Can we talk about how thrift store finds can shape a whole collection?

I picked up a set of old curtains from a yard sale in Austin for five dollars, just for the fabric. The pattern was this faded floral print that felt dated. I cut it up and used it as accent panels on the sleeves of a simple denim jacket I was working on. The mix of tough denim with those soft, vintage flowers completely changed the jacket's feel from basic to one-of-a-kind. It made me see how adding just one unexpected textile can give a piece a whole new story. What's the best 'found' material you've worked into a design?

3 comments

3 Comments

christophers272mo ago

That "whole new story" part is so true. I once used a ripped canvas tent for a bag lining, and the smell of campfire smoke still comes out on humid days. It's like the material brings its own ghost with it.

robert_rodriguez661mo ago

Man, do you ever find yourself just randomly catching a whiff of that smoke smell and getting transported back to some campsite? That's wild how it clings to the canvas like that. I get it though, my grandma had an old wool blanket that smelled like mothballs forever, even after a dozen washes. It's like the fabric holds onto memories in a way we can't really control, you know? Kind of a cool thing for a bag lining, honestly (even if it's a little funky sometimes).

dylanh972mo ago

Honestly, my best find was a bunch of old, stained neckties from a church basement sale. Tried to make a patchwork vest, but my sewing skills were not up to the task. Ended up with something a toddler would reject for being too lumpy.