Where to find good quality upcycle garments.

I wrote yesterday about thrift stores.  There are also other places you can look.  If you want vintage items, check out the classifieds for estate sales-some of them are the whole home because, sorry to say, someone has passed on and you might find a sewer and accumulate a wealth of items, including sewing machines and supplies, not to mention antique items like lace and fabric.  I am not too keen on older threads for anything but display or as art themselves, they tend to break easier than threads made today.  You also can upcycle vintage garments into your design.  If there are other ways to locate these items cheap in your area, that would be your best bet.  Just keep your eye on these resources.

I find that consignment stores have better quality and less damaged goods for the main focus of your upcycle.  You may pay a little more, but you will get the labels you desire in great condition.  They usually have sale items too-I have seen $1 racks at some of these stores, and you can pick up nifty items for cheap this way.  If you get to know the shop keeper, she can call you when she comes across new items that you may be interested in, and if you purchase quite a bit on a regular basis, ask for a discount-that will save you money too.

Last, I can't say enough about friends, family, and friends and family of friends and family.  You get the idea.  Just letting people know what you are up to upcycling-even just for yourself or for gifts, they will gladly give you their cast-offs.  They would rather give them to someone creative than just straight up donate them.  Check back if they cast off quite a lot and I have made friends this way that I never would have.  I hope these help you to locate the items you want to upcycle.  The more materials you have on hand when you begin to design the better.  Later, Colleen

How to Thrift! Why you should Upcycle.

Yes, I love popping tags!  You know the song? Of course I wash them first. I thrift carefully and I have some tricks for garage sales as well-comes from lots of experience so I will share.  Share some of your findings below and enlighten us all.

First I will say I don't like paying full retail.  Yes there was a time when I would shop retail but it was mostly on sale, unless I had to have it.  You know what I mean.  Shopping in my favorite stores, having to have the latest look or item they were bombarding me with in advertisements, that brand name, that little tag on the inside of your garment, or on the outside so everyone could see that I had been sucked in.  Retailers add a lot of things to our environments processing garments, not to mention feeding our insatiable appetite fore MORE.  Can we ever have enough.  Then out of our guilt of having so much stuff, perhaps there is no more room.  If something comes in, we rationalize something must go out.  This helps us to justify another purchase.  Now I am not telling you to refuse retail entirely, I am just planting a seed, if you will, to consider buying resale or rethinking what you already have.  Is it really worn out, can anything in that garment be used again?  If you liked it enough to buy it one time, something about it caught you-fits you. Maybe it never really worked when you got it home or you wore it a few times and its not your favorite really.  Before you scrap what you already have, put it aside with the others and let it become part of your upcycles.  Or, put it aside and just think outside the box for a few days until it comes to you, or at least try to consign it and make a few bucks.

Thrifting means you have to hit the location(s) on a regular basis.  What is super may not be there the one time you visit.  If you become an avid upcycler, you will get to know the staff so set aside a few moments to check in with them, they will  want to know what you are up to.  Building these relationships can lead to them keeping their eye out for something special you are looking for.  Perhaps it is a certain brand or item, hey, I got three sewing machines this way that they set aside for me and gave me a call-no kidding.

When shopping I look for particular labels.  I like using fine materials and I tend to gravitate to the "look" of certain brand names-I can, after practice, spot them in the racks.  They usually sort them by garment (long-sleeve, sleeveless, pants, etc.) so look this way, but browse by most racks for something unusual that catches your eye.  Maybe it is the material or pattern not the garment itself.  And always look for skirts, they are great to upcycle on shirts and other items-many have a lot of material.  Don't worry about size unless you are using it as the bodice or the beginning of an upcycle and need it to fit a particular measurement.  Look for stains and rips if you plan to use whole garment.  But if it has a flaw, remember you are upcylcling and you can easily solve the problem with your sewing and design.

Look for natural fibers.  Yes, I buy items that are not all natural but natural fibers like cotton, wool, silk, linen are great to work with, they accept dyes well, and they tend to wear better, therefore, they are usually in better condition when you thrift.  You will be surprised when you get going how you will be inspired just going to the thrift, or you may find yourself knowing just what you are going to do with that garment when you get home, and may leave the store ready to sew and create.

Ask your friends if they would toss their items to you prior to dumping them at a thrift store for donation.  You can accumulate a good stockpile for upcycling this way at no cost.  They will even start telling family members and you could end up with some really cool stuff for nothing but a thank you, although I usually create a "little something" as a thank you if it is a considerable amount of stuff or something super cool.

Garage sales will be something I blog about later.  Thrifting is so much fun.  If you regularly hit a store or five, sorry I love this part of my business, on a regular basis, you will find some really cool stuff.  And if you shop a consignment store, they will hold stuff for you to come see if they know what you like and also can point you to what you are looking for in the racks.  Oh the thrill of the shop!  I can still shop but do not have to add to the planets demise, I am helping Her by reusing what is already here and ready for another life as one of my creations.  Have a great day and hit a thrift and pop a tag!  Later, Colleen

New Upcycles Gone Viral!

Fun upcycle with corset in back.  Sewed bits of scraps at sleeve cuff and ruffle at bottom.  Upcycled very large men's tshirt and sewed in the arms-of course the corset did the trick.  Do you love the vintage lingerie trim I found.  This is one I will not be selling-it hangs in my room, so fun-I love the skeleton!
Well, it is official-www.magickalthreadsandstitches.com is up and pay pal should be set in next few days.  The store is open!  I wanted to share some of my new upcycles with you here too-they are just making the scene.  Hopefully, if you are an upcycler, you can be inspired by my designs to be creative yourself!  I will be putting up tutorial, but loading the store has taken a lot of my time.  I am selling on Etsy now and they are buying, and so happy that store is reaching customers.  I am working on networking and if you have any ideas, please let me know.  I have been making some connections, but need more traffic.  I am using Pinterest too and that seems to be getting me out there.  Some of my designs have been repinned 6 times in less than a week.

Enough business!  How is your sewing going?  Have not heard much from you and I would like to.  I want to do some more corsets and sorry about bustle word mix up, maybe I am to show you that next.  Working on colorful Steam Punk right now and it is my creative rendition, but want to go straight up and try some daring Steam Punk in the near future.  Just like to expand my creativity if you know what I mean.  I am also going to expand my handbags and purses-putting them up this week on Etsy and in store online (my own .com).  Handbags would be another great tutorial in the near future.  My favorite is using denim.

Wanted to check in with you and share so here are some upcycles:

 This denim topper/jacket was upcycled from shorter denim with added denim plus sun and stars on back. It is at my store.

This upcycle is made from women's shirt and I used the bottom portion to make a sun-I love the sun and was born a Leo under this planet (leo/leo rising how crazy) using applique over denim upcycled jeans.

 Want to know about my sleeve tattoo?  Well, a koi fish swims upstream and has a spiritual transformation and turns into, or shape shifts spiritually, a dragon.  I am on a spiritual journey and feel I am somewhere in the "becoming a dragon" without forgetting I am a koi at heart.

I hope you are inspired to go out and upcycle.  Please come visit the new store and leave me a messege if you will.  I have color magick and intentions of upcycles in bio of each garment in my new store so go check it out!  Enjoy this moment, there is not another one like it!  Later, Colleen

DIY Add a Corset to Anything

Today I want to show you how to add a corset.  Do you have jackets, shirts or blouses, hoodies, or even pants that are too loose in an area or the garment is too large, then add a corset.  It is easy to do and can make all the difference.

I bought a Harley Davidson hoodie at thrift, I love anything Harley and swipe them up regardless of size (I will always figure that out later). So, follow tutorial and let me know how it went or if you have questions about project.

bustle ANYTHING:

Place garment face down and find the center.

Fold over and pin material where you would like the corset.  Remember it is going to lace up and you want some of the corset to show-so pin accordingly down each side.

I used bias tape for ties and string through for corset but you could use fabric pieces sewn or town or anything else you would like, possibly ribbon-I would use thick ribbon 1-3".  On the inside (where you will not see it) pin your tabs.  Then sew close to the edge and cut the extra material after you are finished.  I matched up the two sides from the bottom so they would be in the same place when laced up.
Then run your string through the top from the middle so you have same on both sides.  Cut the piece larger and adjust it to the length you would like when it fits you.  Then go out and strut your stuff-you will definitely get comments.

 Here is my corset after finished.  I used black thread but you can use the same color as the garment if you do not want it to show.  I wanted it to show!

 Amazing right!

This is a Harley hoodie and I have it upcycled and on sale on Etsy.  Let me know how your project came along.  I bought the jacket larger than I wear-do now you can too.  Don't pass something up just because it is too large.  Have a great day and open your present and live it.  Later, Colleen

Another photo of patch

Read article below for DIY. Later,Colleen

DIY tricks to cover spots and holes

Hope you are having a great day, I know I am!  I wanted to share a little secret to fix a garment that has a hole, a stain, something you have on it that you are about ready to toss it out but you LOVE it.  Well I have the perfect trick.  Personally I like denim on anything but you may not, so go to your scraps and find a piece of material that you feel coordinates with the garment-personally I think denim goes with everything, even something formal.  Cut out a shape that you like-I love hearts.  Then pin it over the problem.  Sew it on using a heavy or universal needle (depending on your machine of course) and use the thread of your choice.  Use a thread of the same color of the scrap if you want it to blend in and a contrasting one if you want it to show.  You are going to be sewing from the top so bobbin color doesn't matter.

Then you can start at one end of the scrap and go back and forth down the scrap with a straight stitch and angle down about the same width until you reach the bottom.  Of course you could do anything you want and you may have fancier stitches on your machine, so go to town,  Also, sometimes I then turn the material with needle down and go across my stitches the opposite way to make like a checkerboard type stitch.  Remember wabi-sabi-there is perfection in the imperfection, and do it your own way.  This is what makes it unique and yours.  I then place similar shapes and fabric around the garment (no too many unless that is your design) and stitch them the same, or different if I want unique look to each patch.

When you are done clip your threads and wash, especially if you want tattered look it happens in the wash.  After a wash and dry (if fabric can take it) you have a garment of art and you can wear it once again, only this time with even more pride so when they ask you, "Where did you get that," you can say, "I made it."

Below is a photo of only one patch on the Target sweater I love but I put about 5 patches at random places so this one patch is not singled out.  Have a great day-more upcycle ideas and a tutorial this weekend.  Working on website but it is tedious.  Shooting for Sunday or Monday.  Later, Colleen

Following this blog is another photo of two patches-had trouble getting them to page.  Take care!  You know you are already thinking of the garment and ideas are flowing through your head.  You can do it!

Upcycle Ideas

Here are some more upcycle ideas!  Still working on the .com of business which will be a full store of my creations and I have hundreds of items to share with you.  I hope you are trying to look at your clothes differently and create something that you will wear, or you could buy one of mine!

Upcycle Ideas:

 This upcycle uses women's and men's shirts and notice the little tassel in the front left (in picture).  The black trim id black bias tape.  The colors are light blues and gray-so you are laying back and can accessorize with colors for intentions.  Used black thread and trim for grounding,

 I love the way it hangs and the flowers on the right,  Very different from store bought and only one because there will never be another dress with quite the composition.

 I put a tie on the back so it can be adjusted for width.  Just love the way the different layers (which I sewed together to get that effect) come together.

Tassels on front with applique.  Gives it a tattered look that I love and only gets better with wear.  Tear the material if you can to get a rougher look rather than cutting.  The edges will fray better.

 Here I am ready for the rodeo.  I love to pick up interesting tshirts that are a little short to wear and add something to them to make them more modern.  Went for men's shirt that had a western looking color theme and left the bottom tattered.

 Love that play of the front with buttons from the shirt going down the side!

 The shirt already had the metal details at the top.  Don't you love her, little western pin-up.

 I took in the back with darts on each side and double seamed them down before attaching the bottom.  Also wanted to call attention to the back, so I pieced in a triangle going down from the back center.  This way you can tailor the t to fit any shape or use a shirt that is not as fitted as you would like.

 The men's shirt was Abercrombie and I made sure I used that piece of the shirt in a place I was already calling attention to.  I thought it was fun.

 Here is another upcycle if re-figuring a shirt and adding other tshirts to get a layered boho look gone fairy.

 I used the little tassel/applique in the front.  I selected colors that were already faintly represented in the shirt and played them up.  Now we have pink, burgundy, and green.

 Side view of dress shows how flattering the drop waist can be.

Close up of the tassel front and the lines I pieced together.  I like to add material to material so I will sew on one layer and then add another.  I try to use conflicting or different tones for this to make it obvious.

Hope I gave you some more outlandish ideas to upcycle your clothes.  These items will be in my store.  I will let you know and we will have a grand opening, eat cake, and drink tea to celebrate crafters everywhere doing what they love to do best and make money so they can do it some more.  

I will always share my ideas with you as I design and give away my secrets.  I do not do this for any other reason than I have been given this all freely and want to share it with everyone, call it good karma!  So go make a cup of tea and enjoy your present, unwrap it, it is your one moment only like this and was given to you freely to enjoy.  Later, Colleen