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