If you’re in search of a budget-friendly at-home activity, consider exploring these DIY fashion ideas that revolve around design. Whether you’ve exhausted your baking skills or conquered complex puzzles, these projects offer a creative outlet for your inner artist, perfect for a weekend endeavor.
Revitalizing unworn clothes or worn-out sandals becomes an enjoyable endeavor with the addition of patches and embellishments, along with the convenience of fabric glue. Designer Roxanne Assoulin suggests that crafting your own jewelry can serve as a therapeutic escape, emphasizing its joyful and mindless nature. The beauty of beadwork lies in the absence of a right or wrong way to assemble them, as long as you’re enjoying the process. With a bit of preparation, helpful tips, patience, and the right materials, you can embark on these design projects using items likely already present in your home. For those missing some supplies, we’ve compiled everything necessary to give these creative ventures a try, along with additional inspiration to guide you.
Here are seven stylish and cost-effective ways to indulge in DIY design:
Personalized Patchwork:
Breathe new life into old clothing by incorporating patches or personalized embroidery. Identify items in your closet that could use a refresh—sweaters, tees, or denim make excellent starting points. Choose between iron-on or sew-on patches, or for a more advanced touch, experiment with letter embroidery using a kit from Wool and the Gang.
DIY Tie-Dye
The tie-dye trend is making a comeback this summer. Add a creative touch to plain white t-shirts or any other white items you can find at home by trying your hand at DIY tie-dying. If the tie-dye sweatsuit or bike shorts you’ve been eyeing are out of stock, you’re in luck—give those items a dye try yourself. It’s advisable to work outside to minimize the mess. Seek inspiration from spring runways and follow a tie-dye guide for color and pattern ideas. Remember to use gloves and rubber bands for a smoother tie-dying experience. Embrace the vibrant and playful spirit of tie dye right from the comfort of your home.
Just-Like-Camp Jewelry
Recreate the nostalgia of summer camp by crafting your own friendship necklaces and beaded bracelets at home. Colorful threads, beachy baubles, shells, charms, and beads serve as the perfect ingredients for a DIY summer style. Infuse positivity by incorporating a message or a smiley bead, adding a mood-boosting element to both the crafting process and the final accessory. These handmade pieces also make for thoughtful “thinking of you” gifts for friends and family during these times.
While the emphasis is on enjoyment, Tessa Tran, the creative director at Chan Luu, reminds us that designing these pieces is a “process that takes time.” She encourages taking risks, experimenting, and embracing the fun in the creative journey. Tran suggests mastering some basic skills beforehand, such as opening and closing jump rings and forming simple wire loops. With these foundational skills, the possibilities for unique and endless designs become readily available.
Happy Feet
Get ready for sandal season with a simple DIY upgrade. Transform a pair by using fabric glue to add a stylish touch. Experiment with wrapping and tying worn-in bandanas around the sandal straps, then enhance them with pearl or rhinestone embellishments. For an extra flair, trim the bandanas with eyelet lace or embroidered ribbons. This easy and creative project allows you to personalize your sandals and give them a fresh, fashionable look just in time for the warmer days ahead.
Make Your Own Masks
Celebrities like Karlie Kloss, Paloma Elsesser, and Ashley Graham are taking the DIY approach to mask-making at home. Using simple materials like a pillowcase, an old shirt, or even a dust bag from shoes or handbags, all you need is a hair tie or rubber band along with the right folding technique. For those looking to elevate their mask-making skills, Hilary Teymour of Collina Strada provides a comprehensive 5-step mask sewing guide. This DIY trend emphasizes the importance of resourcefulness and creativity in ensuring personal protective measures during these times.
To Bead and Beyond
Unleash your creativity by giving your old t-shirts a makeover with fabric scissors. Sarah Staudinger, the creative force behind the sought-after brand Staud, shares her at-home explorations of “ideas by hand,” such as fringing and beading shirts, as a fun and inspiring pastime while working on her upcoming collection. Staudinger suggests starting by cutting the bottom of your shirt into half-inch fringe strips, then wetting them to make the edges curl. Add a personal touch with your favorite beads, knot at the ends, and voila—transform your old t-shirts into stylish, customized pieces.
