Monday, May 11, 2009

Tip #4: Learn to Sew

You don't have to be a pro, but at least know the basics. Even if you don't have a machine, there are a lot of things that you can do by hand. You definitely save money by being able to repair your own clothes (not pay $20/hr for someone else to do it) and you extend the life of your clothes.

My Story: I was taught by my awesome mother to sew and am very grateful for the skill! I can do pretty much anything and have saved many articles of clothing by repairing them instead of giving them away. Also, I am able to repair clothes I get from thrift stores, garage sales, friends, and even dept. stores and get killer deals on them. I got a designer shirt from Macy's after Christmas for $5 because there was a rip in it. I sewed it up and you can't even tell. Also, I also got a pair of pants for $3 because it was missing a button. I took a button I already had and put it on, and voila! a perfectly good pair of pants.

Go Green: You are able to reduce the amount of wasted clothes that end up in the land fills, reuse your clothing for years after zippers and buttons fail, and recycle clothing into other things (ex. blankets).

Problems: You need to learn how to sew and sewing classes & machines are expensive. Ask a friend that sews for help and ask if you can borrow their machine whenever you need it. Let them know what you can do for them in return.

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