Hello readers! Thank you for all your answers to the Day 11 question, “Where do you get your Sew News, Creative Machine Embroidery and Sew It All magazines?”
Check bookstores, JoAnn fabrics, Hancock Fabrics, local sewing shops, WalMart, and they are always available at quiltandsewshop.com in either print or digital form. Subscribe to Sew News and Creative Machine Embroidery for the convenience of getting great projects and technique articles delivered right to your door! Sew it All does not offer a subscription, however, as it is a twice-yearly (Yes, TWICE!) newsstand only special. Check the above retailers and QuiltandSewShop for Sew It All too!
Congratulations to yesterday’s winners, Judith Stuart and Rebecca Mary! Email info@sewitalltv.com with your mailing address to get your free copy of Sew it All Volume 2!
Make sure to check out the zipper application tips article on page 22 and have fun making some of the 50 easy projects for all seasons. (Get even more zipper tips from Colbey Decker in her episode “Zip to it.”)
Our Day 12 prize is a copy of Sew it All Volume 3 we’re giving away to THREE lucky winners! In addition to 50 fun projects and 19 free patterns, you’ll learn useful skills like mending, fitting and ruffling. Use these skills to alter a secondhand garment into a fabulous fashion find–For more on transforming ready-made garments, see Marisa Lynch’s episode, “Thrifty Couture.”
All you have to do to enter to win this great prize is answer the following question in the comments section below. (Entering each day’s giveaway also enters you to win the GRAND PRIZE – Sew it All season 2 on DVD!)
“Do you alter thrifted garments?”
The winner will be announced tomorrow along with our LAST 13 Days of Giveaways prize!! Good luck!
Yes! I have accumulated so many garments from the thrift shop I had to go buy a couple of plastic bins to put them in! It’s almost as much fun as buying fabric!
I have done a few “hand me down” alterations, for the three grand daughters. I have received some large t shirts from neighbors and dresses and have nipped and tucked away!
No, but I’ve been wanting to give it a try for a while now.
Only a couple. I think I would like to learn and be able to do alterations by choice.
YES! I agree, its almost like buying new fabric! I upcycle stuff from my closet, use old tees to make things for my son, buy items at thrift stores JUST because I like the fabric, etc….
I have not altered garments before, but would like to!
Yes i am into doing wedding dresses right now. Love working with the satin and beads.
and so much material I can make several garments.
I haven’t before, but I love how others do! I’m not one who thinks outside of the box near enough, or at all! I would LOVE to learn ways to alter garments and give it a try.
No, I haven’t done that. I enjoy making new garments too much.
I have, but it’s been a while. I sometimes took in, shortened, embellished or appliqued garments, or have re-purposed them to smaller articles of clothing for children.
I love taking a thrift store jacket and turning it into an inspirational work of art that is fun to wear.
I do reuse my own older garments, I used a velvet dress my daughter outgrew and turned it into a clutch bag.
Not yet, but my daughter and I have been talking about trying it.
Most definitely! Love to purchase children’s denim things & embellish!
Yes! I live using old things and making them new again.
No. I used to work with a gal who would by high end clothing at bargain prices mainly for the fabric. She did beautiful work.
Other than a length adjustment- No
No, I haven’t. I admire people who can find items in thrift shops and make them into something beautiful.
I’ve not done major altering on thrifted garments, but I do like a good thrift shop find.
Yes. Over the years I’ve made clothes for my daughter, when she was young, from adult clothes. Years ago I made myself a V-neck, set-in sleeve sweater out of husband’s red ragland sleeve, crew-neck sweater. Interesting shoulder detail resulted. I have a stash of jeans to remake someday and a 1980′s red suit that needs updating. I plan to completely take apart the big-shoulder, long, boxy jacket and recut it into a shorter, fitted style. Some day.
I love to scout thrift shops for items made from fabrics that I want to use to make purses. I have done a couple of them so far. One thing that I am finder harder to locate are 100% wool sweaters to felt and then turn into purses. I am not a knitter so I must rely on thrift stores. I cannot wear wool any other way than in a purse.
Yes I alter anything I can. When I see fabric in a garment that I like , I try to think of something I can make with it. Sometimes I just like the buttons. My Gramma did this all the time.
Yes! It can be somewhat of a challenge because the transformation isn’t always straightforward, but the results can be amazing.
our local thrift shops are subpar so i have not been doing any altering. i would if i found something i liked though.
When my daughters got married I made their garters out of my old lace gown. They looked very vintage and beautiful. Would love more ideas on altering old vintage or thrift store finds.
Absolutely. I’m a big, tall woman, and none of the empire waisted tops hit in the right spot. I’m always adding a little at a top seam, ruffling and disguising, but it works, and it looks fashionable.
I alter ALL garments. I’ve even bought dresses just for the fabric. I have a printed silk ball gown waiting for me to find the right pattern, A good many alterations are of the MUST variety: the tshirt neckline is too high, pants are too long.
Yes I have altered thrifted clothes. I also like to embellish garments or find interesting buttons that I use on other projects.
I’ve just started making new clothes from old clothes for myself. I used my old t-shirts and skirts to make dresses for my dolls when I was a kid, and now…. I’m the doll!
It’s great fun. I love buying stuff from charity and thrift shop and giving an other chance to things that people might think that are only good for the bin.
Yes, I have altered many clothing items from the thrift store. Any thing from making smaller or changing the hem, taking off the cuffs to make 3/4 sleeves, making long coats into car coats, etc. Recently I have been buying knit dresses from the XL section to make tops for me or shorts and tops for my grandaughter! Saves so much money with the cost of knits today. I also look for interesting material for purse, jacket linings and quilt blocks!
Do you mean there are people that don’t? We go to the Mission thrift store regularly looking for bargains. If I find a pair of “like new” jeans for $3.00, but they are a size too big am I going to let that go? NO……Especially if the waist fits, but the butt/legs are baggy, it’s an easy fix.
Recycling is hot….make it hotter by altering thrift finds!
Oh, yes! I look for very special fabrics that have great possibilities! I especially like looking in the men’s section for great shirting fabrics! I bought a number of very outdated sweaters and felted them for accessories! Great fun. I view it a fabric shopping off the rack.
Yes, I felt as a mother of 7 children it was necessary especially for those children that didn’t want to be like everyone else. My daughters loved going to the thrift stores and then trying to change it up a little. Now that they are out of the house I still find myself still going to thrift stores and buying a couple items and then combining them to make something awesome!! I just hope my grandchildren will like going to the thrift stores and making new garments out of them.
Yes of course!! I have remade men’s suits into vests and shorts (a dressed up summer suit version). Scale down adult t-shirts, or embroider a design and sew it on for a new look. (works very well for seasonal stuff as well, Valentine’s, St. Patricks’s day, Easter, Hallowe’en) those sorts of things. Some days it is fun to go to the thrift store to just “look” and then the creative juices start flowing, and there is no end to what can be made!
I have done some. I like to felt sweaters but it seems everyone does and the thrift stores have started charging a premium price around here for wool garments. I need to start expanding my creative ideas and do other things as well.
I’ve not yet taken the time to alter thrifted garments, but would love to — what a custom look.
No, but I would love to try it. Just think of all the money I could save!
I am right now – but only for the fun of it!
YES!!!! I have worked on sweaters and crafting them into mittens, scarves etc. Over the winter I have accumulated lots of pretty dresses, skirts and blouses and am anxious to get started sewing skirts and sundresses for my 5 granddaughters.
I never have but maybe one day!
yes! mostly sweater refashions, but i’m working on other projects, too.
I love to make items from recycled jeans. Just made a small rag rug for my brother’s dog.
Yes, alter any and all garments for all kinds of projects…
I worked in a fabric store for a while doing sales and alternations.
I did not and do not like mending and altering……
Love, love new fabrics…………..
Most definitely! If I really love the piece, I will try my utmost to make it fit. I love our local consigment store, there is always a lot to choose from!
Absolutely I alter thrift clothes! That is the best way to get a new wardrobe!
Yes, all the time!
I do. I alter because most things are too big for me.
Yes I absolutely do! My absolute favorite is turning old shirts into sweet little dresses for my 5 year old daughter.
I have done some altering of clothing but mostly I re-cycle them into quilted items. I have made many blue jean rag quilts and save the pockets to make pocket purses that are very unique with some bling. I have also worked on turning men’s dress shirts into girls sun dresses for a Christian ministry and using the additional parts to make cuffs and other items. I look forward to doing more up-cycling when a needy family moves in with us this summer. The two middle school aged girls get made fun of a lot because they get only hand-me-down clothing so I hope to help them to re-do some they have and find others we can work with. Just this last week I bought the two girls new shoes, they had been wearing ones that were too small for them and worn out. Their mother said this was the first new pair they received since some I purchased for them two years ago.