by Elle Magaña Mireles

Do you have old clothing that you don’t know what to do with? With a few ideas, you can completely reinvent them with little time and effort. This can help you save money by using the things you already own, turn boring garments into exciting pieces, and inspire you to see how you can recreate the old clothing in your closet. Upcycling is definitely the route to go to rescue old clothing and take them to a whole different level! 

Tie-Dye With Natural Ingredients 

You can actually dye clothing with things in your house! Look for leftover vegetables and fruits that you no longer need to create homemade dyes. Choose a white garment from your closet and consider what color and tie-dying pattern you’ll want to use. To make purple dye use red cabbage leaves, for blue dye use blueberries, for red use beets, for green use spinach leaves, for orange use onion skins, and for yellow use orange peels. 

Be aware that the intensity of the dye will be different for each fabric material, plant, and dyeing technique. To make the dye, take one cup of the chosen fruit or vegetable and 2 cups water into a saucepan and then add 2-3 tbsp salt or vinegar to help the dye bind to the garment. Let the mix sit on medium heat for an hour. The longer it simmers, the richer the color. After letting it cool to room temperature, strain the dye and place the colored liquid in a container. Finally, use this liquid to dye the clothing of your choice with any desired tie-dyeing pattern technique. It is as simple as that! 

Creative Garment Cutting 

If you want a quick and fast way to transform clothing, consider cutting your clothing into new and exciting fits. Take an old, boxy shirt and make it a cute crop top by simply cutting the bottom. You can also cut off sleeves, make jeans into shorts, and turn gowns into mini dresses. The key is to have imagination and not worry about getting it right the first time. 

To start, find a garment you have not worn in a long time. Decide what you don’t like about it and consider how cutting it would improve it. You never know what you will end up loving and cherishing once it's recreated. Have fun and think outside of the box! 

Sewing

Even if you have minimal sewing skills, there is still so much you can do. Consider hand sewing the rips in your clothing, fixing hems, and adjusting the fit of dresses. Even if this process is quicker with a sewing machine, always make sure to take your time. There is no rush to get things right and with the more time spent with a garment, the more love and appreciation for it will be gained. 

Quick sewing ideas include: 

• Add buttons to a sweater 

• Sewing cuffs on denim jackets and jeans 

• Adding small fabric details to basic pieces

And if you don’t know how to sew, start by buying a basic needle and thread. There are plenty of online tutorials to help guide you. This skill will be invaluable and definitely worth your time and patience to advance your practice in upcycling.

Patch Placement 

Have you ever found a  nasty stain on a shirt you don't know how to get rid of? Creative patch placement can be a fun and sneaky way of covering up unfavorable and damaged parts of your favorite clothing. This solution works best on heavier garments, such as denim jackets and jeans. Be careful using garments made with lightweight materials since patches can weigh them down and affect how it lays on the body.

Fun patch placements create colorful and unique pieces that are one of a kind. To avoid buying fast fashion patches, consider looking for them in flea markets, thrift stores, and resale sites like eBay and Poshmark. If you don’t know how to sew, make sure to grab iron friendly patches that attach with heat. 



Glue Gun 

Powerful, versatile, and easy to use, glue guns allow you to add elements to garments. Consider adding pearls, sparkles, and rhinestones to make dull pieces shine. Make sure to be extra careful since the hot glue can easily get all over the clothing! 

Slightly dab a little bit of glue to your add ons and press down softly. Within an hour of it drying, it is safe to say you have reinvented a normal, everyday staple into a must wear essential. This can help you wear your clothing more often, inspire you to get more imaginative with you can do, and make pieces more fun.