Altered Clothing: Hip Fixes and Transformations with a Needle and Thread (Domestic Arts for Crafty Girls) [Paperback]

Kathleen Maggio (Author), Tim Maggio (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Domestic Arts for Crafty Girls | Publication Date: October 1, 2006

A treasure for sewers, crafters, and creative fashionistas.

Sewing, like all of domestic arts, is experiencing a renaissance of interest, especially for the "DIY Generation". This new and growing group strives for individuality and the satisfaction of wearing custom garments that make a personal statement. Altered Clothing is a collection of ideas and projects that provide the resources and inspiration for creating personal fashion from existing, used, and vintage clothing and fabrics. Rather than having to discard a favorite pair of jeans because they just are worn through or are cut wrong, this book provides creative redesigns. Rather than buy new mass produced fashions, it is easy and economical to take what you already have in your closet and create not only a fashion statement, but a political statement. With knowledge of some basic sewing technique (barely necessary with today's available technology), anyone can turn old clothing into new favorites with a little creative inspiration and embellishment. So simple that even basic mending tasks can become fashion opportunities.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kathleen Maggio started making clothes for herself at age nine. She has taught fashion design at Mayer School and Pratt Institute. She currently teaches pattern making, draping and construction to juniors in the BFA program at the Parsons School of Design in New York City. Photographer Tim Maggio owns a business that integrates photography, technology, and design. Both live in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Quarry Books (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592532462
• ISBN-13: 978-1592532469
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #943,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally Worth Buying!!, January 27, 2007

By 

A. Stewart (NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Altered Clothing: Hip Fixes and Transformations with a Needle and Thread (Domestic Arts for Crafty Girls) (Paperback)

This is one of the first books I've seen that gives enough step by step details. Not only are the ideas creative, they produce clothes that you could actually wear. I'm tired of DIY books showing ripped up, "GRRL" fashions. And so many of these books give vague directions from cartoon drawings. This book has photos! And good crafty tips and secrets! Bravo!!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great inspiration, January 10, 2007

By 

horkoblatt "hork boofblatt" (ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Altered Clothing: Hip Fixes and Transformations with a Needle and Thread (Domestic Arts for Crafty Girls) (Paperback)

After having this book and working with it for a few weeks, it has proved to be a great source of inspiration for new projects and dragging stuff out of my closet. The instructions are good and the photography is nice -- (cute models, too!)

I can highly recommend it to anyone wanting inspiration for what to do to their old stuff.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Ideas for vintage or old clothes, January 21, 2007

By 

E. Mcgee "Crafty Fashionista" (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Altered Clothing: Hip Fixes and Transformations with a Needle and Thread (Domestic Arts for Crafty Girls) (Paperback)

As a person who hates to throw old clothes away this book was great for helping me to reavaluate the possibilties for many of those pieces from my closet that were outdated or didn't fit properly. The instructions were clear and easy to follow but I also was inspired to put my own twist on things. The step by step pictures really helped me to figure what I was supposed to be doing when I had any trouble. The western-style denim shirt to cropped flared jacket is REALLY cute and is the perfect summer jacket!