This question is more for those that like to sew. Do you like to buy clothes and then find ways to customize it for your taste? Maybe you found a dress you really like but it is a couple of sizes too big. Would you buy it to take it home so you can cut down to a size that fits you? Or maybe you like the Fabric one piece of clothing is made out of and you want to use it to make something else. Like turning a pair of old jeans into a Jean purse.
It depends on how much it costs. Sometimes it can be worth it to change the buttons on a jacket, or to chop the legs off some jeans to make shorts. Material is expensive, so sometimes it can be cheaper to buy something and then just use the fabric for something else as you say. I used to do this, and never got around to it, so I think if you do this, make the alterations as soon as possible. otherwise it will sit in the closet waiting to be done.
I'm not really one for alterations. I've bought things in the past, intending to take them in but, as @Theo quite rightly says, they just ended up in the cupboard, untouched. The most I ever do is cut the arms and neckbands off t-shirts or cut jeans down into shorts. No sewing required.
I only know how to sew, and I certainly won't make the extra effort of repairing any type of clothes, because taking them to a tailor would cost me extra bucks, so I would rather just buy clothes that fit me well to avoid wasting effort and money to have it altered.
I like to go to the Thrift store to find materials in fabrics that I can refashion to something else. Most people like to throw things out, I like to refashion them to something I can use like adding onto a kids belt so that I can use it for myself instead of purchasing a new belt spending money I did not have.
I love to buy my clothes in thrift stores. I can find some new clothes with tags on them in my local thrift store. I once got some shorts that were retail value $30 and I bought them for $5. What a deal!
I have to say I have purchased tops at Thrift stores with the intent to change them. I bought a Banana Republic top from the Thrift store for under $10. I loved the fabric of the top and the way it fit. The only thing I didn't like was the colour. I bought it anyway with the intentions of dyeing it black or navy blue. It is still sitting in my dresser and I haven't worn it. Lesson learned, I won't buy it unless I can wear it right away, I just never find the time to alter clothes.
I love doing this kind of thing. I've made a couple things so far, but I plan to do a lot more. I also like to pick up thrift store clothing just to use the fabric. I've used it for quilts, pillows, and other stuff in the past. Repurposing or upcycling is a great way to save a lot of money and a great way to express yourself creatively. I enjoy it quite a bit. I recently found a sweatshirt that I plan to make into a jacket. Hopefully, I'll have some time to do something with it soon.
Oh wow I never thought of that idea. I always wanted to learn how to sew. It would be fantastic to do whenever I can. I just cannot find a good sewing machine that I can thread easily. The one we had here, I had no clue how to thread. I could try sewing by hand though. I think that would be a good start possibly. But that is a good idea for fabrics thanks!
I've never bought clothes from a thrift store with the sole purpose of transforming them but I have bought some that I knew I'd have to alter because they were a different size or just had a weird fit in some parts. I always feel bad tearing up a new clothing item if it hasn't been properly worn out yet so I usually just use it until it gets really old and maybe then I'd consider to make it into something else but admittedly most of the time I'm just too lazy to do it and would rather just buy a new item.
