Recycling

**Lady_V** · 03-17-2007, 01:35 PM

I have been trying to keep busy (okay, I have been trying to keep busy so I don't have to pack and lug things to the attic)

I was sorting some of my daughters clothes (that darn packing thing again) when I realized she has gotten a lot taller without gaining any weight and all her jeans and her shirts are too short.

Time to recycle... instead of the bin, they are in my sewing tote. The nicer jeans I am planning on turning in to skirts (open the leg stitches, insert fabric) the ones that have worn legs... purses. The sweatshirts with the cute pictures are being turned in to floor/toss pillows and the shirts are being made in to quilt blocks.

I may tackle making her some clothes for the next school year, but she is growing so fast that I am afraid she will shoot out of anything I manage to put together.

**miss_thrifty** · 03-17-2007, 03:49 PM

lady v did you ever see this site foe sewing and recycling clothes. Its cool.

http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/e_teen.html

http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/e_kids.html

**Lady_V** · 03-17-2007, 11:06 PM

not until now

ty ty ty!!!!!

**kaykwilts** · 03-17-2007, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by miss_thrifty

lady v did you ever see this site foe sewing and recycling clothes. Its cool.

http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/e_teen.html

http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/e_kids.html

Thanks for posting that site.

**miss_thrifty** · 03-18-2007, 01:00 AM

your welcome folks.

**FrugalDonna** · 03-20-2007, 12:15 AM

I rarely buy anything when I'm sewing. I have so many jeans that I've saved over the years. I'm making a quilt now sewingthoughts.blogspot.com - couple of pictures on my sewing blog) with black and white fabrics I've collected hither and yon and lots of recycled jeans. I'm almost done with a recycled blue jean jacket (also used an old sweatshirt on that one), and who knows what denim project I'll make next. I love old blue jeans. I get them on my freecycle list, from family, and from other friends who know I save them.

I think it was Homer Simpson who said "Donuts, is there anything they can't do?" Well, I have changed it to be "Recycled denim, is there anything it can't do?" :-)

**FrugalDonna** · 03-20-2007, 12:20 AM

I forgot - there are pictures of the recycled denim jacket are on the blog too if you want to see them.

**miss_thrifty** · 03-21-2007, 07:20 AM

love your cathedral quilt parts your making, beautiful contrast with the denim. And the big one u were making Oct 3oth post, drop dead goregous . Did it say all left overs ? very well done, pat on your back deffently.WTG>

**Lady_V** · 03-21-2007, 09:27 AM

Beautiful work Donna!!

Since this thread is named recycled... I am interested in what else people have made. Christmas is coming and I need ideas

**FrugalDonna** · 03-21-2007, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by miss_thrifty

love your cathedral quilt parts your making, beautiful contrast with the denim. And the big one u were making Oct 3oth post, drop dead goregous . Did it say all left overs ? very well done, pat on your back deffently.WTG>

All the denim I use is recycled. I don't think I've ever bought denim

My kids wore overalls made from their dad's jeans legs when they were toddlers. I have bought other fabrics over the years, or have been given or asked to take other fabrics, so I'd say 90% of what I sew is made from fabrics that I either didn't pay for or am recycling.

I'm all about sewing frugally. There are other reasons to sew, but I like to use one thing to make another thing. It's just my thing, as far as things go. Can I use thing one more time just to make this whole paragraph thing-ful?

**FrugalDonna** · 03-21-2007, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Lady_V

Beautiful work Donna!!

Since this thread is named recycled... I am interested in what else people have made. Christmas is coming and I need ideas

Thanks for the compliment! You can never go wrong with hand towels, kitchen towels, placemats, and stuff like that. Take a look at the site (frugalsewing.com) and you will see a bunch of free projects I put up that I had worked up with photos. You can make any of those things with new or old materials. I gave placemats for years (not to the same people!), and one year, I made a quilt square and framed it to give as gifts.

Another frugal idea is to either make or buy decorative breads and cover them with shellac and arrange them in a basket with a pretty napkin. The basket can be used. The napkin can be made out of a scrap of fabric. It's a gorgeous centerpiece. Mine lasted for about a year before it started softening. I used homemade bread and rolls that I let dry for several days before spraying shellac on them.