Upcycling & DIY |

Making It Do: Cardigan Repair DIY with Lace Edging

March 11, 2016 by Bethany 2 Comments

On her quest to make ethical clothing choices this year, our contributor Bethany is back with some tips for giving new life to clothes you already own. Enjoy! — Julia

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

I love that saying. It comes out of the depression era, and I find myself saying it often (especially when I’m tempted to purchase something new that I don’t really need).

Cardigans are a staple of my work wardrobe. The office I work in has odd temperature regulation, and I’m pretty sure the elusive thermostat (no one knows where it is located) is set to “Antarctica.” Recently, I pulled out my favorite green cardigan and was shocked to find little holes where the collar is attached.

Hole in sweater

My first instinct, I’m sorry to report, was to throw it away and buy a new one. As I was considering it, that saying popped in my head, and I knew that I could definitely make this cardigan do if I put a little effort into it. I’m not very good at sewing, but I have a grasp on the basic “thread needle, stick in cloth, try not to make it look too horrible.” I quickly sewed up the little gaps, but I wasn’t satisfied with the result. You could see the repairs, partly due to me not having an exact color match for the thread, and in a few places it made a little bit of puckering in the fabric.

Poorly sewed-up hole

Sure, it would “never be noticed from a trotting horse” (another depression-era saying), but I don’t know many people who ride trotting horses through offices. I set the cardigan aside to think, and wore something else to work that day. I hit on a solution a few days later, and started working on it. A long time ago, my grandma taught me a fiber craft called tatting. It’s basically tying knots in string to make doilies, but you can use it to make edgings and lace as well.

Fancy tatted doily

So I found some green thread that matched my cardigan, and made an edging for it, and then sewed the edging onto the cardigan to hide those unsightly holes.

Section of tatted lace and tatting shuttle

The beginning of the piece. The light made it look brighter green than it actually is.

Finished and attached to the collar

Cardigan in action!

By this point, you’re probably rolling your eyes and thinking “well, that’s great for you that you have this oddly specific skill that was passed down through generations and you sacrificed seven goats for the nimble fingers and coordination needed to make lace…but there’s no way I can do that.”

Never fret! Often you can find miscellaneous lengths of lace trim and rickrack at thrift stores that would do this exact same thing without the labor intensiveness. Go to the back of the store and look around where they display the sheets/tablecloths/fabric remnants. There are often bins of miscellaneous crafting materials that are perfect for little jobs like this.

You don’t have to be great at sewing, so don’t be intimidated by that. You may need to practice a little bit, but small repairs and refurbishments like this are pretty forgiving. Take a look at my stitches inside:

Poor stitches on inside of cardigan

I am not a master seamstress by any means. Just keep in mind that it’s better to err on the side of smaller stitches and using manageable lengths of thread (even though that means you’ll have to knot the thread and re-thread the needle more, it makes it more secure). Here’s a tutorial with a few basic stitches that I use a lot, particularly the whip stitch.

I found a lot of satisfaction in making this with my own hands. I found that this cardigan quickly became even more of a favorite because it now has a story. Instead of a cheap throwaway piece of fast fashion that only lasted one season, I was able to fix it and refurbish it into something that I’m excited to wear again.

If you’re interested in learning to tat, there are plenty of tutorials available online. This one is pretty clear and easy to follow. Video demonstrations like this are particularly helpful when first learning. I would also encourage you to think about what random skills you have that could be applied to hide a repair or freshen up a piece of clothing that you’re tired of. Do you make beaded jewelry? Maybe you could make a beaded collar. You could crochet pockets for a dress or maybe use a contrasting color of thread to sew up holes and make an interesting effect. How can you “make it do” with the pieces you already have in your wardrobe and extend their lives?

Introducing Bethany, our new contributor!

February 10, 2016 by Bethany 2 Comments

I’m thrilled that my good friend Bethany Daugherty is joining the Fair for All team as a contributor! She will be sharing periodic updates as she goes on a mission to buy only ethically-made or secondhand clothing this year. Here’s Bethany’s introduction to her quest in her own words. — Julia

Three years ago, I texted a number off of a really sketchy looking flyer that was posted on a bulletin board at the college I was about to graduate from. The flyer was very vague and plain, and said “Looking for a bass player for a bluegrass band. Text Kevin at 317-XXX-XXXX.”

I had just stolen a string bass, and was looking for more opportunities to learn how to play it. Okay, okay, I didn’t really steal it…I actually borrowed it from my mom and then never gave it back (thanks Mom!). I texted the number. This Kevin character texted back, and it was all set up for me to attend the first rehearsal at his house. All I could think was “I’m probably going to get murdered and killed.” Then I got another text asking if I had any food allergies. Murderers don’t care about food allergies! Little did I know that texting a random person from a sketchy flyer would turn out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. And guess who was also a part of this band?

Bethany (left) with her quasi-stolen bass and the band

That’s right, none other than the lovely Julia Spangler! Over the past three years, we have become good friends, and I started reading this blog. When she screened “The True Cost,” I attended, and it was really eye-opening for me. Over the past six or seven months, I’ve had a Dr. Seuss quote stuck in my head:

Even though you can’t hear them or see them at all, a person’s a person, no matter how small.”

It really reminds me of the issues that were presented in that film. I can’t hear or see or know the people who are at the other end of the goods that I consume, but I can’t pretend they don’t exist.

In 2016, I’m tackling the sartorial issue head first—I am choosing to take responsibility for every dollar I spend, and committing to not purchase any new items of clothing unless they are fair trade. I’ll be relying on thrift shops, clothing swaps, and fair trade retail…and making do with the clothing I already own! You can look forward to upcoming blog posts throughout the year about my progress, what I learn through this process, and various DIY posts as I spruce up the clothing I own.

Bethany swappin’ it up at FairSwap15

I’m pretty new to all of this, and I’m still learning all the ins and outs on my quest to take responsibility for my own wallet. I still make mistakes, and I still occasionally buy something that I’m not entirely sure where it came from. Some of the challenges I’m anticipating are finding work-appropriate pants (that fit correctly and are not giant bell bottoms), blue jeans, undergarments, exercise clothing, and shoes. I’m only one month into this challenge, and it already sometimes feels overwhelming, but at the end of the day it helps me sleep at night to know that I’m doing what I can to treat those invisible and silent people with respect.

Waste Not, Want Not: Vegetable Stock from Kitchen Scraps

November 10, 2015 by Julia 2 Comments

After reading Faye’s excellent post about making vegetable stock on her blog Sustaining Life, I was inspired to attempt it myself. And just in time too: I’ve made soup a couple of times this fall already and using plain water definitely leaves something to be desired.

I’ve never been a fan of purchasing stock from the store because it seems like a lot of packaging, either an unrecyclable carton or multiple cans. A couple of people have recommended bouillon cubes, and I agree those would probably be a good option. However, I like the idea of using the scraps of all the produce I’ve already bought. It’s like making something out of nothing!

As Faye advised, I stored my scraps in a plastic bag in the freezer. It took me about a month to collect enough to fill the bag. Here’s the collection I ended up with:

I reuse tortilla bags for everything.

I followed Faye’s recipe, first seasoning and roasting the scraps in the oven, them simmering them in water for a little over an hour.

Frozen vegetable scraps in a Pyrex baking pan

Some scraps I included were a pumpkin rind, a few apple cores, red and green pepper stems and membranes, onion ends, and rutabaga peelings.

Vegetable scraps in pot with water

Vegetables in pot after having been simmered

I could tell it was working because my apartment started to smell like delicious soup. After letting the stock cool, I removed the big vegetable chunks with tongs and then poured the remainder through a strainer.

The finished stock is a lovely golden brown and has an oh-so-slightly sweet flavor, probably due to the apple cores. My only puzzlement with the process is that I put in 8 or 9 cups of water and ended up with only 5 cups of stock. One culprit may be the fact that the lid to my stock pot has steam-release holes in it. The stock also came out a little more oily than I expected, which I’ll take as a lesson to lighten up on the olive oil during the roasting step. (I eyeballed it instead of measuring—a classic blunder. Come to think of it, I eyeballed the water amount too…)

Homemade vegetable stock in plastic container

The whole process was very easy and didn’t make a mess. Now I have tasty stock to use for making soup, rice, or anything else that could use a flavor boost instead of plain water, and I didn’t use anything other than scraps I would have thrown away. I definitely plan to continue collecting scraps for my next batch!

If you want to try it yourself, be sure to check out Faye’s post for the specific recipe and a helpful list of what veggies not to include in stock.

Have you ever made your own vegetable stock? How cool is it to make food out of [clean, edible] garbage??

Zero-Waste Wall Art

May 19, 2015 by Julia 1 Comment

Zero-Waste Wall Art header

Over the last several months I’ve been pursuing two different aspects of personal development: revitalizing my creativity and reducing the amount of waste I generate. I’ve also been trying to combine these two pursuits, which led me to ponder ways I could create art without also creating waste.

I had recently made myself an Indiana wall-hanging with nails and plywood when my sister commented that her husband would probably like a similar piece of art in the shape of California for his upcoming birthday. (It’s already come and gone, so this post isn’t a spoiler.)

From a Facebook query asking for supplies, I discovered that one of my friends has a lapsed woodworking hobby. He was happy to give me a big scrap of plywood as well as the small wood pieces I attached to the back. (The backing pieces keep the plywood off the floor when you’re nailing and keep the nails from scratching the wall when you hang the finished piece.)

Reclaimed plywood with scraps attached for hanging

I printed the outline of California tiled on four sheets of paper so it would be big enough for the piece of wood. I made X’s on the outline where I wanted nails to go; I think it was about every inch. Having the nail placements marked was helpful so I didn’t have to eyeball it as I went. I taped down the outline and hammered a nail all the way through the plywood at each X.

In-progress shot with nails all the way around the outside of the shape

I nailed right through the paper—it was easy to tear off when I was done.

I then tore off the paper and was left with just the nails creating the outline. I spent some time experimenting with how I wanted to make the shape visible. Should I do zig-zags in the interior of the shape? Just a border around the outside?

Side-by-side comparison of zig-zags vs. outside border

I decided to do both techniques together. The zig-zags are embroidery thread, which I attached by simply knotting it to one of the nails. The outside border is some white binding tape I had in my craft drawer from years and years ago (when I mistakenly thought binding tape would have adhesive properties—protip: it does not). I wove the binding tape around the outside nails and then hand-sewed it at the corner so it would sit flat, rather than having a big knot.

Straight-on view of finished wall-hanging

The finished product

Materials used:

Reclaimed wood from a friend’s garage
Made in USA nails I already had (plus a few I borrowed)
Four sheets of paper
White embroidery thread I already had
White binding tape I already had
White thread I already had

Wall hanging on wall in living room with couch and lamp in background

One thing I like about this piece is that it can theoretically be disassembled and the components reused. I used no glue, so none of the elements are fused together inseparably.

I had been looking for a way to use a large quantity of the nails, which I bought without realizing they are “finishing nails,” which means they don’t have a head and are therefore difficult to pull out of the wall. Apparently Americans only make specialty nails, not basic ones for hanging pictures, so this was the most normal style I could get that was made in USA. (I’m not sure if it was more or less wasteful for me to buy 500 impractical American-made nails instead of 50 Chinese-made nails that were actually what I wanted.) I did have to borrow a few nails from a friend to attach the backing pieces because my nails were too long.

Side view of wall hanging showing backing piece

The side pieces on the back help stand the wall hanging off the wall so the nails don’t scratch it.

Technically I did waste a few pieces of Scotch tape, which I used to tape down the outline of the state, and I did have to recycle the paper after I tore it off. But overall I bought no new materials, found purpose for items that could have gone in the trash, and ended up with a minuscule amount of waste (not to mention a super-cool gift for my bro-in-law).

What DIY projects have you created lately? Are you working any zero-waste ideas into your lifestyle?

Make It Work: Ceramic Crock

March 10, 2015 by Julia Leave a Comment

Adding a Glitter Stripe to a Ceramic Crock

At my company, we have a Christmas tradition of sending out ceramic crocks containing tubs of cheese spread as customer appreciation gifts. We ended up with some extras and being the waste-not, want-not girl that I am, I took one home. I’m still working through the cheese itself (“cheese food,” technically, according to the package), but I took a liking to the ceramic crock and wanted to see if I could transform it into something less logo’d and more reusable.

Ceramic crock and supplies

I’ve been itching to glitterize something for a couple of months, but I hadn’t picked a project yet, since I didn’t want to turn something recyclable into something unrecyclable by covering it in glitter and glue. I decided I would only glitterize something that was already unrecyclable… like a ceramic crock! I determined that a stripe of gold glitter around the circumference of the crock would be the perfect way to cover the logo. The supplies needed were minimal:

Glitter
Mod Podge
Foam brush
Masking tape
Newspaper

I got my glitter and Mod Podge from Indy Upcycle, a local shop that resells unwanted craft supplies. It’s one of my absolute favorite stores: not only is the concept ingenious, but it reduces waste, it allows me to do DIY projects without supporting mass production of craft supplies, the prices are dramatically lower than retail, and you’re encouraged to buy only what you need (which is why I have a film canister of Mod Podge instead of a huge jar). I highly recommend looking to see if you have a similar store in your community, and if you don’t, maybe start one, because this idea is golden!

I began by using the masking tape to mark the edges of the stripe. You could also use painter’s tape for this; I just happened to have masking tape. I wasn’t terribly precise, and the stripe turned out a little crooked as a result. If you want it to be perfectly straight, I recommend measuring. I also taped the handle so it would stay upright and out of the way.

Ceramic crock with masking tape

Next I used the foam brush to paint on a thin layer of Mod Podge. I was surprised by how little Mod Podge I needed. Then I started sprinkling on the glitter. Do this over newspaper to catch the extra glitter! Otherwise you will have a tragic (yet sparkly) mess.

Ceramic crock with Mod Podge and glitter

After the glitter was on, I waited a couple of minutes for it to set, then I peeled off the tape (except for the tape holding the handle upright). While the Mod Podge was still pliable, I used my fingernail to adjust a couple of particularly crooked parts of the stripe.

Ceramic crock with gold glitter stripe

I waited about 10 minutes then applied a topcoat of Mod Podge, again using the foam brush. The topcoat keeps the glitter from flaking off, which is especially important because I plan to use the crock around food. Nobody likes glitter in their salsa.

Mod Podge topcoat over glitter stripe

I waited a couple of hours for the Mod Podge to fully dry, then ta-daaaa!

Finished ceramic crock with gold glitter stripe

The project took about 30 minutes of active time, plus drying time. Even with the topcoat, the glitter is by no means waterproof, so I envision using it in ways that will only require me to wipe out the inside. For example, I could keep dip cool during a party by putting a few ice cubes in the bottom then the container of dip on top, or I could use it for dry snacks like nuts or candy.

I feel much better now that I’ve got some glitter in my life. Have you ever turned a logo’d promotional item into something you like and use? Does anyone else get an insatiable urge to cover things in glitter?

P.S. I’m finally getting on the Bloglovin train, so follow my blog with Bloglovin if that’s your reader of choice!

My Favorite Ethical Pinners on Pinterest

January 20, 2015 by Julia Leave a Comment

I have a confession to make: I am teetering on the brink of a Pinterest addiction. I make a conscious effort not to rely on my phone for constant distraction, but I do find myself checking Pinterest at least 3-4 times most days. Despite its drawbacks, like the fact that it helps exacerbate a culture of aspirational consumerism and feelings of inadequacy, I find it to be both entertaining and helpful for the following reasons:

Even though the majority of items in my feed aren’t ethically made, pinning things I like gives me an idea of what my own personal style is. I can then look for ethical alternatives or DIY projects that would give me a similar look.
There are tons of tutorials for DIY projects, including recycling/upcycling projects and basic sewing tutorials, both of which I am all about right now.
It’s a great source for finding artwork and photography I wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
I like evening gowns, and Pinterest shows them to me!

There are a few pinners I follow in the ethical lifestyle realm who I can always count on for interesting pins. Here are some of my favorites:

Fair Trade Quilts & Crafts – This account was fully responsible for me embracing aspects of bohemian interior design. The gorgeous interiors they pin give me inspiration for creating a home full of eclectic fair trade and secondhand items.

Visit Fair Trade Federation’s profile on Pinterest.

Fair Trade Federation – The FTF uses Pinterest to showcase cool products from their members.

Mata Traders – I frequently find myself re-pinning links to high-quality blog posts about fair trade pinned by Mata Traders.

Visit Elizabeth Stilwell | The Note Passer’s profile on Pinterest.

Elizabeth Stilwell | The Note Passer – I love Elizabeth’s pins that link to blog posts about zero-waste living.

To follow me on Pinterest, hit me up here! Full disclosure: not everything I pin is ethically-made, since as I described above, I use Pinterest to figure out my style, not to make a specific shopping list. My board Fair Trade & Ethical Lifestyle is devoted to ethically-made products and related links. (And if you’re looking for some evening gown eye candy as well, my Wearables board is where it’s at.)

How do you use Pinterest? Who are some of your favorite pinners?

Make It Work: Skinny Dress Pants DIY

January 13, 2015 by Julia 5 Comments

I have always been afraid to alter a pair of pants—I always have a vision of me sitting down in public and rrrrrRRRIPP! There go my new seams. But recently I found a tutorial on Pinterest that made me think, “OK, maybe this can work!” (I apparently forgot to pin the tutorial I looked at, but there are a bunch if you search for “skinny pants diy.”)

My subject for this project was a pair of gray dress pants I’ve had in my closet for longer than I can remember. I got overzealous to start the project and forgot to take a before photo, but just imagine the floppiest possible wide-leg dress pants from 2002 that are also 3 inches too long and you’ll have the right idea. The pants have a pattern that I’m not sure how to describe—I’ll call it teeny tiny houndstooth. My goal was to take these floptastic pants and turn them into chic slim-leg pants I could wear to work.

The first step was to turn the pants inside out and mark where I wanted to new seams to be. To do this I took a pair of pants that had a fit similar to what I wanted, turned them inside out as well, and laid them on top of the dress pants. I lined up the outside edges of both pairs of pants and marked about an inch outside of the inner edge.

I forgot to take a photo of the pants lining up as well, so enjoy this fine gif!

To mark my seam I used a white art crayon I had leftover from college, but tailor’s chalk or a fabric pencil would be the traditional seam-marking media. One thing to note is that these pants already fit me well in the waist and hips, so I only needed to alter the legs.

After I pinned the pants, I tried them on inside-out to check the fit without messing up the pins. Trying things on when you’re altering them is important! When I had the pants on I realized I needed to continue pinning all the way up to the crotch. (I had originally thought I could end my seam mid-thigh, but it looked totally bunchy and weird.) You never know what you’re not going to realize until the pants are on, so don’t skip this!

Once I had all the pins in place for a good fit, I used my sewing machine to create the new seam. I used a standard straight stitch. First I sewed along the line where I had pinned, then tried the pants on again (this time right side out) to confirm the fit. After that I sewed a second straight seam about a quarter of an inch outside the first seam. This reinforces the seam to prevent that rrrrrRRRIPP! moment.

Two seams about a quarter of an inch apart

Two seams for extra strength!

Make sure your second seam is outside the first seam. If you put the second seam on the inside, the pants will suddenly be too tight! After putting in the second seam, I tried the pants on again just in case, then trimmed off the excess fabric.

My pants now had slim legs but were still way too long.

Ankle view of skinny dress pants: still too long!

To fix the length I followed general instructions for hemming a pair of pants. This was my first attempt at hemming, but there are tons of online tutorials and YouTube videos that explain how to do it. Basically you fold up the hem to where you want it, pin it, make sure it’s the same length all the way around, then use a slip stitch (also known as a blind stitch) to hand-sew the new hem.

Pinned hem of dress pants

The whole project took maybe 4-5 hours spread over two days. As usual for me, much of that time was spent re-pinning. Once you start actually sewing, you’re in the home stretch!

Here’s the finished product:

Finished dress pants front view

Finished dress pants side view

I’m jazzed about how these turned out. Before when I wore these pants I felt like I was 15 years old and had come straight out of the juniors department. Now they’re modern and work appropriate!

Have you ever been brave enough to alter a pair of pants? After the success of this project I’d definitely be willing to try it again.

Make It Work: Elbow Patches

November 11, 2014 by Julia 2 Comments

A few weeks ago I posted some in-progress photos of my elbow patches DIY project. I’m finally done and I’m stoked about the finished product!

Front view of elbow patches

Back view of elbow patches

I used fabric from my extra fabric stash (this was specifically from an old polo shirt) and sewed the patches on by hand. Sewing the patches on took about two hours. It was a little awkward to find a way to sew onto the sleeve without accidentally sewing the sleeve shut, but I eventually got a system down. Putting a piece of paper inside the sleeve as a barrier helped me avoid catching the other side of the sleeve.

Elbow patches closeup

If you’re thinking about trying some upcycling/DIY projects, I recommend starting your own fabric stash. Mine is composed primarily of old shirts that were unfit for donation because of stains or because I’d already cut off pieces. I’ve used extra fabric to create pillow stuffing, parts of Halloween costumes, and now these patches.

I’m excited to have my white cardigan back in commission. Because I used a neutral fabric for the patches, I think I’ll be able to wear it with most of the things I wore it with before. And now if the other sleeve develops a hole, no one will know because it’s already patched! *fist-bump-and-explode*

Have you ever saved an article of clothing with a DIY solution? And have you ever tried to take a photo of your own elbows? It’s not easy…

Meet an Ethical Blogger: Jamillah

October 21, 2014 by Julia 3 Comments

Today we’re introducing you to another inspiring ethical blogger, Jamillah from Made-to-Travel!

Fair for All: Describe the focus of your blog.

Jamillah: I always say Made-to-Travel is a place for ethical shopping and happy things. :)

Why do you choose to write about these topics? What motivates you to pursue an ethical lifestyle?

I choose to write about ethical shopping because I really know it’s possible to find any wanted item ethically and I want my readers to be inspired to buy ethically for their needs for the next season and every season! So when it comes to writing ethical shopping posts I really think of what is going to be the next need for my reader, that’s usually a new trend or a seasonal item.

The other features on Made-to-Travel: Good Habits, Smile Files, DIYS, etc., are all topics I gravitate to naturally in my life but also, while I love promoting ethical shopping and all these wonderful ethical brands, I don’t want to write about retail all the time. There are so many wonderful things to share in this world and I want to do that too! So these posts nicely break that rhythm for me while still providing my readers content I really think they’ll enjoy and benefit from.

My motivation to live an ethical lifestyle really all began with thinking about my purchases a little differently. Every single thing we buy has a story and buying from brands that continue to take advantage of lax laws, developing countries, and less fortunate people helps continue that story…and I strongly believe that’s true. So I made the decision to really only purchase from places where I believe in their story. My purchases now all help continue a story of empowerment and the power of purchasing creating a better world and doing that makes me feel great. :)

Quote from Jamillah, blogger at Made-to-Travel

What makes a product or company ethical to you? When you’re making a purchase or deciding what to write about, what principles or criteria guide your decision?

First and foremost a company has to have ethical manufacturing practices for their work force, that means fair pay, working conditions, and hours. I do a lot of reading of manufacturers’ labor standards, if they’re fair trade, or if they’re not I see what 3rd party groups audit their standards, how they pick their factories, I see where a product is made, I see what people have been saying about them…and if I’m unsure about a policy I ask—so easy to just ask! I also don’t buy new leather…the only leather I buy is vintage or upcycled leather (i.e. reuse/remnants, bi-products from food industry etc.). But really the guiding principle for me is that a brand is kind to people. That will always always be priority number one.

What are your top 3 favorite ethical shopping brands or websites?

MY GAWSH—so hard this question!!! Bah! Okay I’m sorry I’m cheating and not limiting myself to 3! Sorry!

For clothing ASOS Africa is one of the first brands I featured on Made-to-Travel and is still one of my super favorites. I really love EVERYTHING KowTow makes super modern, clean, and easy. If you look at my internet history I stalk Clover Canyon in a real way, their prints are just so beautiful and everything is made in the USA—I haven’t shopped there YET, but I’m definitely saving for a special piece from them. And lastly I really really love the modern classic pieces coming from Everlane.

For shoes I am obsessed with Melissa Shoes and Cri de Couer—they both have a nice mix of trendy and classic shoe styles plus they’re cruelty free with ethical manufacturing practices!

Here are some recent posts from Made-to-Travel to check out:

For more ethical blog recommendations, check out the rest of our Meet an Ethical Blogger series or visit the Resources page.

Make it Work: Upcycling & DIY

October 14, 2014 by Julia 3 Comments

Beyond just making new purchases ethically, over the last year or so I have become interested in the idea of only making purchases that are necessary. I’ve become much better at avoiding thrift store impulse buys, and I discovered a local store that sells donated craft supplies (shout out to Indy Upcycle!), which has piqued my interest in upcycling and other crafty DIY projects.

The last time I took a bag of stuff to the thrift store to donate it, I was overwhelmed by the immense pile of donations in the back that had yet to be processed. I wasn’t crazy about the idea of my stuff sitting in that pile for months before making it to the sales floor—I had good stuff in there! That got me thinking about how often I had donated to Goodwill recently and if there was another way I could handle items I did not want for one reason or another. That was when I started thinking about tailoring and upcycling. My goal for the immediate future is to try to work with what I already have, instead of running out to Goodwill to get something new.

The shirt post-tailoring. Note how I was too lazy to make a new bobbin with green thread and used black for some of it instead. Not pictured are all the seams I had to rip out and do over.

I recently had a green button-down shirt that I liked but was too big. It was supposed to be fitted and tailored but it had a bunch of extra fabric flopping around. I thought about donating it, but then I thought, “If this shirt fit, I would actually be fine with it. Can I make it fit?”

After a three-hour marathon sewing session (I have very little sewing knowledge, so there was lots of trial and error), I was successful! The shirt now fits (at least more than it did before) and it’s one less thing I feel the need to get rid of. I like to think Tim Gunn would be proud of how I made it work.

On the heels of this success came another challenge: Last week I got a hole in the elbow of my white cardigan. A sweater with a hole in it isn’t a great donation, so I thought it was destined for my fabric scrap pile when I had a brilliant idea: elbow patches!

I’m only halfway through the project (okay, maybe a third of the way—all I’ve done is pin one patch), but I wanted to share my progress.

I did sew the hole shut before I pinned on the patch. It’s really hard to pin an oval, by the way.

Have you done any tailoring or upcycling projects lately? Have you ever saved something from the scrap heap with a crafty solution?