Learning to sew by refashioning Goodwill finds

One of the things I wanted to do this year was learn how to sew - it could be one of my 40 new experiences for turning 40!  I really just wanted to learn how to sew a circle skirt, but as I started shopping I realized that fabric is VERY expensive!  Enter my favorite place - Goodwill.  

Once I got comfortable with the sewing machine by taking a sewing class at our local sewing store, I started looking at items at the Goodwill with new eyes.  This shirt that was so cute but too big could be taken in to fit me.  This dress with a torn top could be turned into a cute skirt.  The possibilities were endless!  The greatest benefit was that I wasn't investing a lot of money, so if I messed something up, it wasn't a huge deal!  I also found that by deconstructing items I learned a lot about how items are put together.  

Yesterday I wore an outfit that was completely refashioned by me!  I still have a lot to learn, but it's a start!

This shirt was one of my first refashions.  I loved the polka dots but didn't really want a long sleeved shirt, so I decided I could cut off the sleeves.  I also wanted to try out a cropped look.  Once I started sewing, I realized I also needed to taper the sides a bit.  I ended up with a custom-fit shirt that I can wear with skirts or over dresses! 

Before and After

My orange skirt was originally a dress - WITH POCKETS!  It was a bit too big and needed to be taken up in the shoulders (short people problems!) and that was my original plan.  However, I screwed that up pretty badly (see picture below) so I had to go to plan B - a skirt.  I had attached elastic to other skirts, so I decided I wanted to do that and create a skirt with ready-made pockets since I haven't learned how to make pockets yet!  :)

So, if you are wanting to learn to sew, here are my top 5 tips to get started!  

1. Get the nicest sewing machine you can afford.  There is something to be said for self-threading machines!  The easier your machine is to use, the more you will use it! 
2. Learn how to use your machine.  If you buy a machine from a sewing store, you will get support from them on how to use it!
3. Deconstruct dresses/skirts/pants by buying something from Goodwill or using something from your own closet.  Maybe there is a dress you love but it is stained.  By taking it apart you can see how things are put together.  As a bonus you could use the deconstructed item as a pattern to make a new one! 
4. Become best friends with your seam ripper. Seriously.  If you have taken items apart, you have become an expert "taker-outer."  You will need to do this often when you sew.  Sewing is a great way to develop a growth mindset!  You may need to rip something out and redo it - in fact, I can GUARANTEE you will need to rip something out and redo it.  Realizing it is part of the process makes it less frustrating.  Sort of.  :) 
5. Just start sewing.  Find something to hem or take in, turn a dress into a skirt, or find some other item to refashion in some way and just do it!  If you have grabbed something from Goodwill (especially if it's the discounted color of the week!) you don't have too much invested and you can concentrate on just learning!