Repurposing via a thrift store

[jenfl]

I'm in the midst of a sewing blitz -- mostly clothes for my 2 year old daughter. I'm doing this mostly to make cute, unique items, but I'd like if it didn't cost a ton of money. I use the coupons for the mega-mart fabric stores for special fabrics, but for things like PJs, it's still more than I want to spend.

Today I repurposed an old, college dorm t-shirt into a PJ peasant top and one of my daughter's old receiving blankets into PJ pants. That got me thinking that maybe I could hit a thrift store for interesting t-shirts to use for jersey instead of buying new.

I'm curious what you've found at thrift stores and what it got turned into. I'd love to have lots of ideas floating around in my head so that inspiration can strike when I get there tomorrow!

[AlwaysByMySide]

I turn t-shirts into lounge pants for my kids pretty often. There's also a tutorial on the internet somewhere about turning a men's button-down shirt into a child's size dress. I'm in the middle of making a picnic blanket/quilt out of jeans that I got for $1 a pair at the thrift store, and I've got a flat sheet with a cute print on it that's going to become pj pants for me one of these days.

If I can ever make up with my snap press after our recent fight, I'm going to go back to turning t-shirts into onesies again.

[dani76]

I make DD leggings and cotton pants out of DH's old t-shirts. It's super easy. I used to use elastic in the waistband. The other night I used fold over elastic for the waist and it worked great! And much faster.

I've made the men's shirt into a dress for DD too. It was pretty easy and super cute.

Also, a tee to dress recon.

[velcromom]

I love repurposing/refashioning thrifted clothes! I've repurposed

old wool sweaters into diaper covers

T-shirts into pants, long sleeve shirts into leggings

T-shirts into dresses

A button down shirt into a dress

Skirts into toddler dresses

various things into bibs

[E.V. Lowi]

My 16 yo dd is an expert at this. She has turned jeans into skirts and tee shirts into pillows and rugs. Here is one of her designs-

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p.../CheLlamaB.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p.../CheLlamaA.jpg

[Roxy2007]

i love repurposing!
some projects i've done.

- bought a pair of women's capri for $3, its for a tall woman, i chop it off and turned it into a skirt for me and leftovers for a pair of capris for DD.

- bought cute cotton dresses, they dont necessarily fit me in the bust area and i dont like wearing spaghetti straps but i chop it up and use the bottom part for a skirt for me or DD.

- love love wool, i can repurpose this into vest for DS and also diaper covers.

- i buy men's stripey shirts and turn it into tshirt or polo shirt for ds.

sometimes thrift store shopping isnt the cheapest though. i recently score 2 pairs of brand new size 30 jeans at our store here for $1 each, i can make about 2 or 3 jeans for the kids from it.

have fun!

[Livviesmom0207]

I buy women's skirts and turn them into toddler dresses.

I make pillowcase dresses.

I'm currently making a toddler dress from a men's dress shirt.

I wish I knew how to post pics!

[orangefoot]

Skits to dresses, pillowcases to shopping bags or cushion covers, woolen sweaters to winter skirts,sheets to anything! With clothing the bigger the better for making more things.

Here's a large skirt to a dress (and back view)

This is a dress to a Japanese knot bag and scarf for my mum

Look for interesting patterns, unusual fabrics, wool for felting, and also lots of plain cottons which are great for linings. Once you start seeing clothing as fabric your creative world expands

[orangefoot]

Originally Posted by Livviesmom0207

I buy women's skirts and turn them into toddler dresses.

I make pillowcase dresses.

I'm currently making a toddler dress from a men's dress shirt.

I wish I knew how to post pics!

If you have them on Flickr or photobucket or similar you copy a link to your photo which starts http something then click the world with a link of a chain just up there under the dropdown smilie in the reply to thread box. Paste your link in there and presto you have a clickable link.

[mamapixie]

Flannel sheets for making diapers. I have a twin size NFL sheet right now that is going to be repurposed as soon as I get the time to do it.

[allnaturalmom]

Sheets are my favorite.... I think they're the best! You can turn them into anything! I especially like the older, vintage sheets that are all cotton and a bit heavier than today's sheets. Many times they have pretty floral patterns and they are usually very soft from so many washings. It just doesn't get any better than that!

[courtenay_e]

I just found two cotton and cotton seersucker HOUSECOATS in 3X that I am going to make into crop pants for DD, and may have some leftover for something else with each of them!

I regularly make diapers out of t shirts, and grocery bags (made my mom some for X-mas and she has put in a request for more!), and a cute jammie top for dd (actually I do more of those too!). I have also made dd and ds knit shorts for jammies out of mens XXL shirts that I find. I make diaper covers and longies from sweaters.

Though I don't get mine at thrift stores, I run a very large clothes swap and help to pack up the leftovers...when I do so, I keep my eyes open and toss the repurposeable stuff in a bag to bring home and use later. I love that kind of shopping!

[Pumpkincat]

Ok, i have a contribution, but no pictures, sorry. I need to get on the camera thing, i know, anywho... I repurposed some tshirts my daughter disliked into uber cool halter tops. I cut the shirts in half, shirred the top where the chest is and the bottom where the tummy is, about 1/4 inch from the edge, this created a sweet ruffle. I took two strips of fabric from what i cut off, ran an elastic up the length in the center, to make a beautiful ruffle. I attached it to the shirt to make a tie up strap, and voila! Beautiful and trendy!

This is easy and super fast to do. I hope some of you try it, it does really look very good.

[HappiLeigh]

I've been repurposing old t-shirts (my own in this case, but thrift store finds would work) into t-shirts I like. All my college tees were big old baggy things, back when that was cool, and now I'm making them into ruffled tank-tops or just cute fitted styles with nicer sleeves. I've also done some cute applique on some plain ones--nothing fancy, just with wonder-under and the zigzag stitch.

[EmPaige]

My husband works in the used clothing industry and i am always dreaming up ideas of what to do with some of the great stuff he finds. This one guy that he works with sells the cutest dresses made from old vintage t-shirts - it just gets my mind going with ideas...

[Kodachrome]

Originally Posted by jenfl

I'm curious what you've found at thrift stores and what it got turned into.

Great thread

Some fave upcycled/repurposed projects I've done:

* A huge funky mirror into a cool mirror for my daughter's room.

* Sheets and/or curtains into a few rag rugs.

* A mirror into a chalkboard for my son's room.

* A blah frame into a cool funky frame for our dining room.

* Vintage plates into wall art for our kitchen.

Tons of sewing too - I'll have to upload the tshirts and sheets that I've turned into clothing, market bags and such as others have stated above.

[SageR]

Toys - I made my ds a playmat, and am currently making him play food for his kitchen from wool pants. I'm using an old tee shirt for the skin on some dolls too.

Clothes - I have made the entire family pants from old sheets and pillowcase. They are great for hot weather, especially for the little boys to wear at the beach crawling around in the sand. I got the idea from SouleMama. I've also made diaper covers, vests, and booties from wool sweaters for my babies.

Household stuff - My bathroom curtain and some of our throw pillows were made from clothes. I found a crewel work pillow cover this weekend that I put in a frame for wall art. I thought about using it as a pillow but I was afraid my kids would destroy it. I got the frame from the thrift store too.

I need to get my pictures uploaded!

[caiesmommy]

I just made dd a dress out of pillowcases, baby legs out of dh's holey socks. curtains for ds room out of an old sheet, diapers out of old towels/recieving blankets

Now I'm wondering WHY when I was out today WITHOUT the kids I didn't go into the Salvation Army as I passed it...seriously what was I thinking?

[Pumpkincat]

Originally Posted by caiesmommy

I didn't go into the Salvation Army as I passed it...seriously what was I thinking?

i do not know about you, but for me, the salvation army is almost as exciting as the fabric store. i tend to over spend there and i have a growing stash i have yet to depleat. perhaps you were trying to save money and space, like me.

[pear-shaped]

The town I live in has a weekly market and there's a section with stalls selling used clothes and linens, sometimes for as little as 1 Euro a piece! There's such an incredible selection of colors, patterns and fabrics. I make clothes for my dd (mostly pants, shorts, and skirts) from what I buy, but this spring I made her a matching outfit from a pair of linen women's trousers (that cost 1 Euro.) I am so proud of it, it's the nicest thing I've ever made:

tank top and pants