Do-it-yourself projects have come a long way from questionable Vogue Patterns and necklaces made from Fimo and leather cord.

For high-fashion addicts, handmade has become the most personal way to interpret runway trends using inexpensive materials picked up in fabric stores, thrift shops, and bead emporiums. DIY tutorials have invaded YouTube and blogs to enable even the most inept would-be artist to piece together a designer look that’s high on individuality and low on cost.

In general, designers seem to approve of DIY projects in a way that no one supports counterfeiting. As Vivienne Westwood famously declared this fall: “DIY! Don’t buy my clothes. Well, if you are rich or can afford a stylist, you can get me. But if not, do it yourself.”

In the spirit of creativity, here are a few on-trend projects worth undertaking:

• Fans of ombré drooled over Christian Lacroix and Tsumori Chisato’s high-impact gradient tights, as seen on the Fall 2008 runways. The Coveted shows how achieving the look is incredibly simple using a bucket of Rit dye, a pair of white- or flesh-colored pantyhose, and gravity.
  Simply mix up the dye, submerge the tights halfway (or however far up you want the gradient to start), and hang dry to allow gravity to pull the dye down, concentrating the color at the bottom. Use a subtle grey like Chisato (shown above) or get funky with bright blue or purple like Lacroix.
• To copy the iconic look of Coco Chanel’s layered pearls, pick up several strands of faux pearls in varying lengths and diameters at any thrift shop or even Target. Wear them all at once. More is more for this look.
• Distressed jeans are back in a big way (see Balmain’s trendsetting $3,000 pair), but there’s something a little too precious about buying denim that have been pre-ripped by a machine. Customize your own jeans with a foot file, sand paper, or a microplane cheese grater.
  Simply place a block of wood inside the pants and smooth out the fabric, then grate with the grain of the denim to weaken the fibers to your taste. Repeat with a light touch on hems and pockets to complete the look. If you want to take it a step further to the “destroyed” look, use a Tide bleach pen or splashes of paint or ink.
• Gucci, Lanvin, and Dior all have recently come out with metallic sneakers, but it’s easy enough to create the look using basic canvas high-tops and gold, silver, or bronze spray paint. Remove the laces and apply masking tape to the insides, soles, and rubber trim (anywhere you don’t want to paint). Spray the paint from a distance of about a foot in short but even strokes, being mindful of not letting the paint pool or drip. Allow the shoes to dry for at least 30 minutes before removing the tape and lacing up.