If there is a stain to be made, my kids will find it / do it / make it. On one hand, it drives me absolutely crazy. But on the other, I know they are having fun and can’t quite bring myself to make a big deal out of it. This means I have to get inventive. From finding new ways to do laundry that will hopefully conquer the stain in question, to repurposing clothing that simply cannot be saved. Naturally, the crafty creature in me always finds new ways to make lemonade out of those lemons. From RIT dye, to sleeve cutting, to appliqué – I have done it all.
This past week I pulled out one of my kids favorite casual dresses, only to find that it had seriously been covered in grease stains. What the what?!! (PS – if you have the trick for getting grease or balsamic vinegar out, let me know – lol). Seeing as how the grease was literally everywhere, I was all set to toss it when I had an idea.
Green Patch Dress DIY
Cover up stains with cute do-it-yourself patches! No sewing required.
How to make easy homemade patches
- Skill level – Beginner
- Time needed – 15 minutes +
MATERIALS:
- Heat n Bond Soft Stretch Ultra
- Various scrap knit fabrics
- Iron / ironing board
- Scissors
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Following the instructions on the back of the Heat n Bond Soft Stretch packaging, iron the rough side of the Soft Stretch directly onto the wrong side of your fabric.
- Repeat for different knit fabrics, and cut around the edges so that the Soft Stretch is covering the entire fabric back of each color.
- Cut fabric into smaller squares and other shapes.
- Place shapes together to create a patchwork look.
- Once you have determined where you want the patch to go on your dress / shirt, peel off the paper back of the Soft Stretch and apply the sticky side directly onto your dress / shirt. Press to secure, making sure to get all of the edges.
- Repeat for all of your patches until you are finished!
And you are done!
I am telling you, this Soft Stretch is like my new favorite thing. Especially the Ultra, it holds through the wash and totally stretches with the knit fabric! I am using it all of the time now for my knits to help hold the shape of the neckline, hem, waistband and more. If you haven’t tried it yet, RUN (don’t walk) to your local fabric store to pick some up. It is awesome.
I totally went old school with my daughter’s hair for this photoshoot! We got to the green wall location, and I realized that I had no rubber bands for her hair. Out came the old pencil in the hair trick. Did anyone else do that as a kid? Lol – she was not a huge fan. It came out the second the photoshoot was done :).
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Thanks so much for stopping by, and until next time…
Happy sewing!
Original Dawn dish soap works wonders in removing grease/food stains. It is what is used to clean/save wildlife after an oil leak/disaster.
Original blue Dawn Dish Soap…works great on grease stains! The trick is to rub it in and let it sit overnight — long enough to really get in good but not so long that it dries out!
Yes! Oxy-style dish washing detergent has saved many of my clothes. I keep a bottle next to my washing machine. Spread some on the grease and wash as usual. 😊 Love your patch idea too. Looks so fun!
That patch idea is so clever- I wish I knew it when my kids were little! I agree about the blue Dawn. You can scrub it in with some baking soda, too, if it’s really bad
I need to make one for my daughter!