Recycling clothes

[Aura]

I was thinking about ways of re-using old clothes. This is what I've come up with so far. Any thoughts? Additional ideas?

Depending on the quality of the clothes, adult-size clothes could be cut down/ripped open and resewn into children's clothes.

Sweaters could be unraveled and the yarn used for any yarn project. (crochet hats, scarves, etc.)

Sweaters also can be used for diaper soakers.

Old cotton clothes can be cut up and used for making diapers, sanitary pads, wipes, etc.

Clothes can be cut in strips and made into rag rugs.

You could try making a quilt, but I'm not sure about how that would work without having to find something to use as batting and a back. Maybe an old blanket would work, with a sheet used for the back. I'm trying to think of ways to use these things without having to purchase additional supplies, with the exception of possibly some notions like thread.

I've thought of trying a rag rug quilt. Same as making a rag rug, but making it big enough for a blanket. I think this might be better than a traditional quilt, though not as prettty. Any thoughts on this?

Some items could be pieced together to make "patchwork" garments. For example, several different items could be put together for a patchwork skirt.

I use old socks as make-shift bandages. Works good around knees and elbows.

Anyone heard of using socks as stuffings in a pillow? Not sure if that would be too lumpy, but old socks have got to have more uses than filling up a rag bag!

[Southwind]

Friend of mine makes woman's purses from old sweaters. I have seen some really nice quilts and rugs made with old blue jeans. Also some neat backpacks and bags made with jeans.

[Sassafras]

When I make denim comforters most often I use old blankets for batting and sheets for backing. The blanket makes it quite heavy, but it is so warm and cozy. Be careful about using sheets that are too thin from use. They can split easily from the weight when combined with a blanket. Another thing about quilts is not all of them have to be the real heavy, warm ones. Using a patchwork top and a couple sheets makes a nice summer-weight quilt.

I've braided quite a bit over the years. I did one denim braid to make a dog lead. The denim was a pain to work with, but it can be done. Also braided a heavyweight camo print into slings for BB rifles and cast-off flannel shirts into a nice, soft bedroom rug. I'd like to try braiding terry cloth towels to make a bathroom rug one day.

I'd be interested in hearing some uses for old socks. Dh just pitched a plastic grocery bag full last week because I have so many stored now. I was wondering about cutting the foot portion off and stuffing the tube to be used for maybe a comforter or for the batting a comforter. Then again, it might ravel to much making it difficult to work with. As it is, I use the socks now for dusting, cut up to make ties for staking in the garden, and for protection around glass jars when I mail homecanning.

[sorrow]

ok, here's a few

old socks can also be cut for potholder loom...makes squares ans keeps kids busy...

also sweater sleeves can be seam-rippered off and made into leg warmers...
just need to run elastic through top hem, as bottom has cuff...

[Sadie]

I re-use a lot of material to make doll clothes for my grand daughter!

[Sassafras]

For those who wear dresses, something I forgot is cutting down an old bathrobe into a slip. It's easiest done the ones with a front zipper, but others work as well. The waistband can get a bit bulky, but it was so warm in the wintertime.

I'm thinking we have a potholder loom around somewhere. I might have to try that with the socks. Thanks for the suggestion.

[deanne]

I know that my mother would always take all the buttons, zippers, snaps, hooks and eyes and kept them in a box. I have to say it always came in handy when you popped a button or a zipper broke. She would use the material left to make quilt blocks, which she would use to make pot holders, quilts, baby doll clothes, place mats and who knows what else.

I like to use old socks to dust with, and to wax the car with.

[Limner]

Making "longies" from an old sweater...

http://www.bumwrapdiapers.com/pages/pattern2.php

Making diapers from recycled clothing....making for a very stylish baby backside!

http://fernandfaerie.com/sewing_prefolds.html

(check out the other links on the page.....other recycled clothing uses!)

Making those nifty fitted diapers (gotta try this sometime....)

http://mayna.livejournal.com/198548.html?thread=7243924#t7243924

[Riana]

My son has reached the age finally where he wears out the knees in his jeans before he outgrows them. Last summer, I managed to put off buying him new jeans for several months by taking one pair of jeans (that had an unfixable torn rear pocket), cutting them up and using them as knee patches for three other pairs. They weren't pretty, but they lasted until they no longer fit.

All the socks in the house that get holes (somehow, the guys wear out the heels in their socks :-? ) get saved and used for cleaning. My son's socks are the perfect size for covering the wood grips on my revolver to protect it from the gun solvent I use.

I've also been known to put appliques over small stains on my shirts.

[Avandris]

Besides doing some of the things others have mentioned, I have also cut old sweats, towels and other similar fabrics into strips or into spirals and crocheted(using the really big hook) into kitchen and bathroom rugs. They are very comfy and nice on the feet when you are standing for a long time washing dishes or canning. I prefer cutting as many long pieces done in a spiral rather than having to cut strips and then sew the pieces together.

Besides making longies(long legged diaper covers) from sweaters I use the same idea and make leggings for my girls from fleece pullovers, sweatshirts and even those holiday themed turtle necks that are so popular. They make really cute leggings to go with simple jumpers made from thrift store shirts. I am at the point where I have to piece a couple of similar shirts for my elder daughter or cut down a dress or jumper for her, but it is still less expensive to do that and a lot more modest these day.

Unfortunately I have a stack of sewing that needs to get done before they out grow them and before the new little one gets here.

[Sassafras]

I have never crocheting rugs, but always wanted to try. My crochet skills are limited, but I figured I could handle a rug. I never would have thought of using the spiral cut, which would be a great time-saving step without the extra sewing. That would work with braiding as well.

So, how do you cut the spiral? Do you freehand it or is there a trick?

[IRo]

I've turned dh's worn or stained dress shirts into aprons. I cut off the sleeves, and apply a contrasting seam binding tape around the arm hole. Then with the same binding type I'll trim the breast pocket. When I had some fabric paint I painted some flowers on the pocket or on the collar or something to "pretty" it up.

[Avandris]

I am sure that there is a precise way to make the spiral cut, but I just free hand it. I cut out the really worn or holey parts and then spiral cut the rest around pockets and such. I am not good at crocheting. I forget to count stitches and miss a stitch now and then. So I like the rugs. I have done circle/oval ones(though they sometimes don't lay as flat as they should) and rectangles. Basically I just make a blanket of sorts from the sweats or other material. If you make them really thick they take a very, very long time to dry when you wash them. I know of a lady that makes them out of grocery sacks that way too. She just crochets them after cutting them in a wide spiral. She uses them for her back porch. When they get too dirty she tosses them.

[gardengal]

I've got several pairs of old polyester knit pants that cut up in quilt pieces should give me enough for one side of a lap quilt.

I take buttons off of old shirts before they become rags (if they are not fit to be something else first), take zippers out of jeans, and old holey socks become rags for dh's mechanic stuff.

I do have some old white t shirts of mine that I'm holding to make underwear out of. I also just put aside a dark green knit shirt to make a diaper cover out of.

A trick I learned from meemo, she used to post on here, is to cut down both sides of that thick seam on the leg of jeans and use it for tying up plants in the garden.

gardengal

[Avandris]

I have a quilt made from double knit polyester pants from the late 70's early 80's that is amazingly warm. It is rather garish in color, but so toasty. One Christmas my ex-stepmother made both her son and myself one. Mine is dayglo orange, red and yellow with a bit of white. It has a few squares of fabric that were used to make bedspreads for my dollhouse. So it is very sentimental to me. I wish I could have kept her when she and my dad divorced and passed him on to the next wife. :P