Wardrobe refashion

Skirt made from a black extra large t-shirt with boarder trim. Pattern used was Butterick 5907 view c in one size smaller than normal to allow for stretch of knit fabric.

Wardrobe refashioning is a way to get new clothes at a fraction of the cost of new garments. It can even be done by spending no money at all!
Start with going through the closets and pulling out clothing that no longer fits or is no longer desired as it is. All these items are candidates to be refashioned into usable items of clothing.
Ideas for refashioning the old into new can come from catalogs, store sales flyers or the internet. There are even websites where people show off their refashioned garments such as http://nikkishell.typepad.com/wardroberefashion/. Websites like this can inspire many ideas.
A blog by Melynda found at http://countrygirlcouture.blogspot.com/ shows examples of refashions that she has done. Many of her ideas come from J. Crew. Their website is at http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Feature_Assortment/NewArrivals.jsp?srcCode=GGLB00125&noPopUp=true.
Refashioning is a great way to learn to sew. Most ideas take some sewing skill and require the use of a sewing machine but some do not. But if mistakes are made the loss is small because the clothing was not being used in the first place. It was just taking up space in a closet.
Sometimes a refashion can mean adding trim or embroidery accents to an item to make it more fashionable. Or putting an appliqué over a hole or stain can make a piece of clothing usable again.
To completely change an article of clothing, say from a top to a skirt, may take a pattern. A place to get free patterns is http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns. A how-to for men’s boxers is at http://wkdesigner.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/boxer-shorts/. And thrift stores usually sell patterns for only 10 to 50 cents each.
Children’s clothing is the easiest to refashion. Instead of hand-me-downs make a hand-me-up. An example for a top is at http://blog.betzwhite.com/2007/10/hand-me-up.html. An example for pants is at http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/03/howto_lengthen_kids_pants.html.
Another great site to make a child’s skirt is at http://whipup.net/2008/11/12/toddler-sweater-skirt-tutorial/. This one is made from an old sweater but the same thing can be done with a t-shirt.
One of our latest finds for ideas is how to use old, men’s ties to make scarves. This site is at http://redhenstudios.blogspot.com/2008/12/alchemy-necktie-scarves.html.
If inspiration does not hit with what is already in the closet the thrift stores are a great place to find items that can be refashioned. Shopping at yard sales can also yield clothes that are good candidates for a refashion.
Bed sheets are another great source when a large amount of fabric is required for a garment. Many even use just a pillowcase to make smaller things such as tops. An example of a top made from a pillowcase by Meg is on her blog at http://theclosetseamstress.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-wear-pillowcase.html.
Since summer is coming soon even cutting off long pants that probably have worn out knees and making them into shorts is refashioning. Cut long sleeves off to make short sleeves or even cut them all the way off to make a tank top.
Be creative and save money at the same time. See how many refashioned items you can make for your family.