Odd things used

[plantoneonme]

I am not much of a fiber artist but I do love to quilt and sew

. I make my quilts so they will be loved and used...hopefully to the point they get wore out. This year for Christmas, I am making quilts for 2 of our kids out of clothes recycled from the grandkids. I have taken outgrown clothes that are cotton or cotton blends and cut them into squares and triangles. These will be sown together into quilts. These make great memory quilts. My first endeavor into quilting was by making this type of quilt for my daughter when she graduated from high school. I had saved many clothes that had lots of memories that I used for this quilt.

I find flannel or cotton blend top sheets very frequently at resale stores such as the Salvation Army and use those as backings. Many people wear out the bottom sheets but the top sheets look like new so they get donated.

I also have people from my quilt group save the salvages they cut off the edges of new fabric. I braid these together and later turn them into rugs. Old jeans and woolen clothes make great rugs also...simply cut or easier yet, tear into strips and braid.

Old sweaters make great mittens for the kids. I trace their hands onto paper to use as a template. I then take the pattern and place it on the edge of the sleeve, bottom or neckline...this makes a great cuff area. Old wool sweaters or suits can be felted and used for many types of crafts as well. I have turned many a sweater into felted hats.

Old jeans make cute purses...simply cut across at the level of the crotch and sew together. I use pieces from the legs and a handle and put in a snap. These are really cute from kids jeans and their moms really love them. The pockets off the jeans make cute change purses when sewn together as well.

I also recycle lots of different things to use as garden art...but that in itself is another long post lol. Kim

[Yomolove]

And I would love to hear all about it, My grandmother used to make all of our quilts with old clothing as well... by hand just sitting in the yard. I make purses as well from old jean... or just turn the jeans into skirts.

[plantoneonme]

Love those skirts...I may borrow this idea to make some for my granddaughter who out grew the length but not the waist.

I just hopped out of the shower and remembered another thing I make lots of...we call them snowball mitts. I make water resistant mitts similar to mittens except I have the kids lay down their hand with fingers spread out and then trace on paper for a pattern. I do not make a thumb. I then layer whatever fabric I am using such as old sweaters, sweatshirts, fleece etc then I put in a layer of an old shower curtain then another layer of material....thus no thumb because it would be too thick. The kids can then make lots of snowballs without getting wet hands.

One of the things I made for garden art was a pair of baby overalls that I stiffened and turned into a planter. They were very cute but I have to admit that someone driving by wanted them so bad I sold them for $25.

Right now I am gathering up materials and cutting things out to make for Christmas. I will be having surgery in October and will have 8 weeks to get things made.

[AbbeyLehman]

And I would love to hear all about it, My grandmother used to make all of our quilts with old clothing as well... by hand just sitting in the yard. I make purses as well from old jean... or just turn the jeans into skirts.

Ooh ooh! I have a skirt similar to the second one! Wait. HAD a skirt like that. I made it and a family friend LOVED it. Wanted it. SO I gave it to her. It fit her better than it did me, anyway. :) The first one is super cute, too!

[AbbeyLehman]

...we call them snowball mitts...

I made what we call skating socks--super absorbent scraps of knit terry left over from cloth diaper sewing days sewn into footies with elastic. Either me or DS puts them on to mop floors--wet them down & wring them out (with warm water for the tootsies), spray the yucky spots then skate away. After being silly for 3 or 4 minutes, the floor is clean! I adapted the idea from FLyLady.


...One of the things I made for garden art was a pair of baby overalls that I stiffened and turned into a planter. They were very cute but I have to admit that someone driving by wanted them so bad I sold them for $25...

I have a pair of baby overalls I could do this with--could you give me some details??? Thank you!!

[Yomolove]

The first picture is a purse w/ bamboo handles... isold that one

[Yomolove]

Id love to see a pic of the baby o'all planter

[plantoneonme]

Sadly I did not take a picture of mine...I tend not to take pictures and later regret it. Here is a link to what they look like and how to make them.

http://tallmouse.com/

Type in denim overalls container in the search function.

Here are a couple more to look at...
http://www.thehappyhorticulturist.com/
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb256/frostybrewhaha/planter.jpg

Here is the link to where I first heard about them...
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/junk/msg071552478894.html

Kim

[gardengirl72]

I am loving these new uses for old denim. I have been collecting old jeans for ever and I was going to make a quilt out of it.

A friend of mine goes to yard sales and buys old sweaters and turns them back into yarn for new projects.

I just finished a shrug, I will get some pictures up tommorow.

[Ani]

On the lines of old overalls - A friend of mine turned a pair into a bag that he then used to collect recyclables and escort them to their proper place. It would have made an awesome garden tool organizer too.

I, too, have piles of old jeans that will one day be a quilt of some sort. Denim has such a nice weight.

[Yomolove]

When all your quilt dreams fade with the denim... I hope you coma callin... Ill take them off your hands....:)

[Yomolove]

I am loving these new uses for old denim. I have been collecting old jeans for ever and I was going to make a quilt out of it.

A friend of mine goes to yard sales and buys old sweaters and turns them back into yarn for new projects.

I just finished a shrug, I will get some pictures up tommorow.


Patti, where are those pics..... Also I had a great idea.... Lets get together at your place and start on those quilts one sunny day. That would be great. We could have lemonaid with mint. What fun that would be.

[AbbeyLehman]

Patti, where are those pics..... Also I had a great idea.... Lets get together at your place and start on those quilts one sunny day. That would be great. We could have lemonaid with mint. What fun that would be.

If only we could afford the gas to get us there!! :)

[plantoneonme]

I am not sure if anyone is into scrapbooking but I am getting together a really neat Christmas gift for my parents and siblings. Over the past several Christmas' I have been taking pictures and making scrapbook pages. This does not have to be a very expensive hobby either. I make my pages on regular card stock that is 8.5x11". I then take them and have them color copied at a local copy center on days when they only charge .39 per page. I then add a "little something" to the pages with stickers and journaling and give them to each family the next year. I took plain 3 ring binders and covered them to make them special and slip the new pages in acid free binder pages...needless to say everyone loves them. Kim

[plantoneonme]

Well the temps here in Michigan are below freezing now and my granddaughter needed some mittens. I made her 2 pair from one of her old sweatshirts on Sunday. It was free and the 2 pair match so if she loses one she still has matching mittens.

To make the mittens I simply had her put her hand on a piece of scrap paper with her fingers opened slightly and traced in a mitten shape. I then add a little extra for some wiggle room. Trace the pattern on the cuff of the sleeve or bottom edge of the shirt for the mitten cuff. Sew, cut, turn right side out and they are ready to go.

Kim

[Kittikity]

You guys are so crafty, skilled, and creative.. I wish I could do the things you guys do.. I can't even operate a sewing machine correctly.. lol

[Yomolove]

The mittens from an old sweater sounds great.... I will have to see what I can do.... Thanks for that great idea