Fashion Tragedies / Damage Control

[eloes]

If you shrink, stain, or otherwise damage a piece of clothing, how do you turn it into something wearable? Do you just donate it/throw it away or do you have tricks for getting around such flaws in clothes?

I have a few long-sleeved tshirts that I shrank in the dryer, so they fit ok except that they're too short in the arms and torso. If you shrink something like this, do you still wear it only layered? Do you cut it up in some interesting way? Do you give up and pass it on to someone who needs it (ie Goodwill)?

I always try to go with it if I damage something. For example, I accidentally got paint on a pair of jeans and ended up adding more for a really cool effect rather than worrying about one small stain. I used the pants to wipe my brushes and to wipe off excess paint that would dry soon anyway, and the effect was personal (because the colors were all from my paintings) and interesting/funky.

I'm also afraid to tell my mom that I shrank these shirts. They weren't that expensive, but I'm still afraid... Plus I bet you guys have some unique solutions.

Please share your stories or ideas.

Edit: This should be a fairly open topic, not just restricted to the examples I gave or my questions. Feel free to add anything that seems to fit...

 

[brie]

If I shrink something in the torso, I usually look for some fabric that looks good with the fabric of the top and make a banded waist to add a few inches. Then to tie it in together, I try to find 2 or 3 buttons that are the colour of the fabric and I put them at the shoulder. (Usually I make sure I have fabric and buttons that match before I begin, unless the fabric of the waist looks good enough that it doesn't need something to tie it in with the original top.)

Another thing you can do is get some regular or large safety pins and pin them along the bottom hem of the top (as many or as few as you want) and put some pretty ribbon (perhaps a satin sash or, even though it's sort of played, grosgrain) through the pins and then tie the ribbon at the side of your waist. You can throw a longer tank underneath as well.

When I stain something, I put a cute little patch there.

Oh, another thing I did is when my black James Perse supima off shoulder top got several holes in it (that fabric is like hosiery!), I cut out hearts from stretchy red fabric and sewed them over the holes. The edges have frayed a little around the thread. It looks really cool.

 

[saggezza]

i have massive holes in some knees of some of my jeans. what i do is
a. get a range of different sized (and perhaps colours) safety pins and pin it together
B. sew it together really rough
c. make more holes
d. put a patch over it

 

[TheSoCalledPrep]

Originally posted by saggezza@Oct 9 2004, 03:37 AM
i have massive holes in some knees of some of my jeans. what i do is
a. get a range of different sized (and perhaps colours) safety pins and pin it together
B. sew it together really rough
c. make more holes
d. put a patch over it

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That sounds really cool, but I'm not sure if I understand how to do it.. could you post a pic? I'm interested in trying it...

 

[brie]

I think she means she does one of those four things. She either safety pins it together in an obvious fashion, sews it together haphazardly, puts more holes in for a more intentional look, or puts a patch over the hole.

 

[AlexN]

Originally posted by saggezza@Oct 9 2004, 03:37 AM
a. get a range of different sized (and perhaps colours) safety pins and pin it together

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I love safety-pin styling.

 

[eloes]

Thanks, guys. I knew that you would come up with some interesting solutions.

 

[softgrey]

i had a moth eat holes in one of my favorite cahshmere scarves/wraps...

so i got copper wire thread and sewed around the opening of each hole and then did a random starburst design around each one...making the hole the centre of the design...it's a very dries van noten artisanal effect and i saved my beloved scarf...

 

[pradaesk]

Originally posted by softgrey@Oct 16 2004, 07:18 PM
i had a moth eat holes in one of my favorite cahshmere scarves/wraps...

so i got copper wire thread and sewed around the opening of each hole and then did a random starburst design around each one...making the hole the centre of the design...it's a very dries van noten artisanal effect and i saved my beloved scarf...

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oh softgrey, i wish i would have been so creative when i lost 3 prada-sweaters due to edacious moths.

 

[Alejandro]

That sounds awesome Softie

What I do normally is, down here some vintage stores buys stuff off you that are in good condition, If I have a garment that shrunk, that there's no way that I can wear or repair, I just take it to those stores, most of the time you can even trade them with other stuff from the store , if there's something that I know I can fix, I will just keep it and then think about it... I had this lime green Krizia sweater that I loved, and it shurnk after I stayed over my friend's house and her maid did the laundry, so I just cutted it up on the chest, and the waist, so there was three pieces, then I had this old angora sweater that was horrible, but the fabric color was awesome, like a maroonish plum colour, so I did the same with that sweater, sewed the green syeater with the other parts of the maroon one, then it looked like a striped sweater , when I washed it, it shrunk again but it looks asymetrical now, so I ended up taking it to the store and exchanging it for an indian printed black and silver short caftan

I have to stop watching Martha Stewart for ideas like these

 

[softgrey]

thanks guys...i'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out...

ale...that sounds good...i have a project where i am inserting strips of suede on either side of a wool skirt...it's too small but it's a great piece and i don't want to give it up...

 

[helena]

Originally posted by softgrey@Oct 16 2004, 01:18 PM
i had a moth eat holes in one of my favorite cahshmere scarves/wraps...

so i got copper wire thread and sewed around the opening of each hole and then did a random starburst design around each one...making the hole the centre of the design...it's a very dries van noten artisanal effect and i saved my beloved scarf...

[snapback]398687[/snapback]​

oh that sounds great softgrey. I am almost tempted to make holes just to try it out. I love black & copper - I used to paint black skirts with copper paint (and navy ones with silver paint). It looked really good.

 

[softgrey]

helena...that SOUNDS really good...so i'm sure it was gorgeous...i'd like to try that myself sometime...

actually the wrap in question is a burnt red colour...i do have clothes that aren't black you know...

 

[helena]

yes it looked good too - as long as the paint strokes were fairly controlled and restrained then it looked suberb. I just dragged the brush randomly along the fabric. I really liked those skirts (I have no idea what happened to them). I used to wear them with a smart jacket.

 

[utopia]

Originally posted by softgrey@Oct 16 2004, 01:18 PM
i had a moth eat holes in one of my favorite cahshmere scarves/wraps...

so i got copper wire thread and sewed around the opening of each hole and then did a random starburst design around each one...making the hole the centre of the design...it's a very dries van noten artisanal effect and i saved my beloved scarf...

[snapback]398687[/snapback]​

that's a great idea, softgrey - I'll have to try that next time.

 

[Artemis]

Originally posted by softgrey@Oct 16 2004, 09:18 AM
i had a moth eat holes in one of my favorite cahshmere scarves/wraps...

so i got copper wire thread and sewed around the opening of each hole and then did a random starburst design around each one...making the hole the centre of the design...it's a very dries van noten artisanal effect and i saved my beloved scarf...

[snapback]398687[/snapback]​

great idea softie! i'd suggest copper thread if you're scared of getting poked

for shrunken shirts i usually cut the sleeves back to 3/4(if they were full length) and let out the hem. or i'll take two shirts and cut them up and combine them together somehow.

my favorite: get a ton of safety pins and glass beads and string the beads onto the pins, randomly or in a design and pin them to the hem of your clothes for an added length and flair. if you don't have time go to your fabric store and get a length of trimming with beads on it and sew it to your clothes.

uhmmmmwhat else...oh yeah bleach. get a cup of bleach and a q-tip and fade out designs onto your clothes.

and if i don't like the completed piece i just take it to the Buffalo Exchange and trade it in for new stuff.

 

[softgrey]

thanks artemis and utopia...



artemis...i did actually use thread but it was also wire.....very very fine guage...wrapped in thread...

 

[Alejandro]

Im still trying to find one of those sweaters in bad condition from the vintage stores down here so I can do one of those "Softie Copper Holes"

 

[Artemis]

Originally posted by softgrey@Oct 29 2004, 07:54 AM
thanks artemis and utopia...



artemis...i did actually use thread but it was also wire.....very very fine guage...wrapped in thread...

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ahhh ok...no pokey-ness...i'm gonna go try that out

 

[softgrey]

haha...no pokey-ness...

spent all day repairing a vintage shawl that was my grandmother's ...probably from italy...it's ivory wool and crocheted so i was doing these little invisible stitches to reconnect the loops where some stinking moth had had a snack...

moths are the terrorists of my wardrobe...
i hunted one down and destroyed it today though... rder:

but now i'm paranoid and keep thinking i'm seeing little flying things everywhere...