Refashioned T's

Close-up view of print tank top edged with an overlock stitch using a decorative thread and stains on plain t-shirt covered by bleached butterfly designs.

Refashioning unusable clothing and other items into usable has been a big part of our week. Several weeks ago we went thrift store shopping and while finding many items we could use as-is, some needed a little help.
First, several pieces of clothing had stains or just looked tired. Also we got a couple of extra-large plush bath towels but they had bleach spots on them. These items were all candidates for a dye job.
We had a bottle of brown dye so after mixing it with water we soaked all these items until they were a nice dark brown. Most items were good as new after this.
The towels were all one color with no bleach spots showing. Also a nightgown that had a few stains on the front and a pair of shorts that were a dingy off-white color were now a nice shade of brown.
However one t-shirt that was stained took more dye in on the stains than the rest of the shirt. So instead of covering up the stains they showed even more. That called for plan B.
We went on the internet and found some patterns of butterflies which were free. Next we cut out the butterfly shapes and placed them on the shirt over the stains. Using a bleach pen we traced around the butterflies. Then we removed the patterns and filled in the details using the bleach pen again. We had the washing machine full and ready to wash so when the bleached areas were looking good we washed the shirt. That did the trick. No more stains to be seen.
Next item to fix was a t-shirt someone had started but never finished. The body was sewed together but it had no sleeves or neck facing or hem. There was a pattern and extra fabric so we could have finished the shirt but opted instead to finish the edges of the neck, arms and hem with an overlock stitch using decorative thread on a serger-sewing machine. This made it into a tank top perfect for the summer weather ahead.
Then our daughter had a t-shirt top she liked but the sleeves were too tight to be comfortable. We opened up the side seam under the arm and on the sleeve. Next we sewed in a wedge of contrasting fabric making the sleeves a little roomier.
The towels were only $2 each and the clothing was all about 50 cents to $1 each. The dye was a bottle we had on the shelf for a few years but never used. Now they are all like new and can be used again.
Before tossing out something because it has a stain or minor flaw think about a way to make it new again. It not only saves money but makes you feel good about successfully completing a project.
More refashioning in blogs on March 27, "Refashioning thrifted clothes" and March 13 "Wardrobe refashion."