Upcycling Clothes

I decided to drag my sewing machine out.

Have any of you done any clothes upcycling projects?

I should have taken a before pic of my pieces.

When it's done, I'll post a pic.

 

Today I am taking in pillows I made from tshirts I upcycled I am so in love with shag pillows right now! I would love to see pics of what you are making!

 

No bed sheet or curtain is safe from me, MWAHAHAHAHA!... and at some point, the costume they turn into may turn into a coustom curtain. Table cloths may also face the craft table.

Also, for doll clothing, if a Monster High scale doll is to have good netted stocking, trouser socks were the only 4 way stretch I could find to make them from. The hot purple children's leggings also made good doll stockings, though the local fabric store was suspiciously lacking in good knits for doll clothing.

Old wide leg jeans are a good core for an obi belt, the stiffer the better. Though you may want to mind the curtains on these since synthetics tend to slip out of the really cool knots. A high thread count cotton will give you a satin look and friction, as well as some variables in weave patterns without adding bulk.

And no silk or wool is discarded till it's disintegrating in my family, regardless of it's original incarnation.

 

I just made myself a couple of braided tank tops from old shirts!

 

I do this too! My favorite thing is modifying concert t-shirts. I have a few super cute, braided tank tops that I've made from concert t-shirts!!!

 

I've been pinning upcycled clothes on pinterest for the past 2 days. I'm going to have to drag the sewing machine back out.

 

This is a shirt I just finished chopping up! It used to be a long sleeved shirt that was too short on me.

Bad camera angle, but I couldn't figure out a better way to take a pic of it on.

 

Good job! That's adorable!

 

Thanks! It was a pretty simple re-do. I just figured out how to do the weaving that's at the front there. It's my new favourite way to upcycle clothes. I wove the side of a pair of tights too!

 

I've got lots I want to do.

The most pressing is taking in the legs on some jeans.

I promise to post photos when I get some things done.

I also have a swimsuit that needed a bra in it so I'm going to put one in it.

 

I have saved lots of ideas for T-shirt moderations on my pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/faerianne/t-shirt-mods/

 

I really love the tshirt vests you have pinned! I am trying that soon!

 

Post pics for us when you do, Mattie.

 

I should have made better pics, but my grandson took these so their okay, lol

I have two pairs of these plus-size jeans with huge, wide clown legs. I laid a pair of pants that I like on top of them and traced down the outside seam after matching up the inside seams. I roughly took 3-4 inches of width out of each leg. They are still long; I just folded up a cuff today. The hole is also intentionally made. I wanted something that looked like boyfriend jeans.


EDIT - Oh man, did I ever screw up the second pair! I was too tired to sew and forgot an important step.

After you line up the inside leg seems and mark where the new seam will be on the outside edge of the pant legs, you have to hold the existing outside leg seam, shake the leg, pin the fabric, sew and trim off excess.

I made the mistake off sewing and cutting with the fabric aligned from the inside leg seam which screws things up because most pants have the back panel of the leg slightly wider than the front panel. I got to trimming off excess and realized that I was cutting into the seat of my jeans.

Yeah, there's no way to fix that pair now that the cutting is done.

 

I'm plus-sized but you can do these mods to any size clothes.


This was a short sleeved, v-neck tee shirt. Cut the sleeves off, split it up the middle, and now it's a light Summer vest.

It doesn't get any easier than this one!

It looks so masculine on the hanger but it's really cute when on.

 

Now that I have the top portion of a pair of jeans leftover, and the legs leftover separately, there are a couple of things I could do.



I could make an apron similar this one.






I could make a skirt







I could make a belt






I could cover a seat cushion





The thing is, even as badly as a screwed the jeans up, they still aren't trash!!!

 

Oh I love the denim apron! You should try that! The vest looks awesome btw!

Im planning a value village trip soon so I can get some materials to play with.

 

I am trying to imagine what those would look like. Do you have a photo?

 

I can't take a picture anymore unfortunately because I didn't bring the shirts with me and I am away for a few months, but one is similar to this: http://www.jumblejoy.com/no-sew-braided-tank-top

And the other was more of a woven shirt than braided really. It's more like this but with the sleeves cut off: http://indulgy.com/post/9OyNF33Pf1/tshirt-diy-cutting-weaving-braiding

 

Thank you. I think I understand the concept now.......