Simple Refashioning Projects for a Summer Refresh

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A refashioning project can be just the thing when you don’t feel like doing a lot of work but want a big mix-up in your wardrobe. Plus, they can help you sew more sustainably! The team highlights their favorite refashioning and upcycling projects from recent issues. All of these are timeless projects that you’ll love to pull out summer after summer for a fresh seasonal update.

Kate: Summer Montage Skirt

Creative Machine Embroidery Summer 2020

A great way to renew or elevate a simple ready-to-wear (or handmade!) garment is to add machine embroidery. There is a wide range of options, from a small, delicate addition to a fun, splashy burst of embroidery like on the Summer Montage Skirt. Add a whole garden of flowers and butterflies to a simple denim skirt to create an eye-catching statement garment.

The best part? Most embroidery machines already have similar floral designs built in! Find all the details on how to create this amazing skirt in the Summer 2020 issue of Creative Machine Embroidery — what a great canvas for refashioning experimentation!

Amanda: Denim Encore Tote

Sew News October/November 2019

I love upcycling fabric — no fabric is safe from your creative impulses! This tote project by Lish Dorset from October/November 2019 includes instructions for a basic bag using the right and wrong side of denim repurposed from jeans.

That simple tote was just a starting place! I love the designer’s inspiration bags that take that basic idea a step forward using offcuts from a local jeans company: incorporating the fabric wrong side with simple piecing, utilizing the fabric selvage, and more. How high-end do these bags look?

Meg: Art on Your Sleeves

Sew News April/May 2020

I have started to experiment with painting fabrics, and who’s to say you can’t paint a garment for easy refashioning! The painted projects from the April/May 2020 issue are stunning. Plus, I can totally see myself spilling something on (or just getting bored of) a plain fabric garment — why not paint it? It can totally elevate and refashion the look while being so fun to do.

I can see using this technique on blouses and dresses, and paint on jackets and jeans is very on-trend too. Sometimes you even pay extra for “splatters” on denim! So, next time I have an accident or need to breathe new life into a boring garment, I’m reaching for the fabric paint.

We hope you’re feeling inspired to tackle an upcycling or refashioning project to give your summer wardrobe a fresh look. Whether you add machine embroidery, upcycle fabric, or play with fabric manipulation, there are countless easy ways to add some sustainable creativity to your look.

Originally published June 16, 2020; updated on May 16, 2024.