Make, Don't Break.

Dear Readers,

As some of you might be aware of already, my latest article for Femme Magazine was published last Sunday. In case you missed it, I'm pasting it here for you to see. Details of the outfit can be found in this post and if you want to check out the entire issue, please refer to this link. I'll catch up with you later, let me know what you think about the article!

-B

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I think we all have that one quote that describes our personality to near perfection. In my case, it’s the following ‘By some strange, unknown, inward urgency some people are not really alive unless they are creating’. I can quite safely call myself a ‘make-things-aholic’.

Given my tendency to make things, added to the fact that I grew up watching my mother sitting at her sewing machine for hours, I knew that it was inevitable for me to develop a love for DIY and sewing projects. DIY projects are not only an excellent creative outlet, but they are also an inexpensive way of making new items from scratch or updating pieces that would have otherwise met your trash can.

Some don’t share my enthusiasm for sewing projects. They think that the cost of buying fabric for DIY projects is higher than the one they would have to pay to purchase a ready-made piece. That is true, unless you know where to get cheap (or even free!) fabric...

My mother always insists that markets are the place to get inexpensive fabric. When I went there myself, I quickly understood why. Textiles are not only cheaper than those in fabric stores, but most vendors also have a ‘remnants section’ selling yards of material for a handful of euro. For instance, I bought entire yards of black fabric for three euro. One of the many things I made include this black dip-hem skirt which I can’t get enough of!

Charity shops, thrift stores, and local bazaars are havens for inexpensive textiles. Luckily for us, kind-hearted people donate fabrics to these stores that are then sold for way less than their original value. You might even score some authentic vintage paisley or floral print fabric is luck is playing on your side. Be prepared, you might need to rummage through endless, disorganised layers of fabric, but as we all know, nothing worth having come easily!


Fabric stores are still a great place to find bargain textiles. They usually stock the widest variety of fabrics and it is nearly impossible not to find the textile you are coveting. However, we have to be realistic. The likelihood of finding ridiculously priced fabrics here is significantly lower, but fabric stores also have discounted fabrics on sale that you should check out! Look out for sales and seasonal discounts, especially right before Carnival period. So many people flock to fabric stores to buy material for Carnival costumes, that fabric stores almost treat their clients to lower prices. Also, always browse through all the sections at a fabric store. Don’t just limit yourself to the fashion fabric section. Some textiles, like brocade and lace, might be found in the theatrical or homeware sections for a lower price.

Shopping for cheap textiles online is probably the most tricky route to choose. Not only do you have to make sure postage and packaging are worth the purchase, but you also have to keep in mind that you won’t be able to feel the fabric to see its texture, weight, stretch or draping quality. In addition, it’s quite hard to tell whether the fabric being sold is damaged by simply looking at a photo! In such cases, reading the item listing is imperative! Keep your eyes open for all details, especially specifications on textile names like ‘tweed’ and ‘chiffon’. Then look up the fabric name and you should be better able to gauge its characteristics.

‘Re-purposing’ is definitely one of my favourite words. Whenever I put pieces aside because they no longer tickle my fancy, the first thing I ask myself is, ‘Can I use this for a DIY project?’. Whenever cutting the sleeves or adding embellishments does not do the trick, I always save the fabric for later projects. I recently came up with this polka dot bandeau top using fabric I saved from an old dress which had lost its charm. Polka dots are such a timeless print, so since the fabric was in an excellent condition, I decided to re-use it and make this bandeau top instead. I saved myself the time, the money and the effort of hitting the shops and buying a ready-made one!