Friday, April 17, 2009

Myrtle Saves the World- Clothing

Here's some ideas for recycling old clothing items
(besides giving them to the next kid):

Note: Sorry, I tried to be all cool like Shayla and have my pictures rotating sides but I just don't have those skill so they are down the middle again and probably always will be.
Jeans are great to recycle. Make jean pants into jean shorts. Jeans make cute purses and fun quilts, especially rag quilts. Or remove the pocket(s) and sew/glue/staple it onto bags, the front of a child's T-shirt, a jumper, a notebook, a bulletin board, whatever you can imagine.

Turn old ties into snakes using this craft idea.

Slip a mismatched or holy sock onto your child's hand and let them do some dusting.

Turn old shirts into pillow cases. This was a shirt that just was not fitting me right so I made it into a pillow case (the buttons were part of the shirt). Go to TJMax, Marshalls, or thrift stores and find pillows that are ugly but the right shape and get them for really cheap. Holiday left-overs are priced right.

Okay, this isn't actually clothes, but while we're on the subject of pillow make-overs. This pillow (and it's twin and some curtains) was made from a sheet. Sometimes you can find sheets (TjMax/Marshalls again) cheaper than you can buy fabric and you can buy two sets and make pillows that match your bed. And since you're only covering a pillow, it's really easy to make. You can add ribbon, buttons, and cord to make it more stylish and add variety if you're making multiple pillows.

Other ideas:
1. Make adult belts into child-size belts. Just cut it the right length (same curvy shape as original end), sew the edge on the new end, and make holes with a knife or scissors.
2. Cut old T-shirts into rags for cleaning or car washing or spit-up.
3. Newborn clothes can be reused as doll clothes (especially if you've got preemie stuff like me).
4. If you're really great around a sewing machine and brave (I'm neither), I have a friend who used her wedding dress to make her daughters' blessing dresses. My talented mother made adjustments (and Oxi-Clean) on her old wedding dress to make my temple dress which I wore for my sealing and as a regular temple dress. I suppose if you don't have the skills but like the sentiment you could hire someone to do these for you.

1 comments:

Shayla said...

Am I the only one who can't see the last three pictures? I'm really interested in seeing the pillows!

I have an extra window panel that I'm going to use to make wall hangings in the nursery. Also, I have all of my old mission clothes (that have been stuffed into a bin for over 5 years now) that I'm going to make a quilt out of one of these days. Unoriginal, I know, but totally sentimental.

p.s. I'm not cool. I don't know how to have my pictures rotate sides either. Remember...I'm married to Brent. I ask, he delivers.