Powless - Little Fixes

Dedication To my Creator Publisher: Amy Marson Creative Director: Gailen Runge Art Director: Kristy Zacharias Editor: S. Michele Fry Technical Editors: Doreen Hazel and Gailen Runge Cover/Book Designer: April Mostek Page Layout Artist: Kristy Zacharias Production Coordinator: Jenny Davis Production Editor: Joanna Burgarino Illustrator: Jenny Davis Photo Assistant: Mary Peyton Peppo Photography by Disney Powless, unless otherwise noted Published by Stash Books, an imprint of C&T Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549 Introduction Spaghetti strikes fear in my heart. It must be because my daughter has always had an amazing sixth sense that allows her to know as soon as she enters a room what items or activities will ruin her clothing. As parents and grandparents we know that with red sauce, an active lifestyle, and our kids unpredictable growth patterns, its tough to keep a handle on their wardrobes. No sooner is a dress bought than it has stains on it, or a few games of horsey and the knees of his new jeans are worn halfway through.

Then there is that darling sweater you bought on clearance but fit perfectly the next July! So what to do when a delicate dress meets delicious dressing? Dont throw it out! With some basic sewing skills and a little imagination you can find countless ways to make kids clothing last a little longer. Sometimes its as easy as stitching a fabric flower over a stain. Other times it may mean adding a few inches of a great plaid flannel to the cuffs of a pair of pants. Youll find yourself getting carried away in the fun of refashioning! And not only will your kids thank you, your wallet will too. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK To help you solve your childs wardrobe issues quickly and easily, Ive organized the projects in this book by common problems: ill-fitting clothes, stained or ripped clothes, clothes that fit during the wrong season, and clothes that are seemingly unusable. Many of the fixes can be used for boys or girls, so think outside the box! Then mix and match the patterns (For all printable patterns or digital content, click here.) for endless creative expression.

As you get ready to jump in and start a project, keep an open mind about selecting materials. I use almost entirely recycled fabrics and notions in my sewing, and I love the unique flavor it lends to my projects. Need flannel for a project? Use a mans old shirt! Need a lot of fabric for a ruffled skirt? Try a gorgeous vintage floral sheet. I even love to salvage colored elastic from thrift store suspenders or stretchy belts. With this book youll have tons of alteration ideas at your fingertips, but dont let it stop there! Your mind is a great resource, so put it to use and get creative. You never knowyou might find a few fixes for your own wardrobe as well! What about Donating? With all this talk about saving our kids clothing from the donate pile, I definitely want to say that I am a huge fan of donating.

After all, part of the joy in receiving our blessings in life is the opportunity to share them with others. But altering your kids clothing does not mean you cant donate them to others when youre through with them the second time. In fact, you may find that youre donating something that is even cuter than before. To donate your childs clothing, check your local area for donation sites or contact one of these great service organizations: Orphans Lifeline International orphanslifeline.org Big Brothers Big Sisters bbbs.org American Red Cross redcross.org Goodwill Industries goodwill.org MEET THE MODELS I love sewing, but Im not going to lie: The absolute best part about writing this book was getting to work with these cute little faces! My camera could never capture all the joy, sweetness, and fun of their spirits. I know youll love them as I do. Let me introduce you! SUPPLIES For the projects in this book youll need basic sewing supplies such as a sewing machine, needles, thread, sewing pins, an iron, and fabric shears or a rotary cutter and cutting mat.

Other tools and supplies you will need for some of the projects are the following: Paint (use only a nontoxic paint appropriate for clothing, such as acrylic paint), paintbrushes, a hair dryer, embroidery thread, buttons, elastic, elastic thread, a hot glue gun, large safety pins, clear packing tape, ribbon, snap closures, beads, decorative trim, hook-and-loop fastener, household bleach, fabric and fabric scraps, D-ring belt loops, and hair clips. For freezer-paper stenciling () for other sources. For appliqu () you will need paper-backed fusible web as well as freezer paper. An optional tool that I find useful is wash-away stitch stabilizer. Its great for preventing knit fabric from stretching while being sewn. Thread Scissors Pins Buttons Measuring tape Paint Embroidery thread TECHNIQUES The projects in this book are delightfully simple and involve common sewing techniques that you may be familiar with already. Thread Scissors Pins Buttons Measuring tape Paint Embroidery thread