Old Garment, New Fabric (5860 Views)

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  Step 1 of 8

  Begin with your original garment. You want to change the fabric, but you must pay attention to the bias, weight, and stretchiness of the original fabric. You must use a new fabric with similar qualities, so that the garment will lay right. To test the bias, pull the fabric at vertical, horizontal, and 45 degree angles to find which direction it stretches. Copy this by making sure you line up the new fabric so that it stretches in the same direction as the old fabric. Draw lines on the bias if necessary to keep it in mind as you sew.

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  Step 2 of 8

  In this step you will mark your garment: I used a fine point permanent marker so that I will be able to use this garment in the future without worrying about the chalk rubbing off. Draw a line perpendicular to each seam, and a circle around areas where two seams meet, and label the lines with letters of the alphabet. You are marking it so that when you take it apart, you will be able to put it back together like a puzzle, so don't be afraid to mark 20-30 places. You can write yourself notes right on the fabric, or put dotted lines on pleats: just be creative and unambiguous. I write on the wrong side of the fabric, but just be consistent.

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  Step 3 of 8

  Cut! With sharp scissors, cut along the seams, making sure that they are marked well enough that you will be ablt to put it back together when you are done. You can seam rip if you want to maintain the seam allowance, but I find this tedious.

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  Step 4 of 8

  Position the pieces of your old garment onto the new fabric. PAY ATTENTION TO THE BIAS HERE. It is crucial that the stretchy direction of the fabric in the garment is the same as the stretchy direction of the enw fabric, so that it will lay properly when you put it on. Leave enough room on all sides for seam allowances, or in this case to make it a size larger. Pin corners.

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  Step 5 of 8

  Transfer your markings and labels from the garment to the new fabric, with chalk or white/blue pencil.

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  Step 6 of 8

  Cut out fabric. Make sure you leave room for seam allowances, zippers, etc.

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  Step 7 of 8

  Line up your markings one seam at a time, pin, and sew with right sides of the fabric facing. You will be rebuilding the original garment out of the old fabric like a puzzle.

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  Step 8 of 8

  Finish your garment, do final touches such as zippers, buttons, etc. Enjoy! PS you can keep the old pieces of your garment and use them like a pattern for future creations in the future.