It’s time for our second annual Holiday Giveaway Calendar! Everyday in the month of December we are giving away an amazing prize! It’s super easy to enter, just leave your comment answering the bolded questions below by noon EST 12/28 and a lucky winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries!
Today, enter to win a Feature in Living Creatively online monthly magazine!
Ever dreamt of being featured in a magazine? Now’s your chance.
Living Creatively – the online community dedicated to creativity – is offering a BurdaStyle member the chance to be featured in the Living Creatively online monthly magazine.
Enjoyed by crafters around the world, Living Creatively encapsulates everything about the new movement in craft; young, fashionable and sexy. Devoted to all things creative – art, craft, fashion, design, urban living – the site is global in scope and covers local artisans and high-profile designers equally.
You will join the ranks of those who have gone before you. Names such as Akira Isogawa, Lotta Jansdotter and Amy Butler to name a few.
You get to talk about you; your design style, your inspirations, your plans, as well as feature images and projects from your creative life.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
To enter, just leave your comment answering this questions by noon EST 12/28:
In these challenging financial times, there has been a resurgence in the ‘Make Do & Mend’ philosophy seen during war time in the 1940’s. Have you used your sewing skills to ‘make do and mend’ recently? If so, what have you made?
We want to congratulate knjižni_molj on winning yesterday’s $100 Gift Certificate to Recycleatee! Her comment was chosen at random from all eligible entries. Thanks to everyone who entered and good luck in today’s giveaway
Dec 30, 2009, 02.39 PMby strawberrypancakesbykim
I put a new fly in a pair of pants that were otherwise perfectly good. i also have fitted some big t-shirts rather than going out and buying new fitted tees. My next project using existing clothing is to turn a pair of ill-fitting black pants I have into a pencil skirt.
Dec 30, 2009, 04.16 AMby nitarichdee
I used left over strips from an African themed quilt to make a very interesting vest. I wore it to the Quilt Show in Houston and received many compliments. I sewed the strips together, end to end, and created a sort of log cabin type pattern. I also use old jeans to make many things but my favorite is using small amounts of left over fabric to create an interesting design.
Dec 30, 2009, 03.31 AMby kaubonbon
Hope, I am not too late to enter this great giveaway. Our family, sure has been impacted by the current economic situation. I have been making most of my twin girls’ clothes myself for the past two years. Just recently I took two pairs of my husbands old cords and refashioned them into cute skirts for my girls. Thanks for the chance to win.
Dec 29, 2009, 10.21 PMby joboenvogue
In our house, we have enough, but lately, I’m buying very little. Sure, sewing is an expensive habit, but I’ve learned how to make the clothes I buy last longer. And I still look great doing it! If I buy high quality garments like, say, my North Face jacket, I wear it CONSTANTLY and it still holds up. Buy better, but buy less. It’s truly the mantra that works. That means when we buy expensive sewing things, fabric per se, we must scrounge every last ounce out of its purpose! That’s why I use clearance and thrifted fabric, vintage buttons, the extra buttons from clothing, and I buy as little as possible.
Dec 29, 2009, 10.20 PMby shamdoogle
I make nearly everything from recycled and scrap fabric. And currently I am mending a 20 year old winter jacket by replacing the lining and some of the interfacing, hopefully it’ll last another 20 yrs.
Dec 29, 2009, 09.42 PMby nenasew
I like to re do tshirts into hats and scarfs. no throw away tshirts and no more buying of caps.
Dec 29, 2009, 09.00 PMby liliane
I always try to use old fabrics or clothes i don’t wear anymore than buying new things.And i love buying vintage stuff and make them fit better or something new out of them. The latest thing i made were little fabric birds using fabric remnent.
Dec 29, 2009, 08.49 PMby jegerkris
I have recently become interested in sewing again. I scour second hand shops for good pieces of fabric that can be used for my projects of providing cage mats for rescued and fostered animals. I am improving my basic sewing skills and feel that I am helping others too. I have been reading anything I can find on the internet regarding sewing and have acutally completed a small carryall. I enjoyed many bazaars during the holiday season and found that I have a new appreciation for the products created by the talented sewing artists. I have found new uses for the old jeans we have had lingering around in closets. I found a great idea for making a tote using the jeans and have also found uses for old socks or ‘single’ socks by stuffing them with batting and catnip. My eye seems to be looking at old gently worn fabrics differently with the possibilities of reuse , redesign.
Dec 29, 2009, 08.37 PMby katbgamboa
Like many others I find inspiration from Burdastyle! i also get inpiration from old patten websites like “mother’s patterns”, and “etsy”. I also love looking at fashion blogs like “a curious seamstress”.
Dec 29, 2009, 08.02 PMby fosteretalk
Rich, poor or somewhere in the middle none of us can spend the same penny twice. Shopping prudently and keeping what one has in serviceable condition is always a priority. I have used my sewing skills to repair napkins and tableclothes for the holidays, I have mended clothes and made some new ones from fabrics off the clearance table. My stash of fabric is getting low as I use what I have to make things for the family. I knew it would come in handy someday!
Dec 29, 2009, 08.02 PMby fosteretalk
Rich, poor or somewhere in the middle none of us can spend the same penny twice. Shopping prudently and keeping what one has in serviceable condition is always a priority. I have used my sewing skills to repair napkins and tableclothes for the holidays, I have mended clothes and made some new ones from fabrics off the clearance table. My stash of fabric is getting low as I use what I have to make things for the family. I knew it would come in handy someday!
Dec 29, 2009, 06.15 PMby junisbabe
I always look for fabric and garments I can reuse and upcycle! It saves me money and is environmentally friendly! I also use leftover bits of fabric to create appliques so that I don’t waste anything!
Dec 29, 2009, 06.05 PMby oonaballoona
DAMN i can’ believe i missed this!!!!!
anyway… can’t remember the last time i shopped rather then make, or mend.
Dec 29, 2009, 04.57 PMby ronee
I’ve been working on a winter coat from vintage wool plaid that my grandmother gave me. (She used to have to make, do, and mend as a way of life.) It’s going well, but I hope I finish it in time to wear this winter!
Dec 29, 2009, 04.36 PMby hstorm799
I make mostly clothing items. Before I learned to sew, if a button went missing, the item was unusable and went in the trash. Now that I sew, I cannot believe the things I got rid of because of a little rip or a missing button or a bad zipper!!! I wouldn’t think of just throwing something away now. Even clothing that has a bad fit, I can re-use the fabric for another project, re-use the buttons or zipper, etc. Now I am making drapes for my new home. The possibilities are endless and I am much more mend-it minded.
Dec 29, 2009, 03.33 PMby gray
I’ve started making my own clothes…. then seeing all the left over fabrics I have been saving them and making bigger things like quilts and bags. I go to flea markets and buy fabrics and threads.
Dec 29, 2009, 03.02 PMby sweetroll
I am constantly making things as gifts for family and friends, repurposing fabrics and materials for new projects, and altering & mending my own clothes.
Dec 29, 2009, 02.41 PMby dare
I do lots of mending. It feels like more mending then sewing some times. Hopefully its because I try to only make/buy stuff I really REALLY like and can’t part with them. Working on recycling a failed shirt into a different shirt today.
Dec 29, 2009, 02.24 PMby wzrdreams
My coat pocket bags are always ripping and I am forever mending them. This happened recently on my London Fog Trench, which I bought at a thrift store for $20. Recycle and repair!
Dec 29, 2009, 02.05 PMby badkitty-1
I make a lot of corsets using recycled materials.
Dec 29, 2009, 12.52 PMby annika
Yes! I made a baby bedding set from old worn out sheets. Baby washcloths from old towels. It´s cheap, good quality fabric and eco friendly as well.
Dec 29, 2009, 12.32 PMby jules87
everything is worth saving for a future project. i always get seam ripping and buttons falling off so i fix them.
Dec 29, 2009, 09.48 AMby tanyaaa
I made aprons out of fabric scraps from previous projects to give away for Christmas rather than buying expensive gifts.
Dec 29, 2009, 09.21 AMby luxihere
I have always saved all my leftover fabric from my early sewing days. Have a diwan (storage bed) full of them, nagging my husband everytime he sees them. I make dresses for my little daughter and fabric embellishments using them
Dec 29, 2009, 09.07 AMby kaitui-kiwi
Right now (as in today, so good timing) I’m upholstering my old coffee table into an ottoman. I’m also taking the top off and padding it for a seat and will hinge it so it can be opened for storage. I’m doing it partly to save money, partly to be a bit green and reuse the framework instead of throwing it away and partly becaseu i can’t quite find anything I like in the shops :) If all goes well I’ll be posting it up soon, fingers crossed! xx
Dec 29, 2009, 07.43 AMby sunabove
I remember when I was a child my father sewed me really funny dress from his old jeans
Dec 29, 2009, 06.20 AMby louana
I’ve really cut back on new fabric purchases, I make lots of my children’s clothes from thrifted clothes or clothes from my own wardrobe. I’m making my son a quilt from recycled jeans backed with old business shirts. Thrifted woollens turn into great hats and soft toys.
Dec 29, 2009, 06.01 AMby Sarah Lorde
I have challenged my self to make do with any scrap pieces of fabrics to create projects & buy as little as possible to complete them.
Dec 29, 2009, 05.22 AMby marylou86
I have mended torn jeans, made clothes from my husbands old clothing, refrained from buying any new fabric and use what I have, and copied clothing from designer stores for a fraction of the price :)
Dec 29, 2009, 01.37 AMby stephiaffi
I made a purse for my mother this christmas out of an old leather coat that used to belong to my roommate. Simply wouldn’t have been able to afford to buy leather. I also like to make use of old bedsheets and curtains or other such things to make clothes for myself. It doesn’t always work out perfectly if you are trying to recycle but sometimes it can work…and then it’s a real joy.