Make it New!
Full of possibility!
Have you noticed that every time you purchase a sweater it comes with an extra button? Of course you have. Have you kept all of those extra buttons? Way back when, I took an old cosmetics case and started filling it with all the random buttons I received every time I went shopping. I’ve been collecting since I had my first part-time job, and being the shopaholic that I am, my collection could supply a small factory!
But what to do with all these buttons? For some reason every time I noticed my collection expanding I knew that one day they would fulfill their purpose, but I just didn’t know what it was. In the meantime, I’ve probably purged the clothes they are intended for, so I feel it’s time to repurpose!
Using your collected buttons to update an old cardigan can breathe new life into something that just doesn’t get worn anymore and you might as well use up those buttons. Even if you replace only every other button, it creates a unique piece of clothing that no one else has and you become the designer. How fun is that! The same can be done with a winter jacket. For this purpose I scour antique shops for the perfect set of buttons. There is a special shop in Montreal called Memento (3678 Rue Saint-Denis), which is a second hand and antique shop that actually rents some of its product to the TV and film industry. They are well stocked with clothes, hats, accessories, buttons, jewellery, and other gems. Not to mention there are numerous other antique shops that sell old sets of buttons, antique lace, etc. We all have at least one old wool coat or winter jacket that doesn’t get the same amount of love that it used to and it’s not the coat’s fault, we just moved on to the next great thing. Find your perfect set of buttons and revive it! The coat will thank you, your closet will thank you, and your bank account will thank you!
Have you fixed up a coat or cardigan with spoils fro your button stash? Share photos!
- Jacqueline R
So, Where Do You Get All this Stuff?
I’m sure at some point or the other we have all been in a basic fabric store for some reason or the other. But as with any hobby there are always those “hidden gems”.
The craft and sewing industry has many of those because there are so many options for fabrics. Think about it. Look around you. You maybe in your living room, bedroom or office. How many things are made from fabric? Seat cushions, curtains, placemats, your sofa, your favorite blanket and of course your own clothes. So get out there and find those hidden gems, don’t settle for your neighborhood fabric store, trust me you’re missing out. Toronto has an unlimited number of textile suppliers.
These are just a few links of some of the ones that really caught my eye. But it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
http://www.designerfabrics.ca/shop/scripts/default.asp
http://www.leostextiles.com/
http://www.elegancefabrics.com/stores.htm
http://www.textilehousecanada.com/contactUs.html
http://www.threadcountinc.com/index.asp
Toronto’s Fashion District (Spadina Avenue, from Queen to Front St) boasts wide assortments of fabric, notions, and leather and fur shops.
-Tajah-
Not only do we love sewing, we love Steven and Chris!
Guess what sewing fans? The Sewing Studio is going to be on the Steven and Chris show! We’ll be featured in a segment about how to shop for a sewing machine. The crew at Steven and Chris came by the studio Monday to film and we had a blast. We’ll post the clip online as soon as we can. In the meantime, set your digital recorder to catch us on CBC Tuesday, February 10th at 2pm EST.
Here’s a shot of Barbara, the talented producer, working hard. And a sneak peek from the camera’s perspective.
