Redesign, Repair, and Recycle Chapter 16

Redesigning Clothes Change an existing garment to make it suitable for more wear Change a garment’s style and fit as well as its color and trim Practical way to get the most from what you have Use your time and skills to expand your wardrobe with little or no cost

Changing the Style Year to year, fashions change Adding a belt at wait or hips Wide pant legs can be straightened or narrowed Long pants can be turned into cropped pants

Adjusting the Fit Minor corrections can often be made easily with basic sewing skills Move a button, hook, etc

Length Adjustments Most can be shortened Fewer can be lengthened Cuffed garments take extra planning Shorten hem, new hem length with pins or chalk Remove old stitching Lengthening hem little more involved Need enough fabric May not be able to iron out hem crease

Width Adjustments Usually more complicated Minor adjustments made at side seams Seam allowances must be wide enough for a new seam

Adding Accessories and Trims New belt, scarf, tie, jewelry piece Check fashion magazines Braided rope belt Gold or silver adds to an outfit Changing buttons give a new look Trim can add a new look Appliques – cutout pieces of fabric applied as a decoration

Changing the Color Dyeing fabric Liquid or powder form Think about what color you want Check fabric content Consider trims Can go from light to dark color easily Plan project Color may not be permanent (bleeds or fades)

Painting Fabric Paint fabrics come in ready to use tubes Brush or markers Wide range of colors, metallic

Repairing Clothes Repair made early prevents a bigger job later 1. Restitching seams– page 288 Common and easily repaired Machine or hand stitching

2. Restitching hems– page 288 Sewn with a chain stitch Easily pulled out Takes a few minutes to repair

3. Replacing Fasteners Save extra buttons Replace buttons ASAP Can replace all if one doesn’t match See page 288 for buttons

Fixing Snags Knitted or loosely woven fabrics get snags Loops of fabric that pull out If ignored, a hole can form and grow Use a crochet hook, and pull snag to underside of fabric See page 289 figure 16-12

Mending Tears Quick repair can prevent it from becoming larger Straight tear mended by machine Begin and end ¼ inch beyond tear See page 289 figure 16-13

Patching Holes Applied with hand or machine stitching Trim away frayed threads Fold edges of patch and stitch in place On outside, turn edges of hole under and slip stitch to the patch For added strength top stitch patch Fusing is another method Press from wrong side Iron on patches also available See page 289 figure 16-14

Covering Worn Areas Oval patches Topstitch or fuse pat Hide frayed spots by applying trim, fold over brain, bias binding Patches, pressed or stitched on pant legs can increase strength of pants

Making Emergency Repairs Safety pins can come to your rescue Small sewing kits to travel with Repair ASAP to avoid larger problem

Recycling Clothes Reclaim items for another use Saves money Family member’s wardrobe expands at no cost Hand me downs Helps preserve natural resources Helps other people afford new clothing

Passing It On Consignment shop – pays seller a percentage of the selling price after the item is sold Something you no longer need Want items that are in good condition Outgrown articles passed down to other family members or friends Unwanted but useable clothing can be donated to charities

Finding Other Uses Give article a new start Dress it up with accessories etc

Accessories Sturdy belt Different trims Badly stained tablecloth turned into place mats Beach towel turned into a beach carryall

Children’s Clothes Can be “downsized” to make children’s clothes Children can like used fabrics because they are softer and more comfortable Children can play dress up with older clothes

Patchwork Projects Sewing together small fabric shapes to create a new, decorative piece of fabric Patchwork quilts are made today Wall hanging or t-shirts Combine fabrics in patchwork project

Household Cleaning Bag of cleaning cloths Larger pieces can cover floor when painting or staining Cotton fabric for dusting Recycled for padding and paper

Summary You can redesign an outfit in a number of ways Redesigning a garment takes some time but extends the life of the garment

It takes only a few minutes to restitch hems and seams, change buttons, add snaps or hooks and eyes, and mend small holes Recycling reclaims items for other purposes

Just as people recycle cans and bottle,s they can recycle clothing too You can recycle clothing when it’s wearable and when it’s not

Choose an item from your wardrobe to redesign for yourself or another family member. Explain what steps or techniques you would use.

Tie dyeing an old t shirt for a new look

Contact charitable groups in your areas to learn whether they recycle clothing. Ask their policies for collecting and distributing the clothing