second use - clothes

[QuilterMom]

How do you reuse clothing items (outgrown items, stained items, etc.)?

[Julia Kimber]

If they're still in good condition I give them to a charity organization or if not I use them for rag!

Julia

[Michelle]

It depends on what it is. I have used things to make clothes and accessories to be worn again (for example used a pair of L's jeans that didn't fit any more to make a jean purse for K).

Stained clothes--if they still fit, I do LWI dyeing on them (LWI = Low water immersion). That effect is something like a cross between marbled fabrics and tie dye. I just did this to a couple of the kids' tshirts the other day.

Rags for some items.

I also donate them to Goodwill or The Salvation Army if I can't figure out anything else to do with them.

[Kimberlina]

DD's outgrown clothes get packed away- we aren't sure if we will be having another yet, but DH is leaning towards it.

Jeans and flannel shirts get made into lap quilts. I did one for my father last christmas that I stitched the outlines of all his grandchildren's hands into.

Other clothes get sold at a yard sale, if they are decent- anything lft over from that goes to the Salvy.

Most of our clothes get worn until they can't be worn anymore. Sadly for my fashion sense, we don't really have enough money to buy new clothes every season. (As a matter of fact, yesterday I was wearing a pair of shorts I got when I was 14 or 15.) They get stripped of anything valuable (buttons, etc) and torn into rags or used for something like stuffing.

[kaykwilts]

I made my daughter a dress a few years ago. It had a lot of material in the skirt part. She cleaned out her closet last week and said it was too small. I made her some pajama bottoms out of the skirt. I still have some material left over and it will go into small kid's quilts. I savalged all the buttons and they can be reused on another garment.

I use old tee shirts to dust and clean.

[seadream]

If they are still in good condition I give them too my nieces, if they are stained or ripped they get cut up for rags

[Tater]

WOW!! You ladies put me to shame!! I hand down decent clothes, salvage buttons and use t-shirts for rags, but that's it. I'm impressed by your ability to use them until there's NOTHING left!

[larabelle]

Well, I do a couple of things. For a stained item I will often sew a pretty patch of another fabric to cover the stain. I have also been known to make a button collage over a stain such as on a vest. I will also just let the stain stay as is and wear a stained shirt under a jumper which has a large bodice, no one can see the stain.

[larabelle]

Outgrown items I will alter such as skirts/pants I will add material into the waist band and extend the hem with an alternating complimentary fabric. Shirts I will add fabric at the sides to offer more room.

[forHISglory]

A lot depends on the clothing and the condition. No one in my family is my size, sigh, so I don't do much hand me down. My fashion sense isn't too great, sigh, so I don't do resale shops. Clothes at yard sales in our area don't bring much interest. I make cleaning rags from if the fabric is the right kind. I salvage buttons, zippers, etc. to use elsewhere. Also keep some nice pieces of fabric to do some crafts or sewing with. I also just keep some to use as "dirty-job" clothes. For example, we are painting the house right now, and I have this purple sweatshirt and sweat pants that I am wearing. They are totally disreputable: torn cuff, stretched out of shape, paint marks, a mysterious stain...... But when I am done painting, I will just toss the entire outfit! But truthfully, I really don't get rid of many clothes.

[shoiji]

If the material is soft I make cat toys out of it. Or use as bedding for them.

[santoria]

I pass on what's in good shape.

if its not I'll serge the edges and use for rags - the really ratty one's go to the garage for dh.

I use a LOT to make cloth diapers, and wipes

[freyadog]

What I can't donate to the clothes attic for the community I do many things with worn or stained clothes.

First I decide if any part is salvagable for scrap quilting. Then I cut up what I want to keep, save the buttons and any trim that it may have. Many scrap clothes I have made into Christmas stockings, aprons, and night shirts for dh and myself.It doesnt matter to us whether the sleeves are a different color than the body.

What I can't make into something else goes to the rag box for outside gardening, automotive, etc. Worn clothing can also be made into rag rugs, table mats and napkins. etc.

[ohsandohs]

Clothing with stains that I can't remove sometimes becomes sleepwear - I live in a climate where my lightweight T-shirts are perfect for summer pj tops and long-sleeved heavy-weight cotton knit or thermal knit shirts are perfect for winter pj tops. We homeschool and to keep winter heating bills down, we tend to wear flannel or knit pajama pants and several layers of shirts during the daytime; we also bundle up with fleece and down throws while we work.

DD had a beyond-cute pair of stretch denim leggings that developed a small hole on the hip. I sewed a pink ribbon rosebud over the hole and then sewed another rosebud at each ankle, at the side seam/hem. She was in public school at the time and EVERYBODY loved those jeans and asked me where I got them. I've also used cross-stitch over waste canvas, pre-made appliques or pretty cloth patches to cover up holes or stains on good clothing items, unless the placement would look just too weird - that's when they become pj's as mentioned above.

I cut up worn-out thermal cotton thermal clothing and towels/washcloths for the insulator/filler in homemade potholders. I also, like others here have mentioned, salvage all buttons, hooks/eyes, trims, lace, decorative collars, good zippers to be re-used. The denim and pockets or whole front and rear sections from pairs of jeans have lots of uses - do an internet search and you'll see tons of cute ideas. Leftover denim pieces are great pieced into quilts, or for potholders, purses, tote bags (think reusable grocery bags, the ultimate recycled bag).

I just finished looking at a tutorial where a woman made a darling sundress for her young daughter out of her husband's dress shirt. I'll try to find the link and post it here later.

I also just came across mention of a newly-emerging craze, remaking t-shirts into really trendy shirts of all kinds. Again, I'll try to find that link/links again.

A good internet search term for ideas is "scrap crafts" or "scrapcrafts". The library has books available that you'll find using these search terms as well.

Really, if you just put the item in front of you, it will probably inspire you to do something creative and wonderful, or even just plain useful. Sometimes the fabric in thrift store clothing calls out to me to grab it and make something wonderful. You just never know. That's the creative process!

Blessings,

Michelle

[booboo44]

i make dish rags out of old t shirts and pants i make other rags but the shirts make the best dish rags have not bought any in yrs also make good dish towels just cut them to the right size