the pants legs apart. Then, add a panel in the front and the back.
- Scarves can become halter tops. Several scarves can be combined to make a shawl. Full skirts can also be used to create shawls.
- Remake blouses and jerseys into sun tops and halters. Jackets can become transformed into vests.
The final method involves creating a hybrid. With this approach, you take two unrelated items and combine them to create a new garment. Be sure the two items have the same care requirements. For these projects, the pants shouldn’t open in the front. Make a jumpsuit or romper by combining a jersey top and jeans. A jersey plus palazzo-type pants can be turned into a culotte-jersey hybrid outfit.
