Ideas to Recycle Old Clothes

One idea is you could do a wall hanging. Cut different sized square, rectangles etc of your fabrics and make a collage on some iron-on backing cloth and sew that to a piece of calico. Turn the top and bottom ends and insert some dowell with some lovely finials at the top end and have a cord with tassells at each end to hang it.

I sometimes make my old clothing pieces (that I love the pattern on) into decorative pillow coverings. Or sometimes I make doll clothes or unique curtains. Though most of mine are turned into quilting squares and used for applique.

You could make say pot holders from them. I knew a lady who did this. It was very easy and turned out well. Cut a rectangle of the fabric..little bigger than you need. Sew badding to the inside..like in blankets. And sew the ends together. Easy and inexpencive.

I have been know to cut off a piece of the clothing and frame it. I purchase frames at thrift shops. So I make a piece of art with the material.

Howe about cushion covers or even just making a picture with some particularly nice fabric? I usually try to hold on to things I really like for years even if they will never, ever fit me again! lol xxx

Well how about on a smaller scale, do a quilt type thing, that is sew up the scraps of cut up clothing and make tote type handbags??? They would be fairly simple to make and maybe you could even sell them.

what about making pillows out of your favourite clothes? that is on the smaller scale than making a quilt. You could also make your favourite clothing into strips and braid them into a rug...there are a lot of possiblities.

When my daughter was an infant she had many clothes that I loved and did not want to throw away. She also had a lot of stuffed animals, still does. I put a few of my favorite outfits on her stuffed bears. Another idea...For my clothes that either had stains somewhere or were worn out I would cut up the material and make them into different things. I have pillows with some, purses, change purses, eyeglass holder, covers for some of my books. I have even thought of making a (sorry for spelling) collage with the different patterns and designs that were on the shirts/pants. I also cut out pockets from jeans to make purses. Some scaps were used to make barbie doll clothes for my daughter. Hope this helps.