How To Prevent Clothing Projects From Looking Tacky [Quality Miniseries Part 1] – Eco Fashion Sewing

How To Prevent Clothing Projects From Looking Tacky [Quality Miniseries Part 1]

There are different ways to prevent clothing projects from looking tacky. This 3-Part Quality Miniseries on the podcast explains how to get your DIY refashions to the next level.

If you care about the quality of your makes this miniseries is just the right thing for YOU.

Here you’ll learn the secrets that separate bad made homemade projects from a beautifully executed handmade works. All these handpicked throughout Mariana's (yours truly) fashion studies, work in bridal and alteration industries and personal strive for creating high quality upcycled pieces herself.

Why preventing clothing projects from looking tacky is important?

It is actually up to you how you want it made, low or high quality.

As per most of our audience which opinion I share one hundred percent, since you are already making the effort of creating why not to make it good quality? It will certainly prevent clothing projects from looking tacky, to say the least.

Moreover, we do have SO much existing clothing (a lot of which gathering dust in our closets) so there's great opportunity to recycle and enjoy the creative outlet at the same timeHowever, if you don’t care about achieving a certain quality level, why then cutting up a completely good item of clothing? Isn’t the idea to enhance it and make it beautiful to wear? I know it’s my goal for every refashion, for sure.

In essence, just applying these simple quality tips and tricks will make your project last longer, look even more beautiful and professionally done. Should I mention also that making it good quality adds another layer of being fulfilled and satisfied with your make?

Notice that I'm not even mentioning that getting the quality right just also adds another piece of your wardrobe to show off your craftsmanship... Simply put, I don't need convincing. And I know many of you care about quality too. Therefore, I put good amount of effort into writing up the Quality Series.

Here are the details that will take up your skills and refashion projects to the next levelSo, you’ll never wonder what it actually takes to prevent clothing projects from looking tacky in future.

What Is Included In Today’s Part 1

The 3-Part Quality Miniseries include:

  • The current Part 1 is focused on fashion standards related to how clothes should be sewn. Just list those, put them next to your sewing machine and develop as good sewing habits over time when do refashioning or clothing projects in general. The first step from preventing your handmade pieces looking 'homemade' in a bad way.
  • In Part 2 you’ll learn what makes the overall look of the garment to be seen as high quality. And this is different than how to design a piece and make it appealing (which is always a subjective thing). Part 2 will walk you from quality point of view; regardless of colours, style and other design specifics a garment holds.
  • Part 3 will show you how to spot quality clothing in thrift stores. Because sometimes we need to source material to redo, right? But not every second hand garment is made of same quality. On top, the price nowadays, retail or second hand, is no indicator for good quality too. There are however specific ways to identify good quality treasures. It is all revealed in the last part of the Quality Miniseries.

Listen to episode #9: 

10 Sewing Tips To Prevent Refashions Looking Tacky. Quality Miniseries Part 3.

Or listen on the podcast page HERE.

Some Highlights Inside This Episode:

[3:30] Overview of what is included in the three parts of the Quality Miniseries

[5:50] What is the definition of the term quality and how it translates to refashioning.

[8:20] The 10 sewing tips that will enhance the quality and prevent clothing projects from looking tacky. Listen to some tricks I use regarding some of them.

[20:20] Check my simple suggestion how you could turn these good practices into valuable sewing habits.

[21:00] Wrap up of the tips and what’s next

Rate, Review & Subscribe On Apple Podcasts

If you love the conversation, please consider writing a review and rating the show. This will help me reaching out more people and helping them learn the ins and outs of refashioning. The ultimate goal: the more we are, the more valuable textiles saved from being wasted!

Go to the show page here and click “Listen on Apple Podcasts”. In iTunes then select the “Ratings and Reviews” tab  click 5 stars to rate and select “Write a Review”. Make sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

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How To Refashion Clothes: The Starter Kit

To support your upcycling journey we've got an amazing freebie for you: Clothes Upcycling Starter Kit: Create your own designer clothing from vintage and unloved garments.

If you're new to the website, you can download it by signing up when prompted or on the Starter Kit's page over here.

Clothes Upcycling Starter Kit:

Create your own designer clothing from vintage and unloved garments

Designed to anyone with basic sewing skills regardless how long or what you've been sewing. You could do different sewing crafts, make your own clothes, returning to or entering sewing by doing simple projects.

How to prevent clothing projects from looking tacky - the Starter Kit

Valued at $37 - FREE for subscribers

Other podcasts mentioned in this episode:

Your Host

The host of The Art Of Refashioning and ep. 3 The Myths About Creativity

As a fashion graduate and sewing professional with several years bridal and alteration experience, Mariana Kirova is passionate about quality one-off upcycles.

It's time to start recycling those castoffs and add unique clothing pieces to your wardrobe. But to immerse into the making process while ensuring great final results, Mariana's got you covered. She loves sharing her findings, observations and upcycling ideas with like-minded aspiring creatives.

Once you feel the deep satisfaction of creating beautiful pieces of your own, you'll never look back to ready-to-wear wardrobe style!

In the meantime, the more sewists utilise what's unworn and in circulation the less valuable textiles will end up in landfill, right?

It sounds like a great win-win-win: to you, the planet and to what's already abandoned out there...

Mariana Kirova

Mariana is passionate about garment upcycling and helping others making their own upcycled clothing. Graduated with Award in garment construction from WAIFT, Perth WA, Mariana is not a main stream eco fashion designer. She makes unique eco-friendly garments from unwanted clothes and materials and believes that small fashion professionals and DIY sewers can embrace sustainability in garment creation, thus changing the fashion world for good.

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