Button SwapI collect and save buttons. I look for garments with pretty, or different buttons at yard sales and thrift stores, and buy them for the buttons, alone. I remove buttons from my worn clothing.
Getting the Perfect Length on Cut-off PantsI recently found some cool pedal pushers in my community center. I hate the length, but they fit for shorts, so I had to cut them down. Sometimes, getting each leg the same is a challenge.
Altering Clothes to Fit More SnugglyYou ever have clothes that you wish were a size or two smaller? This tip is what I do to all my clothes that I want them to fit snug.
Customizing a Child's ShoesYou can customize any baby doll style shoes for your little ones.
Use Vinegar When Lengthening GarmentsSometimes when you lengthen a garment the crease line from the previous hem remains. The way to get rid of that is to moisten the crease with vinegar, and iron on the hottest setting allowable for the fabric. I always use a press cloth to protect the fabric.
ReUse, ReCycle, ReImagine, ReFashion!I confess, I love clothes! I love shoes and handbags, costume jewelry, and art. As a creative individual with limited funds, I have scoured thrift shops for years on the hunt for bargains. When my sons were young I clothed them in second-hand, like-new clothes that saved us so much money and they looked great! I would look for interesting things, like t-shirts with cool graphics that could be cut and appliqued onto jeans, etc. to create entirely new and original looks.
Changing the Direction a Shirt ButtonsRemove buttons carefully, with as little damage to fabric as possible, and stitch up buttonholes. Stitch giant press studs (or hooks) to reverse side of button edge, positioning the corresponding half of the press stud (or eye of the hook) on top of the stitched up buttonhole.
Uses for Surplus SurplicesA number of eBay sellers stock second hand surplices cheaply. All that gathered white cotton can very easily be upcycled into a nightdress (add broderie anglaise), tunic for re-enactment, dirndl blouse, or Victorian style pinafore. And they usually take dye well.
Privacy Poncho for Bathing Suit ChangesAfter being years out of school and gym/locker rooms, attending a Y to swim recently I felt shy to change in public and noticed other women there also felt self conscious and shy about changing out of their bathing suits in public. Use a beach towel to make a privacy poncho.
Alter Thrift Store Dresses For New ClothesI've been looking for tops for my white skirt and ivory skirt and looking for print skirts. One day, I found a dress with a print I liked and thought, "I wish this were a skirt." That's when I realized I could cut it in half and make a skirt.
Bind Edge of Robe SleevesBuy some lace, about 2 inches wide in any color you like. Fold in half lengthwise and press with a warm iron. Bind edge of sleeve, like you bind a potholder. Sew with thread of the same color as the lace.
Removing Tape Residue From ClothingI searched on how to remove no sew tape residue from clothing. The easiest solution was the paper towel remedy. Just lay the paper towel over the residue and iron over it. Press down firmly and voila! No more residue.
Update a Sheath-Style DressYou don't have to throw away your favorite sheath-style dress just because you outgrow it. All things old can become new again with a bit of imagination.
Glue Excess Fabric Around ZipperFor those clothing items where the fabric always seems to catch in the zipper; try this fix. Starting at opening end of zipper, apply a very small drop of hot glue and press the creased material onto the glue and away from the zipper.
Make a Festive Box ClutchYou can make a dressy clutch for very little by covering a wooden craft box!
Sewing to Salvage Stained ShirtsTwo shirts with one problem: stains. One shirt with a special feature: decorative embroidery. Here's a simple solution to use what's left of the pair and create a cute "new" shirt in the process.
Easy Glitter Flip FlopsWe painted the outside part of our flip flop straps with glitter fingernail polish. I did not paint the inside of the straps where it would touch our feet when we wear them. They are so pretty. We like to see them sparkle in the sunshine.
Craft: Red Fleece ScarvesI have made beautiful red scarves out of the fleece from the remnant bin at Walmart. I thought this pattern and design might be beautiful and I was right!
Embellish An Old T-ShirtI take old T-shirts and cut off the binding around the neck. There is no need to cut deeper as this will stretch far enough making a scoop neckline. Then comes the fun part. Use a decorative stitch on your sewing machine to sew around the neckline.
Painting An Old T-ShirtIf you're tired of an old drab t-shirt, paint it. Iron freezer paper onto the front of the shirt you are going to put your design on. Gently cut out design, then gently pull the cut design away.
Insoles for Knitted SlipperTo make the soles of knitted/crocheted slippers last longer, pick up some shoe insoles a little bigger/wider then the slipper soles and sew on. I don't trim, if needed, until they are on the slippers.
Renovate Old ClothesRe-use clothing parts to renovate clothes in trouble. For instance, if sleeves on a shirt are too short, cut them off just above the cuff and sew on some cut-off sweatshirt sleeves from a too-small or stained garment.
Boots from Old Sandals and a SweaterI love to upcycle! I made these knit boots by taking an old pair of sandals my fiance was not very fond of and covered them with the sleeves of an old sweater that had good stretch in the arms, but not so much in the body.
Link: Hemming JeansHow to Hem Jeans! I found this tip several years ago and I love, love, love it! If you do it correctly, you can't even tell they have been hemmed. It works on other pants, slacks, etc.
Link: Glam Up Your Shoes:Instead of spending more money on a perfect pair of dressy shoes, use a leafing pen to cover basic black heels in a shimmering layer of paint.
How to Make Your Own Cami InsertThe finished width of the small cami is 8 1/2 inches, the finished width of the medium cami is 10 1/2 inches. Use a measuring tape to determine which size is best for you by measuring between your bra straps, just under your neck.
Decorate Flip Flops With Craft SuppliesTake a pair of flip flops from simple and cheap to beautiful and different. You can create these flip flops with few supplies. You only need silk ribbons in different colors, needles, nylon, rhinestones, fabric glue, and creativity.
Lengthen Jeans With Contrasting FabricParents of small girls, don't throw away those jeans because they're a little short yet still fit everywhere else! I used spare fabric to make this top (just used one of her dresses for a pattern), and then sewed a cuff around the bottom of the pants to match.
Make a Flannel Half Slip for WarmthMake a flannel 1/2 slip to keep you warm. Cut a piece of new flannel, baby blankets, or section of a flannel sheet. For the length: measure from waist to knee. Add 2 inches for hem, and 3 inches for top casing for elastic.
Make Your Own Bra ExtendersMy bras started getting too tight and were extremely uncomfortable. My bras are still in very good condition and all I needed was an extra inch in the band width, so I found my answer on this website.
Simple Fleece HatSuper simple fleece hat! Easy to make, warm and adorable. Suitable for children and adults alike!
Resizing a Large T-ShirtMy son had a large tee shirt he no longer wanted. I wanted to wear the shirt, but it was way too big for me so I shortened the hem then rolled up the sleeves and did a fold over of about 1 1/2 inches on the shoulder seam.
Cut Down Winter Pajamas for SummerIf you have kids and you know their winter pajamas won't fit them next season, cut them down for the spring/summer. Cut the pants into shorts and the shirt into short sleeves or even tanks.
Red Hat Society Bra HatTo make a red hat out of a bra for your red hat chapter. Cut straps off red bra, and sides, just leave the cups. Fold left over material under, decorate with purple or lavender lace, and jewels.
Rhinestone Baseball CapI have seen some glitzy looking baseball caps in the stores but they carry a hefty price. So I decided to add a little "bling" to a cap that I had.
Make Your Own Summer SkirtThis is a great idea for frugal living, a craft and a cool weather tip, make your own skirt!
Make Last Year's Dress Into This Year's BlouseWhen my daughter was in grade school, I couldn't afford new school clothes every year, so I purchased an A-line (no waistline) dress pattern with the option of cap or long sleeves and three neckline options.
Patch Kids Pants With Shirt SleevesSave the fabric when you turn a winter long-sleeved shirt into a summer short-sleeved shirt and use this fabric to patch the knees or add length to kids pants. The shirt can then be worn with the pants as a cute matching set!
No Sew TutuTake 2 feet of ribbon and 6 yards of tulle cut into 3 by 12 inch strips. Fold in half to 6 inches and loop around ribbon.
Turn Old Sweaters Into Leg WarmersLeg-warmers are back in style and can easily be made from the sleeves of old sweaters, even sweaters with holes! Just turn the sweater inside-out and cut the seam out at the arm-hole using sharp scissors.
Thrifty Fabric for Sewing ClothingI have made shorts and blouses from a large bed sheet, also curtains, pillow cases, etc. It's often cheaper than fabric from fabric store.
Making New Clothes from Old ClothesWhen my children were growing up I used to take all my husband's, and my old jeans and shirts and make simple shorts with elastic bands for my kids. Then for my girls and myself I would make little sun tops out of strips of material here is how that is done. Here's how...
Bling ShoesI had seen these bling shoes at the local children's boutiques, but could not stomach the $100 price tag that they went for so I figured out how to make them myself.
Making Shorts from PantsWhen you want to cut the legs off worn or too-short pants to make shorts, lay a pair of shorts that are the perfect length over the pants, matching waist band to waist band.
Remove Sleeves to Make Summer BlousesRecently, I saw a lovely blouse on a lady. I complimented her on it. She replied, "Thank You, I bought this along with several other blouses, at a sale, all having long sleeves, I took them home, cut the sleeves off and made me all summer time blouses." She most likely saved a lot of money by doing this.
Decorating Clothing with Found Fancy ButtonsI search thrift shops for clothing with fancy buttons (buttons are expensive). I buy an article of clothing for 1.00 or 2.00, take it home, remove buttons and sew on a plain blouse or the pockets of jeans.
Make Arm and Leg Warmers from SweatersWool sweaters (with or without alpaca/angora/cashmere) will shrink (felt) in hot water, and then they are amazingly dense and warm! No sewing or hemming needed. Long sleeves make leg warmers that stay up without elastic.
Fancy Non-Sew Tulle Dress-Up TutuFor under $4 you can make your little ballerina a super easy dress-up tutu. Here's how: In the wedding area of your local craft store you can buy 6 inch x 25 yard rolls of tulle in various colors for $2.99 each and a 10 yard spool of 1/4 inch satin ribbon for under 50 cents.
Pullover Made from BlanketsYou can make a pretty nifty man's pullover robe with acrylic blankets
Need to take in a huge T-shirt? Hate pinning? Turn it inside out and have a friend staple around the edges until it fits. Sew 1/2 inch inside the staples and then trim off excess. Fast!
Twice Loved ShirtA couple dollars worth of faux foliage and some beads can turn a "plain jane" sweater or shirt into "OH WOW" favorite in an evening while watching TV! My 79 cent "twice loved" shirt is now totally fun and attractive!
Use Nail Polish to Fix ZippersYou know those zippers you have (usually on jeans) that just don't want to stay up no matter what? Paint the zipper teeth with clear nail polish.
Turn a Tight Sweater Into a CardiganWhen your child's pullover sweaters become too tight to wear, turn them into a cardigan by cutting them straight down the front and binding the front edges with an attractive trim.
Shortening Pants and SleevesTips for novices sewers about how to shorten long sleeves and pants. Also advice on beginning sewing machines.
Spring HatJust glue on the things you have then tie ribbon around and hang as a decoration. Just use your imagination.
Modifying Your Favorite T-ShirtTurn plain Jane t-shirts into something casually interesting, fun and cool! Start by carefully cutting away the neck. Then with scissors at the arm begin cutting strips about 1/4 inch wide inward (upward) the length of your scissors.
Use a Handmade Patch to Cover a Stain or AdIf you find a big stain on the front of your infants onesie or child's t-shirt, or would rather not be advertising some company name splashed across the front, cover it up with a hand-made patch!
Screen Printing at HomeI like to screen print on various articles of "blank" clothing to make them interesting and unique, something to fit my style.
Measuring Elastic for ClothingElastic around your waist should be your waist size minus 2 inches. It works every time.
Remaking a Dress into a SkirtIf the top part of a child's dress doesn't fit, but the skirt part does, you can cut off the blouse portion, sew up the back part of the skirt, hem the waist area, insert elastic and make it into a skirt.
Alter Thrift Store Clothes for Original LookMy daughters like to "design" some of their own clothes, which often means they will be either cutting or adding something to their clothing.
Velvet ScarfCreate this luxurious accessory for a fraction of the cost of a store-bought scarf. Trimmed with silk flowers or beads, the end result is sheer bliss.
The "Secret" Ingredient For Cooling Neck ScarvesI have seen requests for the ingredient to make "cooling scarves" have been posted in the past. This is where you can find it.
Placemat Tote BagI have been making purses or tote bags using placemats. Most placemats are lined or reversible so there is no need to line the purses. Just fold the place mat in half and sew a seem up each side.
Purse Made from Old TiesCut old ties in equal lengths of your choice and sew together to make a neat purse. Line it with an inexpensive muslin and you're all set!
Elastic in Summer ShortsOne of my daughters is so slender that her summer shorts literally would not stay up on her, despite their having a half back elastic.
Special Traveling VestSome friends of ours travel extensively. One day while at their home, she showed me something she'd sewed for their trip. It was a vest for her to wear with shorts and a t-shirt. It was cute, and appeared to be an average vest. But she showed me the inside and boy was I wrong!
Turn the Collar for a New-Looking ShirtBetty's tip about cutting her husband's frayed cuffs off and making long sleeves into short, reminds me of how I have extended the life of some of my husband's nicer shirts that have frayed collars.
Worn Out Cuffs? Make A Short Sleeved ShirtMy husband works in an office environment and wears long-sleeved shirts every day. When the cuffs start getting frayed, but the rest of the shirt is still fine I make a short-sleeved shirt by cutting off the bottom part of the sleeve and hemming it up on my sewing machine.
By Betty
Sleep Shirts Made From Old ShirtsMy husband has several "banded collar" shirts that he no longer wears. They are still in good shape and I loved the style. However, they are way too big for me to wear w/jeans or anything else.
Make Your Own Dirty DenimAre your teens and preteens begging for the hottest fall look known as "dirty denim"? All you need to do to make them happy is gather these materials and follow the steps.
Easy Polar Fleece PonchoThis would be very easy to make for a child or an adult. Buy one yard of fabric for an adult, a smaller amount for a child. Cut fabric into one large diamond shape. Carefully cut a hole in the center of the diamond for the head to go through.
Recycling ShoesMy old leather shoes were beyond repair according to the local cobbler. So I tore the leather away from the sole and cut it into interesting designs and hot-glued them onto a plain pair, and then glued a nice button on top for decoration.
Making Clothing for my 6 Year OldFor my 6 year old, I have found patterns on sale at fabric stores when special sales run for half price if not .99 cents. I have saved many of my old denim skirts, or can even buy them at thrift stores, take apart at seams, and use for making capris, shorts, and skirts.
Modifying Crocheted SweatersMy daughter is 14 years old and very particular about her clothes. Luckily she is happy to shop at thrift stores and is willing to spend her own allowance and money from relatives on clothing she doesn't "need".
Tip for SweatshirtI have shirt pattern sheet that says to make a t-shirt with cut outs in it: (Click for directions)
