Save $ on School Clothes-A new way to Reuse

**pen32** · 01-28-2009, 11:09 AM

every year i go through this with my kids. the oldest always gets the newer clothes because she grows out of them first...then her sister inherits her hand-me-downs. When they were younger, it was easier because they didn't really care what they were wearing to school.
Now I find my youngest wanting to fit in with the latest fashion, but i cant afford to buy an entire new wardrobe for both kids. I try to be fair, but lets face it...the oldest needs the new clothes because she can't fit in her old ones! I do buy a few things to help the youngest out...
But enough about my rant...I found a solution.
I went online and found a way to make my younger daughter feel better. Instead of looking at her clothes as hand-me-downs, we look at them as a start to an entire new look. I bought some stencils and fabric paint and we got together and made all the clothes look different. Now she looks forward to being creative and I think it is great. We spend more time together.
Here's the place we got our ideas from and downloaded free stencil designs www.simplyspray.com

**sunshine** · 01-28-2009, 11:49 AM

My dd is the youngest, and she got stuck with the BOYS hand me downs. We'd take their jeans and add lace down the outer leg seams, or add cute , pink fabric cuffs at the bottom. . . I'd add kitten or tea cup appliques to T-shirts to cover up footballs or tractors, etc.

She really never cared much, and loved the revamped clothing we made together, too.

**joyofsix** · 01-28-2009, 11:50 AM

I agree! Stencils, embroidery, iron on decals and patches, appliqué are all ways I've changed and updated my kids wardrobe. I've also found lots of patterns for turning the older girls and boys t-shirts into pants and dresses for the littlest two.

**pen32** · 01-29-2009, 09:06 AM

we made a really nice shirt yesterday. we sprayed it like it was a one color tie dye and then we took the silver paint they hae and did a light stencil that we cut out...it came out so nice

**IntlMom** · 01-29-2009, 09:16 AM

Wow!! You gals are all so creative...frugal too!!
I love it!

Reduce
REUSE
Recycle

**thesightofoneself** · 01-29-2009, 09:26 AM

you could always sell the handmedowns and go to thrift stores with the money.

**Thevail** · 02-12-2009, 07:15 PM

kids consignment shop..turn in the older one's clothes, get credit and get other (new) things. Obviously plain jeans and T-shirts don't need to be exchanges as they'd be the same either way, but where styles differ radically (and they will eventually) it's a real money saver.

**mamamia** · 02-13-2009, 03:28 AM

Wow! I can see why she's having so much fun! How creative its that! Care to share any before/after pics? Would love to see what she's done.

On a side note, I like the stuff to do for the house items too! And did anybody visit the Ugliest Couch winners page from 08? LOL! It's pretty funny!

Thanks for the link!

Theresa

**pen32** · 02-13-2009, 12:47 PM

yeah- i checked that contest out! something tells me that i might know a few people that can enter that contest! hey $500 is pretty good just for having an ugly couch! lol
i loved the bed sheets that i saw on there.... i think i might give that a try with an older set that i have. maybe i'll try the tie dye thing on of the girls sets???

**pen32** · 02-19-2009, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by pen32

yeah- i checked that contest out! something tells me that i might know a few people that can enter that contest! hey $500 is pretty good just for having an ugly couch! lol
i loved the bed sheets that i saw on there.... i think i might give that a try with an older set that i have. maybe i'll try the tie dye thing on of the girls sets???

my friend sent me an email about that contest after i read this...it was so funny!

**angelbumpkin** · 02-19-2009, 04:30 PM

I always try to revamp clothes.

**pen32** · 03-05-2009, 01:03 PM

Hey! look here, our little discussion was mentioned in an article!!!
http://www.abc2news.com/content/fina...dBDZAFy4w.cspx

**say_tay** · 03-05-2009, 01:23 PM

I found another parent to swap clothes with. That way the clothing "seems" new to my youngest daughter because she hasn't seen her big sister wear it.

**pen32** · 03-11-2009, 03:49 PM

thats a good idea...
I'm actually considering having a "swap party" at the end of the summer for my oldest daughter...she could get some new clothes without me buying them and i know she will wear them if her friends gave them to her...