DIY idea for a dress: decorate patches with kintsugi
In the fourth part of our DIY video series on slow fashion, we show you a kintsugi technique that doesn't involve sewing. Yes, it can be done without any DIY skills! You can find out more about the Japanese art of kintsugi and the associated philosophy of wabi-sabi in this article. You will also learn how to repair a pair of ripped jeans in kintsugi style (although you will need to be able to sew a little yourself). In the second part of the series, we explained how to repair a hole in wool without sewing, just with a little kintsugi. The third part dealt with the Kintsugi-inspired option of embellishing a tear in fabric with golden paint. All that was needed was a steady hand and a creative mind.
And with this foolproof tutorial, you can save your favorite dress even if you can't sew it yourself!
DIY kintsugi without sewing: brighten up a stained dress
What you need:
- Dress with a stubborn stain (ours was stained with coffee)
- Embellishments to iron on
- Iron
- Plain cotton cloth to protect your dress from the heat
This is how it works:
1. Choose an embellishment that is slightly larger than the spots but does not cover them completely. We opted for stars, but flowers are also a good alternative.
2. Place the iron-on embellishments on the stains without covering them. Always remember: the stains should not be completely hidden (this would not be in keeping with the Kintsugi idea).
3. Bügele erst auf rechts, dann auf links, damit der Kleber aushärtet. Mit dem Baumwolltuch verhinderst du, dass das Bügeleisen das Kleid beschädigt oder die Verzierungen das Bügeleisen.
4. Trage es mit Stolz!
Even more Kintsugi-inspired ways to brighten up stains
The DIY projects shown above are of course not the only way to transform a stained, old dress into a new, beautiful work of art inspired by Kintsugi. Here are a few alternatives, although you will need to be able to sew for some of them.
- Smaller stains, like the coffee drips on the dress in the video, could be surrounded with iron-on petals around the “stain flower”.
- Artistically inclined people could paint around the stain. Perhaps the stain has a funny shape that inspires you?
- Larger, washed-out stains could serve as a starting point for a watercolor effect. Use diluted textile paint to apply more “stains” on top by imitating the size and shape or even the color of the stain. More is definitely more here!
DIY
Get inspired! Our nifty DIY ideas, exclusive styling tips and easy-to-follow care advice will help you to become more slow-fashion minded.