Thrifty mum creates three shirts and two pairs of shorts for FREE

A thrifty mother-of-two from Melbourne has revealed how she created five new clothing items for her daughters without paying a cent.

Sharon Tonykim, who designs children’s clothing as a hobby, went to Kmart looking for clothes on clearance and saw nothing she liked – so she decided to get creative.

‘Nothing caught my eye so I bought these pretty baby wraps on clearance instead,’ Ms Tonykim wrote on Facebook.

A thrifty mother-of-two from Melbourne has revealed how she created five new clothing items for her daughters without paying a cent (pictured is one of the shirts)

She bought these baby wraps at Kmart and used them to make two pairs of shorts and three shirts

‘One hour later, I’ve got two tops. I’ve still got the plain pink and some remnants which should give me enough for two pairs of shorts.

‘So [I made] three tops and two pairs of shorts for $5. The best part is that I used my Flybuys for these, so technically I didn’t pay a cent.’

To make the tops Ms Tonykim simply used a pattern from Tadah Patterns and cut out a size three before sewing it together.

‘One hour later, I’ve got two tops. I’ve still got the plain pink and also remnants which should give me enough for two pairs of shorts,’ Ms Tonykim said, who used a pattern to make the tops

Ms Tonykim’s tips for upcycling

– Plan your projects well. Keep aside garments, sheets, blankets, towels that no longer fit or are worn out.

– Think outside the box. Buttons need not necessarily be down the front. They can be just for decorative purposes.

– Pick something easy for your first project. Instead of diving headlong into making a garment which could be a bit trickier for newbies, perhaps start with something simpler like making a pouch or a small shopping bag.

– Op shops hold wonderful treasures! Buy the biggest sized items so you get more fabric. You can also save and reuse buttons and zippers from old garments.

– Most importantly, have fun! Don’t be discouraged if your projects don’t turn out as well as you’d like. Try and try again and you’ll get there.

It’s not the first time the savvy mum has created clothing from other household items.

Earlier this year she transformed her husband’s old work shirt into an adorable blue dress for her three-year-old daughter Megan.

‘Long story short, hubby was about to throw out his old shirt, I transformed it into a dress for Megan,’ she told FEMAIL at the time.

‘Made it a touch longer so it’ll be the perfect length once summer comes round. Not in photos: Her upset face when she thought I was making her wear daddy’s shirt to go out,’ she added.

‘So [I made] three tops and two pairs of shorts for $5. The best part is that I used my Flybuys for these, so technically I didn’t pay a cent,’ she said

Earlier this year she transformed her husband’s old work shirt into an adorable blue dress for her three-year-old daughter Megan (before)

Ms Tonykim became conscious of keeping costs low as well as the effects of fast fashion after she joined budget and save groups online.

‘So instead of tossing things out, I try to reuse items that no longer serve their intended purpose,’ she said.

‘As my kids are still little, I try to make them dresses out of clothes that are worn out or don’t fit anymore.’

Sharon Tonykim became conscious about keeping costs low as well as the effects of fast fashion after she joined budget and saving groups online (Megan pictured after)

‘As my kids are still little, I try to make them dresses out of clothes that are worn out or don’t fit anymore,’ she said

Previously the mother turned a skirt that was no longer being worn into a stylish dress for her second daughter, Leah (pictured in old photos: before left, right after)

While most wouldn’t know where to start for such a creation, Ms Tonykim made it sound like a breeze.

‘I cut out the front bodice of the dress from the back piece of the shirt. I used the front part of the shirt as the back of the dress as I wanted the buttons to be down the back,’ she said.

‘I measured the skirt part after cutting out the front bodices such that I wouldn’t have to hem the skirt as the shirt was already hemmed.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk