DIY Thrift Flip: Sewing Techniques for Transforming Old Clothes Into Fun, Wearable Fashions

Join the thrifting revolution! DIY Thrift Flip teaches you how to find, upcycle, and customize secondhand clothing for sustainable style with simple sewing instructions.

Expert thrift-flipper April Yang, aka Coolirpa, takes you through every phase of the process, including how to find the best clothes and fabrics and easy ways to alter and tailor shirts, dresses, pants, coats, and more.

• Getting Started. Essential materials and tools, setting up a workspace, organizing supplies, sewing machine basics, and a concise fabric primer.
• How to Shop for Alterable Clothes. Where to shop, what types of clothes to look for, what can and can’t be fixed, and how to gauge size when you can’t try something on.
• Altering Basics. How to use patterns to alter clothes or parts of garments, techniques for altering without using patterns, the basics of garment altering, adding sleeves, hems, and pockets, and how to custom-tailor an altered piece for a great fit.
• Projects. Beginner to intermediate-level projects inspire and guide you along your own thrift flips.
• QR codes give you access to techniques, tutorials, and project details.

With DIY Thrift Flip, you’ll learn how to build a wardrobe of original pieces that shows off your unique style and boosts your creativity in the process.

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 Los Angeles, California. To see more of her work, visit coolirpa.com, @coolirpaa on TikTok, and @coolirpa on YouTube and Instagram.