Customisations

[breathe0xygen]

depending on the fabric you iron it on to, the plastic might peel off but all u need to do is iron it back on with wax paper in between. its worth a try!!!

 

[Pixielaughs]

^ I love that idea.. and this whole thread!

 

[strawberry daiquiri]

Originally posted by strawberry daiquiri@Jul 31 2004, 04:44 PM
Well, whenever any of my prettier tights see a hole I use the material of the lower legs to make fingerless gloves of whatever length by cutting five small holes in the feet.

I’ll use lace, ribbon or mesh netting on almost anything; a strip of gathered net in a diagonal from one corner of a plain top to the other, pleases me when done in certain colours for instance.

The glitter hairspray that god knows who would actually uses in their hair, looks well on black cloth or shoes, particularly in the dark.

Myself and others wrote all over someone else’s Converses, and they were being busy elsewhere. But worry not since they did approve of the improvement, which was surprisingly present. :grrr:

Artificial flowers when pulled apart and gathered again in smaller groups can add interest to whatever I'd like.

I’d an ancient vintage silky dressing gown in cerise pink, with lace and the like, but the ends of the elbow-length sleeves in their puffy glory, were preventing my using it as a jacket. So I’ve taken them off that and added them, folded back, to a plain black top.

I decided that an old, old-fashioned lunchbox I covered in black and white magazine pictures, can now be a bag.

Not my thing, but my friend made a loverly belt by threading ribbon through old cassette tapes. I’ve told her to sew a tape measure down the side of jeans, since I’d like that, on someone other than me.

Have drawn now a blank, for the time being.

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Remembered the fabric clutch bag to which I gave a long aul handle with fake pearls in the same colour. Now I can actually use it at night.

Oh, and I just found a whole load of sequins - curious as to where they'll end up

 

[PrinceOfCats]

How do I make cotton look old. I have a baby pink vest that I need to make look old but not damaged. Will dousing it with bleach make the dye fade?

 

[helena]

dyed a pair of cream shoes grey at the weekend. I worked out ok - not great. I was too impatient to see what it was going to look like so I failed to shake the bottle of dye before I started - which meant that the dye went on two tone. tThis actually worked out ok in the end though. Onec they were dry I polished them with black shoe polish which had a good effect. Its funny, they almost look amazing & really professional but just not quite. I need to learn to be patient.

 

[Tinetush]

I'm using small brooches and badges as buttons in blazers and cardigans. I think it looks very cute when put on randomly.
I'm also making old braces into elastic-belts.

 

[softgrey]

Originally posted by helena@Sep 27 2004, 07:01 AM
dyed a pair of cream shoes grey at the weekend. I worked out ok - not great. I was too impatient to see what it was going to look like so I failed to shake the bottle of dye before I started - which meant that the dye went on two tone. tThis actually worked out ok in the end though. Onec they were dry I polished them with black shoe polish which had a good effect. Its funny, they almost look amazing & really professional but just not quite. I need to learn to be patient.

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ooo...i missed this...sounds pretty good though...

 

[impossibleprincess]

I'm not good at customising stuff-i like my clothes quite streamlined so im not into badges, slogans, stuff like that. I do have to do certain things with my jeans-cut them at the sides to make them slightly more bootleg. I make my denim mini's frayed and shorter by cutting off the hem, because i hate denim mini's that aren't frayed at the bottom, and i cut off the bottom of my vest tops if they are too long-i like taking ribbed white vest tops and snipping them along the bottom so the edges look raw-so i don't really do it to make it unique but because certain things look better on me that way. I don't think I'd trust myself to do anything else!

 

[Sephatine]

I like to embroider. I've done intials and little animals on collared shirts. Cute, cheap, and since I'm way out of the loop, individual because no one else I know can sew.

 

[paprika_hiccup]

Originally posted by PrinceOfCats@Sep 10 2004, 02:08 PM
How do I make cotton look old. I have a baby pink vest that I need to make look old but not damaged. Will dousing it with bleach make the dye fade?

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If the vest is new you could try Synthrpol, which is the chemical used to remove the excess dye if the fabric has been dyed with fiber reactive dyes. I doubt it would work if it has already been washed.

I was going to advise against bleaching and suggest soaking the vest in salt-water-- here is a site with alot of weathering techniques-

 

[helena]

Originally posted by paprika_hiccup@Oct 10 2004, 06:59 PM
If the vest is new you could try Synthrpol, which is the chemical used to remove the excess dye if the fabric has been dyed with fiber reactive dyes. I doubt it would work if it has already been washed.

I was going to advise against bleaching and suggest soaking the vest in salt-water-- here is a site with alot of weathering techniques-

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thanks for this paprika - I must try this!!!

 

[Sugo]

Almost done crocheting a dark burgundy,very thick, chunky scarf
thinking of adding some torn up, frayed chiffon bits and pieces to it. Or a whole chunk...who knows? :shrug:

(OT we need a shrug smiley....)

 

[helena]

Sugo - lucky you I wish I could still knit! I forgot how to long ago...

 

[Sugo]

oh i love it
it's a great meditation

 

[sofialuv]

Originally posted by helena@Sep 27 2004, 07:01 AM
dyed a pair of cream shoes grey at the weekend. I worked out ok - not great. I was too impatient to see what it was going to look like so I failed to shake the bottle of dye before I started - which meant that the dye went on two tone. tThis actually worked out ok in the end though. Onec they were dry I polished them with black shoe polish which had a good effect. Its funny, they almost look amazing & really professional but just not quite. I need to learn to be patient.

[snapback]376951[/snapback]​

Were they suede shoes? I want to do this on a pair of suede shoes that now have a stain. I´m still not sure about the plosishing in the end (after dying them) or not....

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Hi there folk-a-rinos...

I have un petit question...

I have a pair of really old Diesel 'cargo pants'...they're made out of a black kind of canvasssy cotton (not textured but very tough and tent-like).

They're uber-baggy-o-tastic so I was thinking of sewing two strips of blue leather down the side to make them look cool and hip in a kind of Yamamoto-esque way...

Whaddya think?

 

[helena]

Originally posted by sofialuv@Oct 11 2004, 03:25 PM
Were they suede shoes? I want to do this on a pair of suede shoes that now have a stain. I´m still not sure about the plosishing in the end (after dying them) or not....

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No they are leather - I have never dyed suede so I am not sure. For suede you need a different type of dye. I suspect polishing afterwards would not be advisable as with all suede. Good luck sofialuv!!!

 

[helena]

Originally posted by PrinceOfCats@Oct 11 2004, 05:44 PM
Hi there folk-a-rinos...

I have un petit question...

I have a pair of really old Diesel 'cargo pants'...they're made out of a black kind of canvasssy cotton (not textured but very tough and tent-like).

They're uber-baggy-o-tastic so I was thinking of sewing two strips of blue leather down the side to make them look cool and hip in a kind of Yamamoto-esque way...

Whaddya think?

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Prince - if you don't wear them anymore then its worth a try. How will you sew them on - do you have a machine or are you good with your hands? oooh er! you know what I mean...

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Originally posted by helena@Oct 13 2004, 06:57 AM
Prince - if you don't wear them anymore then its worth a try. How will you sew them on - do you have a machine or are you good with your hands? oooh er! you know what I mean...

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I do have a sewing machine! (EDIT: now I think of it though, I'll probably have t hand sew leather, my mum has loads of specialist needles from when she was young and poor which I can nick off her so it's fine)

They're horrible trousers (I can't believe I bought Diesel In all fairness to my younger self they were £7) so they need something done to them...

 

[helena]

well go for it - hope it turns out well. Make sure to post saying how you got on. I once bought a gross deisel top that looked like a furry teddy bear. god it was HIDEOUS! I thought it wa ssooooo cool. I was young though.