| When money is tight, you have to be | | | | great impression, but this can still look |
| resourceful. But, being resourceful also | | | | ok.You could also try stencils, painting a |
| teaches your children to recycle, be creative | | | | design or filling in an iron-on transfer. |
| and use their imagination, 'thinking out of | | | | You might be dubious at first that the |
| the box' at an early age!If you have clothes | | | | designs will remain once the clothes are |
| that are a bit dull and uninspiring, or that | | | | washed, but fabric paints are supposed to be |
| are too worn and torn to send to charity, put | | | | wash, fade and crack proof.You could also try |
| them to good use! Create something new from | | | | this technique with canvas shoes.Using |
| old AND keep your children entertained for | | | | Decorative BeadsEnhanced plain clothes or |
| free at the same time.Applique-style | | | | those with simple embroidered patterns by |
| DesignsYou can jazz up boring clothes and | | | | using bugle beads and seed beads, in |
| bring them to life by decorating them with | | | | co-ordinating colours, to either make or bead |
| bits cut out of your old clothes: use | | | | over a pattern. This is a very simple yet |
| fabrics with patterns and textures and cut | | | | effective way of really adding some sparkle |
| out shapes, words, flowers etc. If you are | | | | to an otherwise plain piece of clothing.The |
| lucky enough to have access to a Sizzix or | | | | Ugly Duckling gets a MakeoverSometimes you |
| other type of die cutting machine these are | | | | get clothes that have been contaminated in |
| excellent for cutting out some brilliant | | | | the wash by darker colours, or have stains |
| designs. You can sew the shapes directly | | | | that just don't come out. Or, you can find |
| onto your item, and 'rough' stitches can | | | | really great bargains at a charity store or |
| often look better, giving the piece a naive | | | | even brand new clothes that are in the sale |
| or rustic look (so it doesn't matter if you | | | | because they are dull and unattractive and a |
| aren't great at sewing!)You can further | | | | bad buy for the store! Keep your eye out for |
| enhance these cut out pieces with beads, | | | | these - we are trained to see the nice, |
| sequins or fabric pens/paints.Fabric Paints | | | | pretty clothes and go "urgh!" to the boring |
| and Stamping If you haven't tried fabric | | | | stuff, but re-train your brain to think |
| paints before and don't really want to spend | | | | boring is good, because boring can be |
| any money, buy some used bottles from eBay! | | | | re-vamped into something great (and |
| Then get some plain t-shirts and jeans that | | | | original!) even if the colour is a horrible |
| have become stained and start to play. Try | | | | pea green - try using clothes dye or cover up |
| decorating the jeans freehand, just by | | | | stains using fabric paints or applique as |
| 'drawing' with the paints (they have thin | | | | mentioned above. You can also add ribbons, |
| nozzle attachments so this is fairly | | | | flower buds, lace, patchwork, beads, lots of |
| straightforward). T-shirts can be 'stamped' | | | | things.You don't have to be overly artistic |
| using simple rubber stamps: brush the paint | | | | or creative to customise your clothing - |
| onto the stamp then straight onto the fabric. | | | | often less is more and a simple, understated |
| Practice first as you don't always get a | | | | embellishment will suffice. |