Many sewing projects take a lot of fabric to make them and the cost can really add up, especially if you are on a budget. The good news is that you don't have to spend a lot of money if you think outside the box. Take a look around your house and really think about what you have at hand. Chances are, you'll find some old clothes, bed sheets and fabric scraps just taking up room.
So, what will you do with those old things? Throw them out or give them away? Don't do that! Those old clothes are perfect for creating new items. It's recycling at its best and it's quickly becoming the trendy thing to do. It's not really a new idea however, because it's something our grandmothers and grandmothers did years ago. They knew how to re-use every item and didn't waste anything.
But what exactly did they do with old, worn out clothes and left over fabric? To help get you started, here are five quick and easy project ideas to show you what you can make from old clothes, bed sheets and fabric scraps.
Project #1: Use old clothes or fabric scraps to create quilts. There are several different types of quilts that require small patches of fabric, such as postage stamp, crazy or memory quilts. The basic idea for all these different types of quilts is the same. Cut out small shapes and sew them together. The shapes are often different colours, which when sewn together form a pattern. The pattern, shape and size of the fabric patches then determine which type of quilt has been created.
Project #2: Turn old bed sheets into curtains, pillowcases, throw pillows or other decorative home décor items. Bed sheets work very well for these items, especially if the bed sheets have shrunk in the wash, become stained, or slightly worn out in one spot. You can cut around that spot and use the rest of the bed sheet, which is likely still in good shape.
Project #3: Use old clothes or fabric scraps to create your own dolls. Keep them for yourself or give them away as gifts. The dolls can be as simple or as complex as you want them to be. They can have one pattern piece to follow or they can have several pieces that are cut and sewn together to form the doll.
Either way, start by simply cutting out the pattern pieces. Then, sew them together with the right side facing together. Remember to leave an opening, so that you can turn the doll inside out and then add stuffing. Sew the opening shut and add eyes, hair, clothes or anything else you want to finish the doll.
Project #4: Use old clothes or even bed sheets to create new clothes. Most people at one point in time have turned old jeans into shorts, but you can go even further than that. For example, turn the old jeans into a skirt by cutting the legs off and then adding strips of fabric to give the skirt length. Or cut up old clothes to create scarves, shawls, headbands or more. The only limit is your imagination!
Project #5: Create your own Christmas ornaments from fabric scraps. If you love to sew, you know how quickly the scraps can pile up. One great way to use up these scraps is to make your own decorations. Plus, it's so easy! Simply draw different shapes on a piece of paper. For example, you could draw Christmas trees, stars, hearts, circles or any other shape that you associate with Christmas. Then, cut out the shape and either pin it to a piece of fabric or trace it on the fabric. Then cut out at least two pieces of the same shape and sew them together. Leave a little opening so that you can fill it with stuffing. Sew the opening shut and add charms or ribbons to finish off the ornament. Add a string at the top and hang the ornament on your tree with pride!
