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T-shirts are basic, lightweight garments that were originally designed to be worn as underwear. According to Lisa's History Room, they rose in popularity after Marlon Brando's character wore one as outerwear in "A Streetcar Named Desire." Widely worn by individuals of all ages today, T-shirts are often inexpensive and perfect for altering to make one-of-a-kind fashion statements and craft projects.
The one mistake a home sewer wants to avoid is constructing a garment that looks homemade. The way to avoid a homemade look is by doing everything necessary from the beginning to ensure that the completed garment looks good, feels good and wears well. No garment, no matter what it's made of, can meet those requirements if careful attention isn't paid to making necessary pattern alterations and faithfully following a few preparation rules.
Clothes that don't fit don't have to be given away. Your sewing machine and a few minutes of time can make ill-fitting garments wearable again.
You don't need a sewing machine to make simple alterations that turn your clothes into do-it-yourself projects. A little ingenuity, a needle and a thread go a long way toward turning the clothes you already have into the clothes you want. Whether you're updating tired clothes or fixing them so they fit you better, you can do it all by hand.
Weight loss success is certainly to be celebrated, but it can leave you swimming in your old size 18s when you're ready for a 12. If you're still losing weight, replacing clothing may not seem like an option just yet, but you do need your clothes to fit properly and show off your new, slimmer shape. If you can sew, you may be able to alter some of your favorite bigger clothes to a smaller size and more flattering shape.
Trench coats are classics that never go out of style. Don't give away a trench coat that is in good condition just because it no longer fits because of weight gain or loss. Alterations, although time consuming, can be done by the non-professional. All that is need are basic sewing skills, attention to detail and patience.
Clothing alterations help to accommodate a person's fluctuating weight, and paints in particular are simple by taking in and letting out the back center seam. Alter garments to tailor to transitioning sizes with information from an experienced pattern maker in this free video on sewing.
