Reconstructing Clothes

lally666young

:money: HI I am new to the site and I was wondering if anyone else did this to clothes they have had in the wardrobe/drawers that they know they are never going to use anymore. I started doing it when I was a student ripping teeshirts and then mashing them up to my own tastes. I was wondering if anyone else did this?? And have the same love of it as me!!!

welsh_worrier

I used to cut up my clothes to make clothes for my daughter when she was young,also to make halloween costumes.I do still play about with things.It is great recycling in my book.:j

nuttywoman

have a look on www.crafter.org the folk on there do amazing things with reconstructing clothes. I can spend hours looking on there.

Mariel

I do it all the time, I can't leave anything as it is!

lally666young

I have got tons of books on it. Waterstones does a good line in them, a cheap investment which can give you tons of ideas!!!

Mariel

Which do you reckon are the best books? I've got a couple but I seem to be getting more imaginative all on my own!

purpleivy

Try your local library. That's free!

miss_keep_counting

Hi there, I've just left my job to go onto greater (though smaller) things. I've been left with:

1. A large number of short and long sleeved work shirts, all too bigh for me, all shapeless unisex and long in a ff light blue colour.
2. A pair of black nice material waterproof trousers.
3. Rough woolen? dark blue scratchy jumpers.
4. A navy fleese.

Most are in ok condition, my workmates wont use them so I thought I'd try and give them a last change for life!!

I was wondering if there was any ideas of what I could use these for? I was debating dying the shirts to a nicer colour, eiher bleaching to try and get a cream/white or dying darker and making a shirt dress and maybe a light nightdress/ gown for the summer months. The waterproof I was debating using for bag lining and maybe to make the base of reusable pany liners.

I have a sewing maching and overlocker, both which need some tlc to get running again and I'm hoping these projects will motivate me.

Any other ideas for me???

Winky,_The_House_Elf

I'm not full of inspiration I'm afraid! if you dont want to wear the fleece or jumper, how about turning them into cussions?

goanmad

I hate waste and am always experimenting with old clothes. Why not try the following:

1.Cut the sleeves off the jumpers to make legwarmers.
2.Cut two semi-circles out of the main body of the jumper and sew together to make a beenie hat.
3.Cut the sleeves off the shirt, unpick the collar and dye a nice bright colour to make a summer shirts or cut the shirt off across the armpits, sew over an inch and thread with elastic to make a summery strapless camisole.
4. Cut the trouser legs, sew one end up and hem the other. Use the excess to make straps - a waterproof shopping bag or beach bag.

miss_keep_counting

Aww ta Winky, I know it's really hard to think of what to do. Having worn a lot of it for the past two and a half years my first instinct was to set it on fire... but like you goanmad I hate waste and thought that this would be the chance to try and refind my skills of recon and bring something positive out of my work memories... (cheesy I know!)

goanmad wrote: »

I hate waste and am always experimenting with old clothes. Why not try the following:

1.Cut the sleeves off the jumpers to make legwarmers.
2.Cut two semi-circles out of the main body of the jumper and sew together to make a beenie hat.
3.Cut the sleeves off the shirt, unpick the collar and dye a nice bright colour to make a summer shirts or cut the shirt off across the armpits, sew over an inch and thread with elastic to make a summery strapless camisole.
4. Cut the trouser legs, sew one end up and hem the other. Use the excess to make straps - a waterproof shopping bag or beach bag.

Lovin' your ideas! The beenie idea is perfect and I have a friend who would wear the leg warmers. My only issue is with the potential fray of the fabric. I know you can felt jumpers, I need to check the wool content and I'd be worried about it shrinking dramatically but I'm not sure how else to prevent it from falling apart?

And I'm liking the beachbag idea! I'll be by the sea this summer and so this will be ideal.

So far you're much more creative then me!!! Thank you :T