How to customise your clothes

* Change the buttons on your garments, either by using buttons from other garments that you no longer wear, or picking them up from charity shops.

* Sew and tie thread to make a knot in a tired top; building up a number of knots creates a simple but effective pattern.

* Simple, hand-stitched embroidery can transform a garment. More rather than less is better.

* Sew beads or sequins on.

* Buy clothes from charity shops and practise on them.

* Cut up old T-shirts – the material doesn't fray.

* If you can't sew in a zip, make ties out of stretchy leggings, shirt sleeves or ribbons.

* Take elements from clothes and turn them into something else: several pockets can be linked together to make a belt; shirt sleeves could become a scarf; the lapel from a man's jacket can be refashioned to make a halter-neck waistcoat.

* Pick up sewing machines on freecycle.org or eBay, buy thread in charity shops, and try car-boot sales for any other equipment.

Lilli Rose Wicks workshops: www. soilassociation.org; lilliredrose@yahoo.co.uk

Junky Styling: 020-7247 1883; www.junkystyling.co.uk; shop@junkystyling.co.uk