7 Questions For Successful Clothes Upcycling For Beginners
Reworking old clothing is one of the best ways to save money and safe the environment, however, clothes upcycling for beginners, could be daunting task (even if you already know how to sew). Where to start? What to make? How? All these questions could be quite overwhelming.
That is the reason that, after swimming in these waters for some time now, today I pull the most important questions you need to consider before even thinking of making the first cut.
This episode of our podcast The Art Of Refashioning makes it more easier for you to focus on the important things.
In today’s episode we talk clothes upcycling for beginners. And in particular:
Listen to episode #4:
Clothes Upcycling For Beginners: 7 Questions Before Making The First Cut
Or listen on the podcast page HERE.
Some highlights inside this episode:
2:20 – Quick overview what is covered in this episode.
Clothes Upcycling For Beginners: The 7 Key Questions
3:40 – Question #1: Who is it going to wear the garment? Why finding answer to this is critical first step and what is included here.
6:00 – Question #2: Do you love the colours? Since colour is the first thing we notice in a garment, choosing to rework something within your colour preferences is important. Some possible options on how to work with colour depending on your fashion taste.
8:15 – Question #3: What to consider if colourful is not exactly your style? How to work with texture.
10:00 – Some examples and other options how to develop your upcycled clothing project using texture.
10:50 – What else to consider? Question #4: Is the fabric pattern or the print something you enjoy? How pattern could help you make simple and yet impactful refashions.
11:50 – Question #5: What type of clothing you would enjoy or want to make? Why taking these further considerations would make your clothes upcycling for beginners more successful?
13:15 – Narrowing down into the design. Question #6 discusses what style, design or details you would like to incorporate in your remodelling. What should be your focus.
15:20 – How details of the design usually come further in the process.
16:00 – Question #7: Is the material enough for the design you want to make? Clothes upcycling, for beginners or more advanced, often rise the challenge that the initial main garment does not provide enough material. So, I discuss some suggestions how you could go around this creatively.
5 Tips To Keep Your Clothes Upcycling (For Beginners And More Advanced) Successful
18:25 – Tip #1 to keep you focused: Pick one thing and build up from there. What could be your one thing when starting on a project and why this is important. Some examples to envision how to apply this first tip.
22:50 – Why you should not worry about figuring out all of the design at the beginning. Tip #2 takes some examples to explain more details around the process of developing your design idea.
24:00 – Tip #3 for clothes upcycling for beginners who are perfections is very important: Make it feasible. Why instead of aiming for a perfect project you should focus on creating a finished project.
26:05 – Tip #4: Source additional and complimentary materials after starting on a project. Design idea changes throughout the refashioning process and it’s normal to not find all materials at the very beginning. Here I give you my favourite way to source whatever you need to finalise your project.
27:10 – Sometimes, while still making your upcycled project, you start doubting “Am I really going to wear this thing?”. Here comes the last tip #5: Keep your options open. What you could do when you feel you wouldn’t be wearing it as part of your outside wardrobe.
28:30 – Wrapping up this episode with its key questions and tips.
30:00 – What’s next and what is my big question to you.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Projects mentioned in this episode:
- Icy Blue Cardigan Refashion With Lace – one-colour (a.k.a. monochromatic) project with texture as main feature
- Yellow Shirt Refashion – reworking a shirt by using matching colour plaid man’s shirt.
- One New From Two Old – zero waste project for non-dressmakers
Additional TIPS for successful projects and creative clothes upcycling for beginners:
- 19 Tips on How to Make Upcycled Clothes That Look Great – article with additional design insights and information what to consider when upcycling.
- Nervous whether you are creative or not? How much is enough to start reworking old into new, does it matter how long you've been sewing? Find out in this episode of the podcast on creativity.
Your Host
As a fashion graduate and sewing professional with several years bridal and alteration experience, Mariana Kirova is passionate about quality one-off upcycles.
She loves sharing her findings, observations and upcycling ideas with like-minded aspiring creatives.
It's time not only to start recycling those castoffs and add unique clothing pieces to your wardrobe. To enjoy it, you need to immerse into the making process. Once you feel the deep satisfaction of creating one-offs of your own, you'll never look back to retail!
At the end, the more people who sew start upcycling clothing already in circulation, the less valuable textiles will end up in landfill, right?
