Sew green, save green, look fab

Sewing might seem like an archaic skill in the 21st century, but it's a fun way to green up your lifestyle, add some flair to your wardrobe, and even save some money. You don't even need a sewing machine for most projects -- just a few basic needles, some scissors, straight pins, and thread.

The Daily Green points out that July 25 is Thread the Needle Day -- a traditional holiday for tailors, seamstresses, and garment workers. So why not take this time to acquaint yourself with a little stitchery?

The most eco-friendly thing you can do is repair stuff instead of throwing it in the garbage. According to thrift-store chain Savers, the average American throws away about 67 pounds of clothing every year!

While some of that may be threadbare socks, nasty undies, or frightening fashion disasters, surely some of those pounds of clothes are just missing a button or have a saggy hem.

Never sewn a stitch? Instructables to the rescue. Start with this step-by-step how to sew tutorial. This page guides you through the basics of hand-sewing. CraftStylish also has a useful primer to get to know your hand-sewing needles.

The most common mending task is replacing a button. They always fall off. But they're quick to put back on. It helps if you've saved the original, of course. eHow has a nice tutorial on how to sew on a button. So easy, a teenager could do it.

Pants need hemming? Check out Expert Village's complete video series on how to hem pants. From picking the right thread to marking the hem to cutting off old hems, you won't need an expensive tailor after watching these vids. This technique also works for skirts and dresses. Take it from a gal who's 5'2" -- hemming is an important skill!

One common reason clothes get thrown out is sticky or separated zippers. For zippers that don't run smoothly, try rubbing a candle or a piece of soap across the teeth, then zipping and unzipping the zipper a few times. If the zipper has come apart, check out eHow's instructions for repairing a separated zipper. You'll just need some pliers, a needle, and thread.

Don't forget about your shoes too. You may not be able to repair them at home, but taking them to a cobbler is cheaper than a new pair of loafers or Jimmy Choos. Most shoes can be re-heeled a few times before the uppers actually wear out.

Running shoes don't need to be replaced until after 350-550 miles of use. If you run 25 miles a week, that means you need new shoes every three to four months. The rest of us slackers can keep our sneaks for ages!

Decorating plain clothes can give them new life so you don't want to toss 'em out. In fact, it's become quite the niche in sewing and craft stores as well as book stores -- so if you need inspiration, you'll find it fast.

A great place to cruise for ideas is the Wardrobe Refashion community (which I've praised before). The blog is for people who pledge not to buy new clothes for a few months, and instead they remodel old clothes or sew new clothes from scratch.

Here are some simple ways to makeover something in your wardrobe:

• Sew unusual buttons on a jacket or shirt.
• Shorten a skirt or dress.
• Turn a long-sleeve skirt into a short-sleeve one.
• Cut long pants into shorts.
• Sew a band of trim near the hem of a straight or A-line skirt.
• Dye a white or pale garment a new color.
• Make a baggy button-down shirt more fitted.

Some of these updates will be easier with a sewing machine. If you've never bought one, read through this detailed sewing machine shopper's guide written by a very experienced friend of mine. That should help you ask the right questions at the store.

You can take recycling to the next level by making totally new garments out of old ones. For example, Threadbanger has videos on making a new tie out of old ties and a dress out of men's slacks.

On the One Pearl Blog, you can see how to revamp an old sweater into an adorable cardigan. It just took a big snip, some edging, and a little decoration (to cover up a stain).

Check out these two different ideas for making an old pair of jeans into a denim skirt: sleek pencil skirt or sassy A-line skirt. Both use similar methods for varied effects.

If you want to learn to sew stuff from scratch, SewMarm's YouTube channel has some handy tips on everything from inserting the bobbin on a sewing machine to making a 1920s-inspired dress in one hour.

BurdaStyle also has useful tutorials on techniques like pleats, different types of seams, pockets, and buttonholes.

Sewing doesn't require a huge, up-front investment, although it's easy to go nuts at a fabric store. Keep it eco-friendly by looking at thrift-stores for fabric. I love using sheets, tablecloths, and curtains as material because you get a huge piece of great yardage on the cheap. And making over clothes you already own is definitely green since you're reducing garbage.

The extra benefit is that you'll have a wardrobe like nobody else! Who needs Project Runway?