Have you ever looked through your closet and found once-loved pieces of clothing, wishing you could rock them again? Well, that is totally possible and incredibly easy to do so. Add a little positivity to your clothes with “Be Nice” or embrace the summer season with the word “serendipity” by your pocket. A reminder to “just breathe” on the back of a jean jacket.
I’m here to inspire you to create your own upcycled wardrobe using materials that you already own!
What You’ll Need:
– Embroidery floss
– Needles
– Wooden embroidery hoops
– Scissors
– Felt
– Upcycled clothing such as denim and t-shirts
What to Do:
Step one: Start by going through your closet and taking a peek at all of your pieces of clothing. Old pair of jeans you haven’t touched in months? Perfect. Plain white tee that is just a little too boring? Amazing. Gather as many items as you wish, making sure that they are clean and wrinkle-free.
Step two: Decide what you want to embroider onto your article of clothing. Short and sweet phrases or tiny symbols are very easy to make and add just enough detail to a piece. I chose a variety of small, inspirational sayings that are minimalist and chic such as “Just Breathe” and “Rock On”.
Step three: Begin lightly outlining your desired design onto your clothing using a pencil or pen. This will act as a guide as you begin stitching and will help with perfecting corners and curves of shapes and words.
Step four: If your piece of clothing is denim or a thick-material hat, then you won’t need the wooden hoop. The wooden hoop is used for thin materials to help guide your string. If your tee is a really thin and lightweight material, we suggest adding a small piece of felt to the inside of the shirt for more support.
Step five: Begin by pulling the needle and thread through from the underside of the garment. Continue weaving the embroidery floss in and out in tiny stitches to achieve a clean look. The smaller the stitches, the easier it is to achieve cursive letters or symbols. If the stitches are too big in length, then the string could potentially become caught in things over time, or get ripped out in a wash cycle.
Step six: This process is tedious and does take time, but it brings a sense of relaxation and meditation to a do-it-yourself project. Sit back and relax on the couch at night while watching your favorite TV show as you stitch away effortlessly. The result will be a totally new upcycled piece of clothing that you can proudly wear and call your own!
Originally published on alexandani.com
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