A thrifty mum has shared how she transforms her three-year-old son’s old, stained and ripped clothes into “brand new” summer outfits using a simple no-sew hack.
Clair, known online as “Thrifty Clair”, shared the budget-friendly trick with her followers after turning worn-out jeans and pyjamas into shorts and matching summer sets for her son.
The 37-year-old content creator from Bury, Greater Manchester, said the idea helps save money while also cutting down on waste, as reported by What’s The Jam.
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In an Instagram video viewed by thousands, Clair showed herself chopping up clothes her son had outgrown before repurposing them into wearable summer outfits for the nursery.
One pair of old jeans was transformed into shorts in just minutes using wonder web – an iron-on sewing tape – meaning no sewing skills were needed.
She also used inexpensive iron-on patches from Home Bargains, costing just 79p to give the outfits a fresh new look.
Clair said: “Since my early 20s I’ve been embracing ways of cutting back, saving money and creating less waste.
“Having a young son means he is always outgrowing his clothes, and while I donate a lot of his clothing, some items aren’t suitable to be passed on due to being stained or ripped.
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“It’s especially handy for nursery clothing.
“Things that get stained and will continue to get messy are made wearable for the summer weather.”
The mum-of-one explained that children’s clothes often become damaged before they are fully outgrown, making them difficult to donate or pass on.
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Instead of throwing them away, she now looks for ways to keep using them.
She said: “I can manage some basic sewing but love a quick fix.
“When turning jeans into shorts, I just use wonder web. So no sewing required, just a hot iron.
“It takes around five minutes to do and is really easy. Pyjamas are even quicker as it’s a case of cutting and stretching the hem. Job done.”
Clair said some of the repurposed clothing had already been bought second-hand cheaply before being transformed again.
She added: “I still buy new summer clothing but doing this means I’m saving a bit extra.
“More than that though, it means less waste and more use of what I already own.
“The grey jeans for example were a 50p charity shop pair, he’s had lots of wear out of those and now they’re shorts perfect to wear to nursery.”
Clair encouraged nervous parents to start with pyjamas because they are the easiest items to alter and don’t need to look perfect.
“Start with pyjamas because they’re so easy to do,” she said.
“If they’re not perfect, it doesn’t matter because they’ll be fine for bedtime.
“If you’re unsure on where to start, measure against a pair of shorts and T-shirt and cut a cm extra. You can always trim them shorter if needed.”
Her son, who is three, was particularly excited after seeing his fireman pyjamas transformed into a matching summer set.
Clair said: “My son is only three and still at a stage where he is happy to wear most things.
“As much as he loves crafts, this is one I do myself.
“I pick out a few items that are no good to donate or sell on and use those to upcycle.
“He was however, excited that his fireman pyjamas were magically transformed into shorts and T-shirt pyjamas.”
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