Day 13 - Upcycling & DIY Projects

There are so many things you can choose to do with your own clothes. So we understand that it can be quite daunting to look through the tons of ideas online. To make the hunt for upcycling ideas easier for you, we have gathered some ideas on how you can give your old clothes a fixer upper, or how you can change it into something completely new.

Upcycling

A lot of people seem to mistake the word upcycling with a complete makeover of your clothes. Giving your clothes a new life doesn’t necessarily have to mean that the whole piece of clothing has to change. Here are 5 simple ideas and 4 not so simple makeovers you can give to your old clothes.

5 simple tasks

1. Give your old vans or converse a new design There are numerous ways in which you can update your plain old shoes. All you need is either a waterproof textile/shoe's pen, paint or heat transferable vinyl like Alexis used in her shoe transformation. You can also find inspiration in current trends like G-Dragon's collaboration with Nike in 2019.

2. A pop of colour

Just a little pop of colour can go a long way with updating your old clothes. "Tulip ColourShot Fabric Spray" works great with anything from putting stripes on a shirt to adding an icon to your jeans.

3. An extra patch of fabric

A simple way to upcycle your t-shirt is to add a pocket in a different pattern. Make the clothes more fun by playing around with patterns and colours, like Chris did!

4. Jeans to shorts or ripped jeans

Why not give yourself the challenge of making your own ripped jeans or denim shorts? Rather than buying them of from somewhere else? A style that will never run out of fashion.

5. Lace cut-outs

Who doesn't like a bit of lace? Mr. Kate has a super charming way of styling her t-shirt up with a little bit of lace.

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4 not so simple tasks

1. Ugly Christmas sweater (we all want to secretly own one)

Did we just give you a good idea for Christmas presents this year? Oh yes we think we did! Get chopping and give your whole family a funny and personalised gift. Be as crazy and creative as you can, but Amy might have some inspiration for you if needed!

2. Skirt overalls made from pants

Are you ready for a bit of a challenge? Tackle your old pants that are lying in your closet by creating something for the changing of seasons. Take a look Mary's tutorial!

3. Get festival ready in your self-made vests

Make your own boohoo chic vest by using your old scarfs. There's always a lot of new outfits going around during festival season, but how cool wouldn't it be if you came in something self-made? Take a look at Brit & Co for inspiration.

4. Peplum love

Sarah went on a thrift shop hunt and found this polka dot of a gem! She decided to turn the oversized dress into a peplum dress fit for both casual and formal events.

DIY Project

If you like to get creative, you don’t even have to make your old clothes into a new article of clothing. It can turn into something completely different. Taking the “whole new life” statement to the next level.

1. Décor pillows made from old jeans

This is the perfect way to make sure no one else has the exact same decorations as you. There is no way for your friends to find these pillow covers in store, but you could all have fun creating your own ones. Now, Christina has some great beach inspired pillowcases for you to get inspired by.

2. Homey rugs made from t-shirts

There's a huge array of colours you can put together for your own personalised rug. It'll give your room a homey and cosy feel, and this step by step guide alone has been followed by at least 8 other people before you.

3. T-shirt tote bag!

While we're talking about being green. Why not give your t-shirt a new purpose, so you don't have to buy a tote bag at the store? Making your own even allows you to fully choose the look of it! Take a look at WhatsUpMoms YouTube video.

4. Urban duvet cover from old dresses and t-shirts

You can make your own blanket or even duvet (if you decide to put in a back fabric for your duvet to fit inside of). It's made from a bunch of old t-shirts and it could turn into a real urban masterpiece.

Now that is 13 ideas to get your head spinning for. But don't be scared tp be creative! Our tips for shirts could also go for skirts or jeans, or things you might generally look at as feminine can definitely turn masculine with the right ideas.

Today’s task:

Take a look into your bag or pile of clothes you don’t want anymore. Look at them one by one. What is something you could make out of these fabrics? Or could you simply give the clothing article a new life with a little makeover?

What are some of the upcycling projects you’ve already done? Share with us in the comment section below!

- Sara Nilsson