UPCYCLING MY WAY THRU 2025

I’ve had a bit of fun upcycling/recycling clothes this year.

Most from thrift shops but a few from my closet.

Like this recycled T-shirt and flannel from my closet.

This recycle has two thrifted items. 

A Shenanigans Coordinator sweatshirt

that was waaaay to small for  me, but I had to have it!

I am a Shenanigan's coordinator for many adventures 

The gray sweatshirt was revamped and I added

 Ghastlies travel fabrics for the win!

Another thrifted sweatshirt, cut off  bottom edge, sleeve and neck line ribbing 

and added a WONKY Churn Dash block I made to the front.

And added coordinating fabric cuffs

Whenever I find Denim Jackets in thrift shops, I snatch them up.

They might be too big but I take in the side seams to fit me.

Here I fused some fabric over a pocket.

And check this out. 

I thrifted a WICKED ‘Defying Gravity  T-shirt that was to small.

This was one those theatre merch tshirts! 

I usher in the theaters and KNOW how much these cost. 

So it may be my best thrift ever! 

I cut out and fused the tshirt message to the back, 

Pink Flowers for the pop of color. 

I had a FQ of some OOP Alexander Henry Halloween fabric. 

The front of this denim shirt had some denim roses, that I didn’t like.

I removed them and there were some tiny holes left behind.

So I fused some of those owls over them and it turned out great. 

THEN I fused some owls and pumpkins to the back 

of  a short sleeves denim shirt.

Alas Ghastlies are always whispering

‘Make something outta me’

A thrifted black sweatshirt revamped.

Revamped means I cut off the bottom ribbing, the neckline ribbing

And sometimes the sleeve ribbing.

Then Ghastlies were fused into a collage on the front and 

it’s such a fun recycle 

Another denim shirt.  Took the pocket off one side.

Covered with a rectangle and I cut this dragonfly and flower

Out of another shirt to appliqie it…somewhere and

It is perfect right here. 

Yet another denim jacket 

With a huge fabric flower fused to the  back. 

I’ve got more recycling planned in 2026!

Stay tuned. 

WONKY SWEATSHIRT

When you find a unique color in a sweatshirt 

At a thrift store…

That looks good with red hair…

You know it can be turned into

Something FUN!

Sew I cut of the ribbing around the bottom of sweatshirt amd around the neck, leaving that ribbing hard edge.

That keeps the sweatshirt from rolling up and a

Nice clean loom at the neckline.

 I ribbing at bitten give a loose fit!

I made a wonky churn dash block,

fused it on and stitched it down with machine zigzag.

Cut the sleeves a bit shorter and sewed on 

New cuffs with fabric to match the block!

And it’s fun to wear when I give my

Let’s Get Wonky! 

Presentation to guilds. 

RECYCLE THREAD PAINTING FUN!

It all began with a thrift store jacket.

This one...had a little bling.

I put a very small print white rectangle on

the back of the jacket. 

The petals will overlay on it.

I make the petals by fusing them to a

stretchy fusible product.

Then cut the petals out!

Then I lay pieces around til i decide what

looks good to my eyes.

This did NOT!

Petals seem too long

and centered...not feeling it!

I decided the design would look great

off-set to the left.

I love asymmetrical designs.

I used a soft and stretchy 

Steam a Seam fusible for the rectangle

and the flowers.

A small zig zag stitch to secure everything down.

This center part of the petal is

just one flower cut from a AnnaMarie Horner fabric.

IT was perfect.

Then the 'thread painting' began by

selecting colors of threads to coordinate w/fabrics.

It's sew pretty!

Don't you think?

I've been on a kick to upcycle jackets,

sweatshirts, denim shirts.  

Stay tuned to see what I work on next!

UPCYCLE DRAGONFLY SHIRT

I love creating upcycled clothes!

Like this fun denim shirt!

I had this denim shirt in my upcycle stash.

I always buy shirts and jackets too big and alter them to fit me 

This light blue cotton shirt with a thrifted shirt ..size 6X

Waaaaay too big for me.

I just wanted the dragonfly !

Sew I cut it off the shirt and put fusible on the back.

Then I cut out the dragonfly to see how

It would look on the shirt, where I took off a pocket.

Nope needs something else  

I cut a rectangle piece of fabric,

Fused it to the shirt, over the pocket area, 

And then sewed the dragonfly and flower pieces over that.

Of course I zig-zagged all the edges

Of all the pieces to the jacket. 

I love how it tuned out. 

The bottom edge of this shirt was already raveled. 

As you can see above,

I altered the sleeves to 3/4 length. 

Tack them down sew they won’t roll. 

I am finding more and more things to upcycle .

It’s better than them landing in a landfill.

UPCYCLE THOSE JACKETS

QuiltCon 2024 was 

a showcase of quilty upcycled and handmade 

quilted coats and denim jackets.

My bestie and travel companion, Kim Hensley

bought a cute quilted denim jacket at a local made event

before we went.

Sew that meant....I had to try and make one!

I found this denim jacket at a thrift shop for $5.00

I found a baby quilt for $3.00 

ahhh this would become the jacket sleeves

Sew the sleeves were cut out of the jacket and

I used them as a pattern to cut the new "quilted sleeves" for my jacket.

NOTE: cut the quilted fabric a bit larger than the pattern

so the sleeves won't be too tight!

I added length to the sleeve pattern, to add some denim for the cuffs.

I should have added width as they were a bit tight

Due to the quilted sleeve fabric is thicker than denim

And this was my final result!

back

While at QuiltCon I did some a few demin jackets I enjoyed!

I am wearing  green denim  Ghastlies and 

my Ghasttlies soul sister is in blue denim. 

This cutrer quilt was only $3 quilt and

denim jackets are always lurking.