It’s a giveaway today! Jenny Wilding Cardon, author of the new book ReSew: Turn Thrift Store Finds into Fabulous Designs, has offered a book for you. Her fun sewing book is all about transforming thrift store finds into your favorite custom creations, with 20 projects simple enough for a beginner. Thrifting is a great way to recycle old clothes, keeping your budget in check and reducing your carbon footprint. Her ideas will inspire you to think about clothes in a whole new way.
I asked Jenny a few questions about her inspiration for the book and about how to discover the best finds at the thrift store.
1. What gave you the idea for ReSew?
I started refashioning clothes when I was in high school. Aside from one sewing class I took with my mom in junior high (for making Bermuda shorts—that dates me!) I didn’t have any sewing skills; just a young-hearted aspiration to make my own fashion. I would pick apart an item of clothing I already owned and try to recreate it in a way that was very simple, but unusual. I remember removing the bottom band of a shapeless black denim jacket, cutting it to a bolero-style length, and sewing the band back on. I made my friend Kristelli wear the new, super-short jacket to school. We called it the “Janet Jackson” jacket. (“Pleasure Principle” video, anyone? Anyone? Is this mike on?) She looked awesome in it, and she wore it with confidence. I would make my other friends wear stuff I made too, poor dears. Some of the designs were downright wacky—even hard to walk in! I lacked the confidence to wear my own stuff, but my friends were my biggest fans.
College is where I caught the thrifting bug, mostly out of necessity. That really broadened my possibilities for repurposing; what an eye-opener! Now I didn’t have to only work with the items I had at home; I had stores full of stuff ready for experimentation. I think that’s when the seed for ReSew was planted. I started the book idea with so many different variations. I had notebooks full of sketched-out projects. I had so many different titles! It was hard to narrow it down.
2. Do you recycle clothes for thrift or fun? Or both?
Oh both, for sure. I’ve always thrifted for fun—thrift-store shopping definitely has entertainment value! My husband left his career in retail a year and a half ago to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. While he’s finishing school, we’re both working part-time. We’re feeling the money crunch. Thrifting has really helped us stay within our budget without feeling deprived. We’re still able to spend a little on fashion, or books, or furniture—or whatever surprising things you find while thrifting—without feeling like we’re breaking the bank.
3. What are your tips for finding thrift store treasures? How much time do you spend each month looking?
I go thrift-store shopping once or twice a week—usually once by myself, and once with my two sons. When I go by myself I take a list that I keep on the side of my fridge, which I update regularly. Since you never know what you are going to find when you’re thrifting, it’s kind of like a wish list! When I get to a shop, I look for what’s on the list. When I find what I want (or don’t, as the case may be), I ditch the list and walk the aisles. Again, you never know what you are going to find, so take the opportunity to explore the whole store while you’re there. I’ve found some of my greatest thrifted treasures by doing this faithfully.
When shopping for clothing and linens specifically, I do follow some practical rules. When you are considering purchasing clothing for yourself, always try an item on. It will help you catch any hidden flaws that are hard to see on the rack. When buying clothes for others, like children, make sure to snap all the snaps, button all the buttons, and zip and unzip all the zippers to make sure everything is in working order. It’s maddening to come home and find that something doesn’t work as it should—I’ve learned my lesson! So take the time to be an inspector of your goods. Same thing goes for linens. I like to take large items, like sheets, over to the furniture section and spread them out on a table to check for imperfections.
Also, keep in mind that thrift stores will likely mark down winter items in the summer, and summer items in the winter, to keep their inventory moving. Try shopping for the opposite season you’re in for the best bargains.
And finally, as far as taking my boys—Jack, 6, and Charlie, 2—I do it so they can hone their own thrifting skills, and just for fun. They love it! I let them know that we can browse the toy aisle when I’m done looking, but they need to stay close and use “store behavior” to get to the toy aisle. (“Store behavior” typically means no running; stay on two feet at all times; and no hiding in the clothing racks. You can really lose ‘em quick in there.) Once we hit the toy aisle, we usually either 1) Find something inexpensive for each boy to bring home; 2) Find a larger item for the boys to share (when that happens we all yell, “Jackpot!”), or 3) Go home with just the experience. I feel like it’s important to teach my boys that just because you walk into a store doesn’t mean you are obligated to buy something. Sometimes you walk away empty-handed. That’s okay.
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To enter to win a copy of the book, simply leave a comment on this post before midnight eastern Saturday (March 5). I will use the random number generator to choose a winner and announce the winner on Sunday. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. Thanks for playing!
And thanks to Jenny for offering the giveaway! Be sure to check out her blog The Wild Cards for more thrifting and sewing inspiration.
I would love to have this book! I am totally addicted to yard saling! Since I live in the Northeast, I have a long wait yet to start the new season of yard sales.
such a wonderful idea- i’ve been looking for a source on ideas for repurposing thrift finds… thanks!
I’d love to win this book. I love that she brings her sons thrifting, what a great idea!
Thank you both for this inspiring interview and for this generous giveaway! This book sounds like a gold mine of fun ideas!
I would love to see this book. I would love to see if the author take thrift shop clothes and makes them smaller, larger or totally restyled for smaller or larger folk.
Chrisy
Lil Bit Brit
COOL! Sounds like a fantastic book.
This book would be amazing to start my collection. Thanks!
I am so curious about the mindset Jenny shares about how she thrifts.
Wow! Looks fabulous! Thanks for the giveaway.
I’d love this book! I’m always resewing my own clothes, but mostly into shoddier versions of their newer selves…
I could use this book to help give new life to all the old clothes I can’t bare to part with.
I would really like to win this book, since I have been wanting to get back to my sewing machine and need some inspiration!
This book looks awesome. Thanks for this wonderful giveaway. I have two wool skirts that I would like to resew
thanks
Lucie
I’d love to learn how others thrift. This book looks like so much fun!
Recycling older items is the way to go. After my children moved out of the home, they’ve left quite a few items I’d like to remake into things. What a great book. Thank you for offering it.
I would love to win this book. Thanks for making it available.
This book looks amazing! I am an avid thrift store shopper and could use a guide like this.
Love this book!
I love thrifting, almost everything in my closet is thrifted! I’m addicted!
I’ve been wanting to get intp this!
I so want a copy of this! Thanks for the giveaway!
What a great idea for a book. Some very fond memories as a child were shopping at thrift stores with my mother. As a teenager and young adult, the idea horrified and embarrassed me, but now I am again drawn to second-hand like a moth to a flame. I wonder if my daughter will feel the same way…
WHata great idea for a book – very clever, thank you for sharing. I am off to the website now for a look.
xx Brenda
I have been eyeing this book for the last little while. I’d love to add it to my resources!
Awesome idea for a book.
What a great book! I would love to win this book.
I’d love to learn how to repurpose thrift items!
What a great idea this book is. And what a wonderful give-away! ! ! !
I love this! I’ve been fascinated with “redo” for years and have done some of this myself. I am not great at making a large item of clothing into a smaller and more fashionable one so I’m constantly searching for tutorials on how to do this. Will this book help?
What a great idea for a book! Thrifting is going in such a good direction. My mother and grandmother were really into thrifting, both having lived through the depression, with my mom even having vague memories of World War I, and meals consisting solely of cornbread and gravy.
Thanks for the chance to win.
Looks like a pretty cool book. I bet I could use some ideas from it.
I am dying to see this book in perosn! I have seen a few reviews of this book, now and have also checked it out on Amazon. I would have boughten it by now but my budget is tight so…Crossing my fingers. Thank you for the chance to win!
I am sort of a thrift store junkie – and eager to see her ideas! What a great book, I look forward to it!!
I love thrifting, but don’t always know what to do with my finds. I bet this little book would help with that
What a fun book! I love taking my kids to thrift stores, too.
Love thrift shops! I always find the best stuff in them. The book sounds like lots of fun. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.
I made my own waistcoat, having seen some curtains in a charity shop (UK version of a thrift store) I could see exactly the kind of tailored look I was going for. I was eight at the time and refused any help from my Mum, or my professional seamstress Yaya (Greek Grandma). Needless to say its ‘finish’ was not great and it wasn’t too robust. I was really pleased with it, and wore it to all my best play-dates but cream damask curtains and bright blue embroidery thread was never really a look that took off!
I have progressed somewhat since then but always ready to learn new tips and seek out inspiration.
At the age of twelve I started to repurpose. From linoleum scraps I found at my grandma´s and rolled and braided newspaper to make myself flip-flops. I was so proud to wear my own fashion! This book is just along my line – I would love to win!
I love this idea, I have been wanting this book. I only buy second hand clothes and would love to learn some ideas to making them more up to date and fun!
the book sounds like fun! i have been on a kick lately to recycle and upcyle clothes for me and the kids and its like i cant stop would love to win this
Am a “rethrifter” and would love to win this book! Thanks for the giveaway.
What an awesome book idea! I have gotten a few ideas from other people, but I would love some instruction in how to do things!
that book will be inspirational!
This book is something I could really use – thanks for the giveaway.
Love this book.. I am really trying to get into reusing stuff. Thanks
thrifting is one of my favorite activities…endless possibilities. re-sew looks like the perfect book to expand my thrifting makeovers! thanks for including this enjoyable interview.
This looks great! And thanks for the tips on thrifting with kids
I would love this book – Thanks!
I would love to win this book. I am very interested in transforming an item into something very different. This book might be just the jump start I need to get my creative juices going.
I would love to have this book, it would be so helpful on future projects.