DIY thrift flip

April Yang is a Southern California–based thrift flipper who has an associate’s degree in fashion design from Palomar Community College and has built a substantial following on Instagram and YouTube, where she posts sewing tutorials and thrift flip process videos. Her flips include turning a thrift-store find into a chic maternity dress, a worn-out black dress into a chic evening dress with lace appliques, a blah gingham dress into a cute jumpsuit, and a graduation gown into a glamorous black cocktail dress. She started sewing in high school out of necessity, when she wanted to wear new clothes but couldn’t afford them. As she began to post her clothing flips on YouTube under the name Coolirpa, she found a like-minded community who was inspired by her creativity, and her popularity on social media soon skyrocketed. She lives in San Diego, California. To see more of her work, visit coolirpa.com, @coolirpaa on TikTok, and @coolirpa on YouTube and Instagram.

CONTENTS
 
Introduction
How I Started Sewing and Altering Clothes
How to Use This Book
 
1 | Getting Started
Essential Materials
Setting Up a Workspace
Organizing Supplies
Sewing Machine Basics
Fabric Primer
 
2 | How to Shop for Alterable Clothes
Where to Shop
What Types of Clothes to Look For
What Can and Can’t Be Fixed
Gauging Size When You Can’t Try Something On
 
3 | Altering Basics
Using Patterns to Alter Clothes or Parts of Garments
Techniques for Altering Without Using Patterns
The Basics of Garment Altering
Adding Pieces: Sleeves, Hems, Pockets
How to Custom-Tailor an Altered Piece for a Great Fit
 
4 | Projects
Beginner to intermediate projects to inspire and guide you along your own thrift flips
 
Resources
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index