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It looks like reconstructing clothes found its way into our local paper (The Toronto Star). I copied and pasted the article below. Its stuff most of you have come up with on your own, but I thought this might help out anyone who has never tried it before. The pictures aren't the best because I took them with my camera since my scanner doesn't work anymore, but they help visualize the instructions a little better.

(Note ** The stores mentioned are here in Toronto)

Crossposted to craftgrrl, t_shirt_surgery, and my journal.



Taken from the August 21st edition of The Toronto Star.

First lesson for the year
Study these simple instructions from stylist Meileen Son Hing to guarantee an `A' in style



Too cash-strapped to afford new clothes? Start your back to school shopping at home. Stylist Meileen Son Hing took an outdated jean skirt, like the one mom might have stashed away, a worn-out dad-style golf sweater and hand-me-down army pants and remodelled them into funky teen girl fare.

"These are things that could be found in anyone's home," Son-Hing says. "But if they aren't, they can be bought relatively inexpensively at vintage stores or Goodwill."

Son Hing took her remodelling cues from stores and magazines since, "not all the runway trends translate well to teens." At Urban Outfitters she got the idea to use dad's old tie as a belt. "And when I was at American Eagle Outfitters, I overheard these girls oohing and aahing over these new camisoles for fall." So she located a silky nightgown and chopped it down into a camisole.

"The hardest thing was figuring out how to tackle each item," Son Hing acknowledges. "I wanted everything to be as easy as possible so that a 15-year-old with little or no sewing experience could do it."

Her results win top marks for style. The denim skirt and a boring kilt were cut into cool minis, dad's golf sweater became an argyle vest (the sleeves transformed into legwarmers) and the army pants are now super-stylish knickers. Son Hing also added punky zippers to a basic tank top and cropped and cuffed a baggy old pair of chinos.

Here are her complete instructions for remaking a back-to-school wardrobe:

Zippered Tank

Materials:

Khaki cotton tank — Astro, $8.

Hot pink zippers — Leather Town, $1.45 each.

Fabric Fray Stop — Lewiscraft, $3.79.

Place zippers onto tank in desired location. Fold zipper tape ends under and pin into place. With zippers closed, start sewing from half way down one side of zippertowards zipper end. When you reach about 1/8" from the bottom corner, stop with machine needle in the down position, turn tank at 45 degree angle and sew to next corner, turn again as before, and sew toward top of zipper. About half way up, stop again with machine needle in the down position, and open zipper. Continue to sew up to top and back down again, stopping and turning at corners.

After the zippers are stitched in place, open them up and carefully snip the tank between the zipper teeth, leaving about 1/8" from the ends.

Apply Fabric Fray Stop to cut edges and let dry.




Camouflage Knickers

Materials:

Cargo army pants — Urban Catwalk, $10.

1/2 yard brown 2.75" knit ribbing — King Textiles, $2.99/yard.

Method:

Cut off waist band and belt loops from pants. Do a single row of stitching around waistband to keep pocket lining in place. Cut cargoes to desired length leaving an extra 1/2" at hem. Cut two pieces of ribbing each 9 1/2" long. Turn cargoes inside out.

Place ribbing inside leg-holes of pants and match up centre front, sides and centre back. Stretch tube ribbing along each section as you pin into place. Straight stitch them together with a 1/2" seam allowance. Stitch a second row at 1/4" for reinforcement. Turn pants inside-out and turn up cuff on ribbing.




Punk Tee

Materials

Men's white T-shirt — Winners, $7.

Pack safety pins — Fabricland, $3.29.

1 yard plaid shoe lace ribbon — Mokuba, $5.60/yard.

Separate right sleeve from body of the T-shirt, cutting around armhole, through centre seam. Cut off neck binding, then cut a 3-5" slash down the centre front of neckline. From left and right shoulders measure 7" down on arm hole and mark with a pin. From both shoulders measure 20" down and mark with a pin. With tailors chalk, draw a straight line on a diagonal from the bottom pin mark to the arm hole pin mark on both sides. With T-shirt still right side out, sew a straight stitch along marked lines on both sides for new side seams. Cut off excess material on both sides leaving about a 1/2" salvage. Cut bottom of tee to desired length and shape. Slash top of left sleeve up to shoulder, add safety pins.



Plaid Mini

Materials

Plaid skirt — Flashback, $14.

Kilt pin — Fabricland, $1.49 for pack of two.

Place a pin at the desired finished hem length. Look for the closest plaid line to your desired length and cut carefully along this line. Shake out skirt to shed loose threads. Trim off any extra hanging threads. Add a kilt pin for extra edge.



Denim Mini

Materials:

Jean skirt — Goodwill, $4.

Sequined flower — Sussman's Bridal, $8.

Brooch Pin — Michael's Craft Store, $1.

Fold up hem and pin to desired length. Measure from the bottom of the hem up to new hem length. Every few inches measure your new hem-line and mark with tailor's chalk. With a ruler draw a straight line connecting your measured marks.

Cut hem along chalk line. Cut off waist band and belt loops. Machine-wash and tumble-dry to fray cut edges. Remove any extra dangling threads. With a hot-glue gun attach broach backing to sequinned flower and pin onto skirt.



Deconstructed Cami

Materials:

Pink polyester slip — Astro, $15.

Pink ribbon — Leather Town, $1/yard.

Measure 15" down from shoulder of slip and mark with tailors chalk centre front, sides and centre back. Draw with a ruler a straight line to connect these marks.

Cut 1/2" below mark line to separate the top from the bottom of slip. Cut off bottom ruffle adding 1" extra. Slit up centre back so ruffle is one long piece.

Start by pinning centre front of bottom ruffle onto marked line, working away from centre front around to both sides and back. Mark with a pin where both sides of the ruffle join to centre back. Add 1/2" on both sides of pinned mark and cut off excess.

Un-pin ruffle from top, fold in half, right sides together, matching up pin marks. Sew together with 1/2" seam allowance.

Place ruffle onto top and re-pin the ruffle into place, with back seams matching up. Sew ruffle onto top using a zigzag stitch.

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It looks like reconstructing clothes found its way into our local paper (The Toronto Star). I copied and pasted the article below. Its stuff most of you have come up with on your own, but I thought this might help out anyone who has never tried it before. The pictures aren't the best because I took them with my camera since my scanner doesn't work anymore, but they help visualize the instructions a little better.

(Note ** The stores mentioned are here in Toronto)

Crossposted to <user site="livejournal.com" comm="craftgrrl">, <user site="livejournal.com" comm="t_shirt_surgery">, and my journal.

<lj-cut text="Back to School Ideas">

Taken from the August 21st edition of The Toronto Star.

First lesson for the year
Study these simple instructions from stylist Meileen Son Hing to guarantee an `A' in style



Too cash-strapped to afford new clothes? Start your back to school shopping at home. Stylist Meileen Son Hing took an outdated jean skirt, like the one mom might have stashed away, a worn-out dad-style golf sweater and hand-me-down army pants and remodelled them into funky teen girl fare.

"These are things that could be found in anyone's home," Son-Hing says. "But if they aren't, they can be bought relatively inexpensively at vintage stores or Goodwill."

Son Hing took her remodelling cues from stores and magazines since, "not all the runway trends translate well to teens." At Urban Outfitters she got the idea to use dad's old tie as a belt. "And when I was at American Eagle Outfitters, I overheard these girls oohing and aahing over these new camisoles for fall." So she located a silky nightgown and chopped it down into a camisole.

"The hardest thing was figuring out how to tackle each item," Son Hing acknowledges. "I wanted everything to be as easy as possible so that a 15-year-old with little or no sewing experience could do it."

Her results win top marks for style. The denim skirt and a boring kilt were cut into cool minis, dad's golf sweater became an argyle vest (the sleeves transformed into legwarmers) and the army pants are now super-stylish knickers. Son Hing also added punky zippers to a basic tank top and cropped and cuffed a baggy old pair of chinos.

Here are her complete instructions for remaking a back-to-school wardrobe:

Zippered Tank

Materials:

Khaki cotton tank — Astro, $8.

Hot pink zippers — Leather Town, $1.45 each.

Fabric Fray Stop — Lewiscraft, $3.79.

Place zippers onto tank in desired location. Fold zipper tape ends under and pin into place. With zippers closed, start sewing from half way down one side of zippertowards zipper end. When you reach about 1/8" from the bottom corner, stop with machine needle in the down position, turn tank at 45 degree angle and sew to next corner, turn again as before, and sew toward top of zipper. About half way up, stop again with machine needle in the down position, and open zipper. Continue to sew up to top and back down again, stopping and turning at corners.

After the zippers are stitched in place, open them up and carefully snip the tank between the zipper teeth, leaving about 1/8" from the ends.

Apply Fabric Fray Stop to cut edges and let dry.

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/zippertank.jpg
" alt="Zippered Tank" />


Camouflage Knickers

Materials:

Cargo army pants — Urban Catwalk, $10.

1/2 yard brown 2.75" knit ribbing — King Textiles, $2.99/yard.

Method:

Cut off waist band and belt loops from pants. Do a single row of stitching around waistband to keep pocket lining in place. Cut cargoes to desired length leaving an extra 1/2" at hem. Cut two pieces of ribbing each 9 1/2" long. Turn cargoes inside out.

Place ribbing inside leg-holes of pants and match up centre front, sides and centre back. Stretch tube ribbing along each section as you pin into place. Straight stitch them together with a 1/2" seam allowance. Stitch a second row at 1/4" for reinforcement. Turn pants inside-out and turn up cuff on ribbing.

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/camoknickers.jpg
" alt="Camoflage Knickers" />


Punk Tee

Materials

Men's white T-shirt — Winners, $7.

Pack safety pins — Fabricland, $3.29.

1 yard plaid shoe lace ribbon — Mokuba, $5.60/yard.

Separate right sleeve from body of the T-shirt, cutting around armhole, through centre seam. Cut off neck binding, then cut a 3-5" slash down the centre front of neckline. From left and right shoulders measure 7" down on arm hole and mark with a pin. From both shoulders measure 20" down and mark with a pin. With tailors chalk, draw a straight line on a diagonal from the bottom pin mark to the arm hole pin mark on both sides. With T-shirt still right side out, sew a straight stitch along marked lines on both sides for new side seams. Cut off excess material on both sides leaving about a 1/2" salvage. Cut bottom of tee to desired length and shape. Slash top of left sleeve up to shoulder, add safety pins.

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/punktee.jpg
" alt="Punk Tee" />

Plaid Mini

Materials

Plaid skirt — Flashback, $14.

Kilt pin — Fabricland, $1.49 for pack of two.

Place a pin at the desired finished hem length. Look for the closest plaid line to your desired length and cut carefully along this line. Shake out skirt to shed loose threads. Trim off any extra hanging threads. Add a kilt pin for extra edge.

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/plaidmini.jpg
" alt="Plaid Mini" />

Denim Mini

Materials:

Jean skirt — Goodwill, $4.

Sequined flower — Sussman's Bridal, $8.

Brooch Pin — Michael's Craft Store, $1.

Fold up hem and pin to desired length. Measure from the bottom of the hem up to new hem length. Every few inches measure your new hem-line and mark with tailor's chalk. With a ruler draw a straight line connecting your measured marks.

Cut hem along chalk line. Cut off waist band and belt loops. Machine-wash and tumble-dry to fray cut edges. Remove any extra dangling threads. With a hot-glue gun attach broach backing to sequinned flower and pin onto skirt.

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/denimmini.jpg
" alt="Denim Mini" />

Deconstructed Cami

Materials:

Pink polyester slip — Astro, $15.

Pink ribbon — Leather Town, $1/yard.

Measure 15" down from shoulder of slip and mark with tailors chalk centre front, sides and centre back. Draw with a ruler a straight line to connect these marks.

Cut 1/2" below mark line to separate the top from the bottom of slip. Cut off bottom ruffle adding 1" extra. Slit up centre back so ruffle is one long piece.

Start by pinning centre front of bottom ruffle onto marked line, working away from centre front around to both sides and back. Mark with a pin where both sides of the ruffle join to centre back. Add 1/2" on both sides of pinned mark and cut off excess.

Un-pin ruffle from top, fold in half, right sides together, matching up pin marks. Sew together with 1/2" seam allowance.

Place ruffle onto top and re-pin the ruffle into place, with back seams matching up. Sew ruffle onto top using a zigzag stitch.

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/deconcami.jpg
" alt="Deconstrcuted Cami" />
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/deconcami2.jpg
" alt=Deconstructed Cami 2" />

Boyish Vest

Materials:

Argyle sweater — The Cave, $20.

Separate the sleeves from the body of the sweater by carefully cutting through the middle of the seam — try to only cut the connecting thread and not the woven knit.

Roll the armhole under as you cut, to finish the edge.

Take in side seams to desired width, sewing with sweater turned inside out. Cut hem ribbing off leaving an extra 1/2". Slit up centre back to make one long piece.

Cut vest to desired length, leaving an extra 1/2" seam allowance.

Pin ribbing back onto vest starting at centre front, right sides together. Mark with a pin where the ribbing matches up to centre back. Add 1/2" on both sides of pinned mark and cut off excess.

Un-pin ribbing from vest, fold ribbing in half, right sides together, matching up pin marks. Sew together with 1/2" seam allowance.

Replace ribbing onto vest hem, right sides together and stitch at 1/2".

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/boyishvest.jpg
" alt="Boyish Vest" />

Leg Warmers (not shown)

Materials:

Sleeves from Argyle sweater

1/2" elastic — Fabricland, 1.8 metre pack, $1.75.

Cut both sleeves at top, to create a straight line. Cut two pieces of 1/2" elastic about 13" long to fit around your calf muscle when stretched..

Turn sleeves inside out and fold top edge over 3/4". Press with iron using steam.

Sew on top of fold at 5/8" leaving a 1/2" opening to insert elastic.

With a safety pin attached to one end, thread elastic through opening, all the way through to other end of opening. Stitch ends of elastic together at 1/4". Topstitch the opening closed.


Cuffed Chinos

Materials:

Chinos — Goodwill, $5.

Heat 'n' Bond Iron — On Adhesive, Fabricland, $2.99.

Mark with a pin new desired cropped length. Measure from the bottom of hem up to new desired length. Every few inches measure your new hemline and mark with tailors chalk.

With a ruler draw a straight line connecting your measured marks. From new hem length, measure down toward hem 2" and draw straight line all around pant leg.

Add 1/2" inch to bottom measured line and mark around pant leg.

Trim the excess below your last mark. Repeat steps 1 through 5 for the other leg. Fold over the 1/2", wrong sides together and press with an iron the hem back into the leg.

Sew along the edge to finish or iron on stripes of Heat `n' Bond to finish hem. Turn up the 2" cuff and press onto upper marked line.

Hand tack or stitch in the ditch along the inside and outside leg seam.

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/cuffedchinos.jpg
" alt="Cuffed Chinos" /><img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/cuffedchinos2.jpg
" alt="Cuffed Chinos 2" />

Tie Belt

Materials:

Men's striped tie — Goodwill, $1.

Fold tips of tie on a diagonal, hiding the inside lining, pin in place. Top stitch tie around bottom edges, securing folded corners into place.

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/chele75/images/tiebelt.jpg
" alt="Tie Belt" />

And here's the link to the online article:
http://thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1061375867168&call_pageid=970599119419

<lj-cut text="Back to School Ideas">