I was writing a comment on Reddit with tips on how to make a (fancy) garment stretch further by altering it to essentially become a new garment. I think those tips can be helpful to anyone on a budget and/or who wants to get as much wear out of something as possible but who doesn’t want to wear the same dress to every party. So, I thought I would dedicate a blog post to how to do this.
Possibly the biggest change you can make is changing the colour of your garment. You can buy fabric dye in a wide range of colours but you can’t dye every kind of material. Dylon is one of the manufacturers of fabric dye and on their website they list the materials that are suitable for dyeing, including: cotton, linen, viscose, denim (for the full list, check out their website: https://www.dylon.co.uk/blog/which-fabrics-can-I-dye.html ). Always read the instructions carefully because you are working with chemicals. Note that polyester thread may have been used in your garment and that it is likely that the dye will not work on it. Keep this in mind when choosing the colour of your fabric dye. If your garment currently is white and you want to dye it to a darker colour, it is possible that the thread remains white and will stand out. Sometimes this can look nice, but if you do not want this look, pick a lighter shade of fabric dye.
The following changes can be made without a sewing machine if you are happy to sew a little by hand and/or have an iron so you can use fusible interfacing:
- shorten or remove the sleeves
- shorten the skirt part of your dress or shorten trouser legs
- add one or more appliques
- add lace or a trim to the hem of the skirt part
- add a mesh/lace layer over the skirt part of your dress
- add little ribbon/fabric flowers or pearls or beads at strategic points such as along the neckline or the hem or alongside the pocket openings on trousers or a jacket
- embroider a motif onto your garment
- add decorative buckles or clasps
You do not require sewing experience or a lot of skill to make these alterations, you just need to set aside some time :).
You can find the items you may need at haberdashery, fabric, or craft shops and markets and sometimes even at charity/thrift shops. You can even sacrifice costume jewellery you no longer wear to obtain beads to decorate your garment.
I hope this post gives you inspiration to transform a garment you already own into something new and exciting!
