Upcycling- A New Idea

I've never seen so many magnificent fabrics as I did this week at High Fashion Fabrics in Houston. Nor have I ever seen so many fabrics and trims priced all the way up to $250 a yard and beyond. Yes, that's two hundred and fifty dollars a yard. Much of the higher priced items were special laces and trims for bridal gowns. When you realize how costly a bridal gown is, it makes sense that these beautiful laces and bead work would be very expensive. Aren't these gorgeous? The last picture is French Alencon lace. Guess how much it costs?

$375 a yard! It's absolutely beautiful, something you would find on very high end bridal gowns.

Understanding the reason behind the price still doesn't mean I could bring myself to spend that much. But I got an idea. Why not go to resale shops and look for wedding dressing? I could then deconstruct them for the amazing detail pieces on them. (I am constantly looking at things, thinking of how I would deconstruct and reconstruct them.) Today I saw numerous wedding gowns in a resale shop for $50 and $75. A few, clearly from the 80s, were heavily covered in lots of lace and beadwork. All of them would be worth far more in pieces than they are as full dresses at a resale shop. So, it's something to think about if you do bridal sewing or simply if you just like these kinds of trims and laces for other projects.

What do you like to upcycle? What kinds of tips would you share with someone looking to do the same?

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