Just a tip - don't dry something that has stains in the dryer. Let it air dry to see if the stains are still there. It'll help because the heat of the dryer can just keep setting the stains in further. If you buy something stained, this can help you get it out easier.
As a crafty person who loves my sewing machine, I’m so stoked to see you altering and fixing your clothes to make them work for you. I do it all the time and take for granted I have the means and skill to do it, but you are showing others that it can take very few things to make some really impactful change. You don’t necessarily need a tonne of sewing supplies. More content like this, please!! Massive thumbs up!!
I just got a sewing machine and my goal is to get to a point where I can alter/fix the clothes I have rather than donating everything I'm not wearing and then buying replacements. This video is so well timed, and it's a great idea to promote for anyone maintaining a closet!
Love the cropped sweatshirt! For your future cropping endeavors or if you ever decide to crop this shorter, I've found that giving the cut hemline just a slight curve helps it lay a little nicer if you're going for a less boxy look, so a smidge shorter on the sides and longer in the middle. Either way, LOVE how this DIY turned out for you
The winston shirt transformation was shocking! This video really was win after win. I really like the lisa says gah skirt layered and as a shirt, so cool!
I think this is a great “entry level” video for making small alterations to your clothes. Moving forward maybe you could work with a tailor for some more drastic transformations. I’ve personally brought a couple of dresses to be altered recently and it’s really made a world of difference!
Suggestion for when cropping/altering clothing and needing to mark it: use chalk. Just regular chalkboard/sidewalk/little kid chalk. Comes in a bunch of different colors so it stands out on all different colors of fabric, and if you mess up and need to re-mark (or just want to crop and go without washing) you can just rub it off. It's my ultimate (see: only) crafty life hack!
Just a pro tip, if you stop using fabric softener & start using just a little bit of vinegar, it’ll stop ruining your clothes with those little spots/stains. It has made a world of difference in my house bc we no longer buy fabric softener at all.
Karina is the queen of wearing her skirts as tops or dresses! I love that you have found 2 ways to love your new skirt! I am gonna try that vintage wash stuff! It worked so good! I would love to see a follow up getting your cloths altered! Thanks Carrie! 🖤
I've found using regular stain remover and then putting the item out in the sun really works! The only way I can get stains out of my toddler's clothes but I've had a 100% success rate!
Love this video! Love trying to repurpose or six clothing rather than just get rid of it or buy something different. Especially when it's something you really love. And like just it hasn't been able to have its moment with you yet. So helping it get to that point is fantastic! I think my favorite hack is turning the skirt into a top. You look gorgeous in that skirt top!
Eeee try the "skirt top" with light wash jeans, pleaaaase 😊 i have the biggest pile o' clothes that need fixing / altering / to be donated. Should get on that 😂
I assume she means washing clothes that specifically say to not wash them.. like a fancy dress or leather jacket. These items should be dry cleaned. But ya not washing them at all is wild, though there’s probably way grosser things happening at the restaurants we frequent or the hotels/airbnbs we stay at during a trip. Although, I think not washing any clothes before wearing them is wild considering the clothes at the mall have been tried on by way more people than an item at a thrift store. Even an item that was sitting in a warehouse and was shipped to me needs a good wash before I’d feel comfortable wearing it.
So glad that all these worked out. Also, loved the look where you had your hair up and the big hoops. Please, please, please do a part 2 where you get your clothes altered. It does wonders for off-the-rack clothes and not always as expensive as people think
Perfect timing! This popped up right on my lunch break. That cropped sweatshirt is perfection. I have like three things sitting my closet right now that needs some TLC. Thanks for the inspo, Carrie!
Another solution for the Winston sweatshirt if your washing attempt had failed would be to thrift a shirt with red cuffs that match the collar and swap them for the dirty white ones.
I love the retro clean idea.. I have a bright white shirt that I wore once and effed it up in the wash and now it's dingy. I am definitely wanting to try that stuff on the shirt and maybe a couple of my other white shirts! Love the skirt as a top
This video is perfection! I'd love to see more like it and alterations. It's inspiring me to look at my closet and apply some hacks. Thanks for great content as always, Carrie. And all of these hacks are FANTASTIC - especially the last one (idea 1 and idea 2, especially)! That's adorable as a top!
Holy crap that was so so bright white! Totally noticed Alexa had the same skirt. Loved this video can you do it again with some of the other things in your closet that you like but need small changes? This is a series idea!
Oo I have a vintage shirt to try cleaning bc I was ready to get rid of it. Was one of those purchases off Depop where their lighting and editing made it look like the shirt was yellow but it’s just dingy af. So can’t wait to try it!
The way that the majority of these changes made them for the better…so happy! Especially the Winston sweatshirt and the skirt to top hack…genius. I definitely need to try out some of these hacks/options for a few pieces in my closet. Thanks for the awesome video!
I’ve bought so many things with the intention of fixing or tailoring them to be better… I only get around to doing that with like half of them 😅 this inspires me to alter the rest!
WOW. What a difference the Winston shirt looks brand new, love it. Love the skirt as a top so so cute. I get a maxi skirt and wear as a bandeau dress even just hanging around the house.
Carrie, this video is amazing! So simple solutions but so inventive and original! I loved the way the Winston sweater turned out and also the hacks with the skirt! Wonderful!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I’m happy the UH shirt crop worked out. I’m still scared to do a snip on anything. My husband graduated from there. It has this odd underground law library that above ground is like a study garden. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Something that I have done in the past is taken maxi skirts and worn them as dresses! Just kind of belt it in the middle to make it kind of flare a bit and it works a dream!
I alter my clothes all the time. If I like a shirt, but it’s too long or I don’t like the hem…I change it. I don’t alter knits…but cotton, linen, rayon, denim, are all fair game!
I found on the internet that 2 tb s of baking soda+1 ts of liquid soap+generous amount of hydrogen peroxide (to make a liquid paste) put on the stain for 1,5-2 hours before washing in the washing machine might help. So i tried it, and lo and behold, all of those yellow stains wanished. Then tried it on some other stain, and it wanished too. Pure magic. (Side note: only tried it on white cotton t-shirts).
the staining on that white sweatshirt of that cigarette brand Winston’s was cigaret smoke that’s why is was concentrated by the sleeves. You had to smoke so many to get that same with the Marlboro stuff so many packs.
I've definitely done the skirt as a shirt trick before... I've also tried another trick..I love maxi skirts but as a short girly..they are usually always too long so I usually pull them into a dress and belt it and no one would ever know..
I did that skirt to top thing recently. VS has their semi annual sale (Which is the only time i will buy anything from them) they had bathing suit pieces for 8 dollars, (canadian dollars) and i found this really cute butterfly patter skirt. didn't look flattering as a bottom but pull it up as a top.. adorable. Also, you can just buy lace trip and sew it to the bottom of the skirt. (i think you can buy fusing that works with the heat of an iron too if you really cant sew at all or don't have a sewing machine)
I have a stain remover tip. After you’ve followed the directions ( I use Dawn dish soap for all stains) anyway saturate it again and then put it in a zip lock bag get all the air out and throw it in with your dirty clothes wash like normal on wash day. The bag should keep it damp and the stain remover will work to it’s fullest capacity.
Whenever I’ve hand washed vintage suede things, stains like that pop up on mine too! I assume them to be stains from previous wearers that got covered up with dirt from following uses.
Love this! Didn't you do something similar to this a couple of years ago? But awesome idea! It definitely inspired me to change up a few of my clothes.
yesss i love a good thrift flip! i guess since there were "newer" pieces in this video i didn't wanna call it that since it's not all thrifted, but YAY thanks so much for being here 💞
Pit stains have serial murdered all my favorite tops. Definitely trying that pit stop stuff. Your new skirt top is really cute 🍓🌹 Wearing it with jeans or pants would be better 🥰🤑
I shopped in the bins everyday for years and it’s definitely fine you just have to use common sense and hand wash, not touch your face etc. But I think most people wash thrifted clothes unless they’re real weird about vintage denim.
For anyone cropping a sweatshirt flip the bottom band inside out to wherever you want the shirt to land cropped and sew a seam there. Cut below that seam all the excess and then you still have that finished sweater look!!
Good job on the skirt! Your first job on the white T-shirt: just be careful some fabric doesn't like to be scrubbed and it can come out worse than the stains...
For cleaning suede and leather that I thrift (shoes and hats for example), I use rubbing alcohol to clean. It seems to do the least damage and kills all the things. I hope that helps!
