I love the introduction to this book, where Jenny shares how she is "Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink". It sets the stage for this book perfectly, especially for those, like me, that have watched the movie "Pretty in Pink" and remembers how the character takes a thrift store find and turns it into a very cute dress that she looks spectacular wearing to her High School dance.
Jenny does a great job sharing insights and inspiring tips for shopping at Thrift Stores to be able to find items that can make good projects to repurpose. She has also packed in so many inspirational ideas that it would be difficult to look at this book and not find something to inspire you.
I found all the projects in this book to be well written, with easy to follow steps to repurpose your thrift store finds (or items in your closet). There are 20 beginner friend projects, with great visuals and tips, that focus on taking 2nd hand items and turning them into first-rate fashions.
There is a project to take a long sleeve knit sweater into an amazing short sleeve knit top, along with many other projects for shirts. There is a project for taking a curtain and turning it into a very cute skirt, along with other projects to create a variety of skirts.
There are also several projects to create dresses from various items, like shirts and knit tops, and they really look so cute when repurposed! There are even projects for totes, accessories, quilts and more. It is fun to see all the inspirational ideas to take a few pieces of clothing and repurpose them to something completely different, yet looking like it was always intended to be.
I think this is a wonderful book for anyone on a budget, as well as one that likes to sew with a "living green" attitude. This book has many designs that are also going to be very popular for young kids, making this book an excellent gift idea for anyone young person you may be trying to inspire to learn to sew and/or quilt. And, even the experience quilter or sewer could have fun with projects in this book to make fun items for themself, as well as for gifts.
I hope you get a chance to check out this book at your local store, or online at Martingale & Company.
8 comments:
Oh my goodness...what a clever book. There is a blogger Deanna, that redesigns old clothes and she does a fabulous job. Each of her post totally amazes me. Her site is called "Wedding Dress Blues"....just lovely....
in this hard economic time I have seen the parking lots full at several "thrift shops" in town - I used to take advantage of finding good buys and haven't done that in recent years but I well remember my teenage years of having little money and taking a big pleated skirt - taking it apart and making a pair of bell bottom pants out of it! Lots of fabric in those pleats :)
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
These gals are amazing!! I caught wind of them from my daughter who is a die hard Goodwill shopper.
I really LUV to visit second hand stores...searching for books, dishes...there is always SOMEthing fun to see! I think, this book just might be something i HAVE to have..
hugZ,
annie
rubyslipperz106.blogspot.com
I have a friend...who actually arrives today....for a visit....who would do this sort of thing. When I go to the thrift store...I find my size....and wear it. However, I've been known to buy the silk and mens 100% cottong shirts for quilts :)
Smiles,
Kelly
This is inspiring. And, actually very green! I need to start hitting a few of these stores. Thanks for posting about this.
This is fabulous! I have tried things like that on my own but fail. I keep pestering local sewing teachers to run a class where we can alter existing clothing.
I'll have to find this book.
~Monika
in Saskatoon
I've seen Jenny's book on a blog hop - awesome projects...my DD and I love to thrift, and I hope to get a copy of this book for ideas to make over our "finds"!!
Jacque in SC
quiltnsrep(at)yahoo(dot)com
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