Rework Your Wardrobe
You know it’s time to start spring cleaning when you open the doors of your closet and floods of sweaters, T-shirts and jeans surround your bedroom floor. Your first response may be to try and clear out everything you possibly can out of your closet. No one necessarily enjoys organizing and rearranging their closet, so most resort to the easier option – clearing it out. While the oversized garbage bags under your kitchen sink may be tempting, don't let the dumpster outside be the new home for old clothes that still have potential. The desire to buy new items may stem from what your friends are currently wearing, to the “get ready with me” videos trending on TikTok, but a dark cycle approaches with regularly cleaning your closet. After you say your goodbyes to your old clothes full of promise, you end up sucked into the trap of unsustainable fashion. If you’re concerned about the spring trends, consider reworking your wardrobe rather than disassembling it. When approaching this upcoming season, you can live by the motto “out with the old, in with the new,” but take the old and go beyond just making it new. You might not know where to start if you’re considering updating your wardrobe, but The Edge is here with a guide on ways you can rework your clothes. Whether you add fun patches to old sweatshirts or pursue an interest in knitting vibrant sweaters, the choice is yours –– so aim to make your closet your laboratory.
Knitting
The Colorful Knit Cardigan
Many have been privileged to experience a weekend visit to see their grandma. You walk into her house and she bears gifts, but not the ones you were particularly looking forward to receiving. She hands you a brand new sweater she just knit, and you smile away the pain you feel having to wear that ugly gray turtleneck. You tell her you love it, but deep down you know you’ll place the sweater in the hidden depths of your closet until the next time you see her. A scenario like this has given knitting a lousy reputation, but it's starting to recover as people take a new approach. You don't have to feel obligated to stick to one color when knitting. Instead, opt for a design plan that involves incorporating different colors. Entering the spring season is the perfect time to pick colors that mimic the blooming flowers. Some choices include fuchsia, tangerine, sea green and periwinkle.
How to Add Buttons
While mixing and matching various yarn colors is fun, a cardigan wouldn't be complete without buttons. For whatever aesthetics you want to reach, there is a button that will fit it. Choose a pearl button if you’re aiming for a more nautical and preppy look. Other options include a tortoiseshell button or some large gold stud buttons. If you’re aiming for a more vintage and bohemian style sweater, there are some creative button options to achieve this look. Stick on some colorful resin and floral-shaped buttons, or replace the button with some extra yarn by adding crocheted buttons. Your cardigan is the opportunity to showcase who you are. Be unique and do what makes you feel most confident in your newest piece!
The Knit Cover-Up
Knitting doesn’t have to solely mean making heavy sweaters and scarves for the winter; it can also be used to make an accessory to dress up an outfit, or a cover-up for a pool or beach day. Knit cover-ups are the perfect, lightweight way to transform an outfit. The best way to go about this is to choose a color that will pop as it lies over the white tank top or crop top underneath. When picking your yarn, look for colors that fit the spring season, such as a grayish blue or papaya orange. It’s essential to consider how you want to knit the cover-up. When creating the sweater, you can include a lack of consistency during the knitting process or keep it more traditional with common stitches. It’s crucial to stick with stitches that will reveal what you are wearing underneath. Some of the best stitches to follow are the netted stitch, honeycomb stitch, fans and feather stitch and cables and eyelet stitch. If you take a different approach and want to reveal most of what you wear underneath, you could aim more for a shrug top. The great thing about a shrug top is that it’s practical, just like a cover-up, but also acts as an accessory that puts your outfit together. The most satisfying part of knitting is when people compliment you and ask where you bought your coverup or shrug, and you can say, “I made it myself.” It’s truly empowering.
Go Beyond the Clothes
The Knit Bag
The knit bag has become a hot topic lately, so let’s make your own! You can go about crafting the knit bag in different ways that will fit your style. Try the traditional knit market bag, the perfect accessory for spring and summer. The market bag is ideal for hitting the local farmers market, or as a transportation option for your sunblock and towel during your pool day. This bag is also perfect to accompany a laid-back summer dinner in sandals and a flowy dress. Another option to explore is the chunky knit purse. Adding a chunky knit bag to your collection will make you feel more put together than ever, creating a fun yet sophisticated look to your outfit. If you want to make it more of a shoulder purse that could serve as a school bag, expand the bag and extend the strap for more support. And if you’re in need of an outfit accent, opt for a smaller bag that will lay perfectly on your shoulder.
Add Some Patterns and Fringe
Adding patterns to your knitting projects can be intimidating, but with practice, you can create a one-of-a-kind piece. While you can use different knit stitches to enhance your work, patterns can make your piece pop. The granny crochet pattern has recently become a new sensation. With this pattern, you can go wherever you want with your design. For example, you can use the traditional granny square pattern to start and spice it up with other symbols and designs that speak to you. One option is playing with floral shapes, such as stitching sunflowers or daisies. Your granny squares also do not have to be one color; play around with color combinations! Patterns such as hearts and stars are always trendy, so no matter how much fashion seasons change, incorporating these patterns will give you a timeless piece. If you feel like adding an edge to your piece, fringe is the way to go since it can add that worn-out, vintage look. Fringe can be added anywhere to your sweater, even acting as sleeves. Also, when knitting a sweater or sweater vest, you can transform it by adding some fringe around the bottom. Fringe is the perfect way to add character to your piece. When paired with ripped and light-wash jeans, people will turn their heads to see who and what you're wearing — when it's ultimately your creation.
Denim Edition
Painting on Jeans
The easiest way to flip your old jeans with rips and mysterious stains into a new piece is by turning them into a canvas. Painting on your jeans doesn't mean it has to be a mosaic masterpiece, but a touch of simple designs to cover up imperfections on your jeans will do the trick. If you want to keep the denim apparent and not completely cover it with designs, you can still add petite elements such as tiny hearts, butterflies and flowers. Painting on the back pockets also makes for a good artistic decision. Like an artist’s blank canvas, your old jeans can become a special creation of your own where you can add patterns, symbols and designs that have meaning and allow you to express your artistic side. Its pockets and specific cuts create a more three-dimensional platform that make your designs come to life. Sometimes, it is difficult to be creative –– especially when we need a quick fix for old jeans –– so splatter-paint jeans might just resolve the issue. Old jeans will be unrecognizable after a session of splattering paint.
Trimming Jeans
Raw Hem Look
Skinny jeans are long gone, but that doesn't mean they must hit the trash bag. This situation requires some handy-dandy scissors to do the trick. The process is pretty simple and easy to do at home. First, determine how many inches you want to trim off by trying them on or comparing them to another pair of jeans. After determining the desired length to chop off, take a black marker or white chalk to mark where to cut. Use fabric scissors if you have them, and begin cutting along that line you traced. After you cut your jeans, it's time to distress them. For a frayed look, start by rubbing the hem with your fingers until the fibers from the jeans appear. For an edgy and distressed look, take a razor and scrape along the bottom of the jeans to add some extra rips and fraying. You can also use tweezers to pull out individual pieces of fabric from the jeans.
Patch it Up
Patches can go a long way when applied to an old, crusty pair of jeans. Simply grab yourself an iron and get to work by placing patches on parts of your jeans, such as on the knees or the two back pockets. Patches are sold everywhere for affordable prices, so check out sites like eBay, Etsy, Amazon and Patch Collection. You’ll find packs with fun phrases such as "howdy" or "all you need is love," or things like butterflies, flowers, hearts and cherries. Next, arrange the patches on your jeans as you desire. After planning out your design, it’s time to get ironing. While the iron is heating up, find a sheet of baking paper and place it over your patch. Run your iron press over the part of the baking sheet that the patch is under and wait 30–40 seconds. Once you take the baking paper off, you can apply the iron directly to the patch to ensure the whole patch is applied to the jeans. To make sure the patch is in place, turn the jeans inside out and iron the section where the patch is. After that, you are all set with your first patch! As you keep adding patches, you can discover new places on your jeans where you think a patch would work. Give your jeans a chance to transform before resorting to the trash can.
Forget about adding new items to your online shopping cart. It’s time to get creative using what you have to give your wardrobe the love it deserves this spring season. Save money and be sustainable. That feeling will leave you even more satisfied than emptying your closet into large bins and garbage bags. With this guide, take your old clothes and transform them, and let this serve as your sign to rework your wardrobe.
Cover Photo by Cameron Leslie