DO IT YOURSELF RECYCLING OLD CLOTHES

They say we must cut our coats according to our cloth. But what if we want to cut our coats to make reusable clothes for a change? Would that not make it much more useful? Well, if you're thinking about cutting the coats that you have carefully treasured for weddings and business meetings, then probably not. 

But for the rest of your unused and old clothing you can always find a way to re-incarnate them into an everyday accessory. Effectively, this is the same philosophy behind the magical reappearance of your old t-shirts as dust wipers in the kitchen.But if we can think smart, our abandoned clothes can be capable of being much more.

SHIRTS
Does your plaid shirt not feel too trendy and comfortable anymore? Great! Your iPad just got itself a new and stylish cover. 
For this, you will need a plaid shirt, an 8.5x11 padded envelope, glue and a set ofsticky backs. 

Cut out the sections of the shirt along the stitches. Use the back panel to line the insides of the envelope. Cut out the adhesive part of the envelope. You can size your envelope according to your tablet. Glue the parts of the cloth sticking out to the outer surface of the envelope and trim the excess parts. Similarly, use the front panel of the shirt for the outer surface. Next, glue one of the cuffs and place the Velcro accordingly to make it run across the opening of the cover. You are now a proud owner of a creative iPad cover. For a more detailed instructions, check out 'www.mrkate.com'.  

Shalwar kameez
Many of you have a kameez you no longer feel comfortable wearing. However, there can be multiple uses of this old kameez; all you need to do is to think out of the box.  Cut off the embroidery in the neckline and reuse in a brand new kurti or another kameez. You can also use the fabric to make appliqué designs. And of course there is always the option of converting a long kameez into something shorter, perhaps a shorter kameez, kurti or even a fatua. 

Saris
As Bangladeshis we are used to watching saris go through a lot of stages before they are finally put to rest. Since saris are effectively beautiful pieces of material, it is much easier to turn them into clothes and accessories with a very flamboyant appeal.

You can easily stitch up a fine looking cushion cover by putting sari borders as frames or piping. Plain saris are great for making pillow cases. You can add some block prints and stencil designs if you are more of a pattern design person. 

Saris have enough fabric to make a full-fledged shalwar kameez set.  If you want to mix and match, you can always use different saris of complementary colours to make shalwar and a matching kameez and dupatta. 

You can stitch an old sari with soft linen and make a comfortable yet gorgeous blanket cover. If you want more of an ethnic look, you also can do nakshi katha embroidery. Quilting or block printing can be used too. Just pay a visit to your local tailor with your sari, and you will be able to easily convert your sari into a statement piece.

Neck ties
Neck ties can make any formal outfit look elegant and confident. But when you are done using your tie to carry your sharp image, you can always use it to carry your camera around by following a few simple steps. 

For this, you will need a sewing machine, pins, two key rings, 1 inch wide ribbon and a measuring tape. First you have to cut out 27 inches from the tip of the neck tie. Next, fold up half inch on both the ends and then pin and stitch the ends in place.  Attach and sew equally sized ribbons on both ends and put key chain loops on the open ends of the ribbons. And then to finish it, slide the key rings onto the loops of the camera. Your abandoned tie is now ready to support your camera for your outdoor photoshoots.

Socks
Socks can surprisingly have multiple uses if we are creative enough.They can provide a quick and easy solution to your shoulder pain or neck strain. Just put ½ cup of rice in one of the socks and tie a knot on it. Then put it in another sock and tie the end of the outer sock. Instead of tying a knot, you can also sew the open end.Heat the socks for 2-3 minutes and you have got yourself a comfortable heating pad. 

Socks can be a very cheap alternative to designer sports armbands and it is really easy to make. Just cut off the toes and hills of your sock to retain the tube. Pull the sock up your arm and fold it over to make a small pouch. Place your smartphone/music player in it and you will have one more incentive to go for that jog that you have been meaning to go to for a long time.  

These are just a few of many ways that your old clothes can see a new life. Old clothes no longer have to be a hindrance. They can be of so much more utility, starting from décor items to giving you relief from back pain. Why not try some of them out and let us know how it goes? 

Photo: Shahrear Kabir Heemel & Sazzad Ibne Sayed Model: Indrani, Srabosti Wardrobe: Chondon Make-up Indrani: Ban Thai Make-up Srabosti: Farzana Shakil Styling: Tabassum Anila Hridi

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

Even before the western world rediscovered the importance of recycling, we were competent in re-using almost anything that was old.

And when it comes to our attires, as children we wore our elder sibling's baby frocks and sweaters. Some of us still do!

A trend that is catching up with our brigade of environment conscious fashionistas is the re-use of old clothes. This week at Star LS, we provide some recycling tips that are easy to do, and make a wonderful contribution to the environment and also make attractive alternative uses. 

Try them out!

Photo: Shahrear Kabir Heemel &
Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Model: Indrani, Srabosti
Wardrobe: Chondon
Make-up Indrani: 
Ban Thai
Make-up Srabosti: Farzana Shakil
Styling: Tabassum Anila Hridi