Making the clothes you love last
This spring I was approached with a very special request: Is it possible to upcycle my mom’s prom skirt into a grad dress? I was sent a few images of the skirt in question as well as some inspiration photos and I immediately knew how this could be done. If you ever wondered about the work that goes into making a custom garment, here is the lovely process of how I created the ultimate upcycled grad dress.
Continue reading “Designing The Perfect Upcycled Grad Dress”
A few weeks ago a client came to me with a challenge: is it possible to lengthen cropped jeans into full length jeans. Given that she had two very different pairs: one pair of skinny jeans and one pair of flair jeans, the solution is different for both. Here are two ways to lengthen jeans that are too short.
Have you ever accidentally put a loved wool or cashmere sweater through the washer and dryer? Other than gifting it to your child because it’s so small, this shrunken garment might be destined for the compost bin unless you can find a way to upcycle it. For this very reason, I have designed a beautiful way to upcycle a sweater into a scarf. Here’s the tutorial
I’m excited to share with you my latest design: The Perfect Upcycled Denim Skirt which is now available to purchase in my Etsy shop. This piece is a classic for a reason. For decades, the denim skirt has been a great essential piece in any stylish wardrobe. This design allows you to be not only on trend but also sustainable.
Continue reading “New Design: The Perfect Upcycled Denim Skirt”
As summer has come to an end I wanted to share with you a few mending and alterations projects I did for clients over the past few months. People come to me with various issues and I thought it would be fun to share how it’s possible to transform a piece that is loved but whatever reason, is not wearable. Here are four before and after projects done over the course of the summer.
Continue reading “Latest Mending And Alterations Projects In The Studio”
I have this pair of jeans that I found in a thrift store which were perfect for my needs at the time: dark blue, skinny, and high waisted. It felt like the ultimate find in the often hit or miss world of thrifting. Fast forward a few years, these fabulous jeans have either shrunk dramatically, or my body has started growing.
Because they still have lots of life in them, I figured I had two options: pass them on, or make my jeans bigger by adding a strip of denim on each side. Since I’m still quite attached to them and always up for a mending challenge, here’s how I enlarged my jeans using the strip method.
I love patched jeans.
Every time I see a pair of torn jeans, I feel it’s an opportunity waiting to for me to give them new life. In the past I’ve shown you the best way to patch skinny jeans, but what do you do when you have loose fitting jeans that need fixing? Let me introduce to you two beautiful ways to add multi patches to your jeans.
“Repair is completely about slowing it down. It’s about saying, ‘I’m going to have this item for 20, 30 years, and we’re enabling you to do that.” This quote comes from a market leader during a round table at Copenhagen Fashion Week 2023 which was hosted by the Business Of Fashion magazine.
This quote sums up perfectly my motivation why I mend my family’s and my client’s wardrobe. Yes it’s time consuming and should be seen as an investment. It adds years to clothes that might otherwise be discarded because they are no longer wearable.
Over the past few years, patching has become an art form in itself. I’m happy to share with you a few of my favourite tips to create a successful upcycle so you can artfully repair your jeans, or know what your preferred look is when you come to me with your mending needs.
Some of my favourite inspirations comes from designers who have used various types of textiles as patches. I love combining denim with other patterned textiles for a more eclectic look. Here’s an example of a pair of jeans I patched for my son using the following fabrics: 2 tones of denim, polka dot blouse, stripe from a bed skirt, and floral jacquard from upholstery swatch.
I love unpicking and using the hem of jeans as patches. The colour fading always makes for interesting textures.
The second option keeps the holes of the jeans visible yet adds depth by using various types of fabric under the jeans. Below is an example of this type of patch, using various shades of denim and printed linen.
For a different look, you can also use the same colour denim to cover all the holes.
If you look closely, I topstitched the larger fabric panel around the edges to keep the fabric secure and also to add a beautiful stylish detail to the front. I like using a combination of straight stitch around the holes, as well a large zigzag stitching over frayed holes in order to keep the threads in place.
When it comes to choosing the best types of materials for patches, I strongly recommend going with your personal tastes. That said, I love using a few colors of denim as the base patches and then giving a pop of color with two or tree different textures such as stripes, florals or plaids.
If you’re a thrifter, keep an eye out for upholstery fabric, and especially sample squares. There’s just enough fabric in a sample square to make at least 4 to 6 patches. Upholstery fabrics are sturdy and usually are either a textured jacquard or brocade which adds a beautiful contrast with the denim. Here’s an example of a few swatches I found in my local thrift store which I’m keeping for future repairs.
If you have a favourite pair of jeans that could do with being creatively patched, contact me for a quote.
A few months ago a friend came to me asking if I could restore her treasured silk bolero which belonged to her grandmother. Well loved and worn, it had a large tear under the left armhole, was fraying at the seams and near the shoulder. Although this was a large challenge, I gladly accepted and just recently completed the restoration of this beautiful heirloom jacket. Here was the process.
With the holidays approaching, I’m thinking I want to offer gifts that are personalized and hand made. I thought I’d share with you one of my favourite ways to make a home made gift that is easy, quick and very affordable. I’m going to teach you how to hand embroider a t-shirt using this free moon & stars design.
A few years ago I found this very cute Ralph Lauren sweatshirt in a thrift shop. Although it was a bit small for me, I fell in love with the print and decided to buy it with the intention of upcycling it into an oversized piece. The business of life forced me to shelve the idea until this week when I took a bit of time in my studio to work on the design and transform it into a beautiful upcycled hoodie. I thought it would be fun to share with you the design process that went into this transformation.