TWM reader Becca has posted a spectacular example of what can be done with a vintage bedspread and a little creativity. Take a look at the dress she made.
I definitely admire her sewing abilities. My latest clothing re-use was turning my former favorite pair of jeans, which finally ripped through the knee, into a pair of long shorts.
Maybe I can do something clever with the leftover leg pieces.
James did that with a pair of his old pants. The most clever thing we came up with was to use the cut off legs as a straight jacket for our cat. Right. He didn’t think it was funny. Or clever.
What a nice compliment. Thanks so much!
(I found you through the Yardsale Queen’s blogspot.)
If you have any young daughters you might make the left over legs into a small purse. Sew up the part that would have been at the knee and add a button to the top (you may want to cut it down further depending on how tall you are). Then decorate it with ribbons, tassels, and such. I use to do this with my grandmas help when I was younger.
My favorite jean re-use was cutting a pair of jean into short shorts (just below the crotch of the pants). Sew the legs closed, use a small rope or ribbon through the belt loops to make a drawstring sort of effect. I used an old belt for the shoulder strap, and then decorate it with fabric pants, patches, etc. The one I made I used as a “car-bag”, I put pencils, crayons, paper, books, card etc. in it and then took it with me when ever we would go on long car trips. (I actually got this idea from the American Girl Magazine when I was a subscribe back in the mid-90s. lol)
I like the idea of a “car bag”!
The legs would make good purses. They’re flares, so they have some width to them.
Very creative blog – I am going to tell my wife about it, I think she would really enjoy it!
I used the top of worn jeans for the top of a peasant skirt for my daughter and used one leg for the bottom of a cute daypack for her. I put a pocket on it from yet another warn pair of jeans. I’m also making a quilt out of leftover jeans!
For an example of the quilt look here http://www.patchwork-and-quilting.com/rag-quilt.html
for a backpack example http://sewing.about.com/od/freeprojects/ss/stringbackpack.htm (only I used print fabric and cute embellishments) and for the skirt, here http://www.bizrate.com/kidsdresses_skirts/oid607964836.html
Lisa, that quilt looks really impressive! Good luck with it. My sewing skills are a bit more basic.
Kyle, thanks for the referral!