March Reuse-it item: 7 ideas for Fabric

At our last Blogger planning meeting, we decided that each month in 2014 we would to put together a monthly post offering suggestions on how to reuse a particular item on the Reuse Centre's accepted items list. March's item is (raw) fabric and below are a myriad of suggestions on how to reuse fabric cheaply and creatively. Share your own ideas for reusing fabric on our Facebook  page or below in the comments!

Michelle

Here is a simple t shirt head band idea. I have been meaning to try this DIY for months now. Hopefully I will have it done for the summer. Not all store bought headbands fit me that well. Some are too tight. Some just fall off very easily. I think using t shirt or jersey material can eliminate some of the problems I have been having. Check this tutorial out from The Pink Door Mat. Using strips of old fabric you can achieve this headband look. Post pictures on the Reuse Center's Facebook page if you gave this a try! I would love to see them.

Lana

The quickest living / dining room makeover I know: With a large swath of fabric make an instant tablecloth or sofa cover that adds colour and pattern that you can easily change! One day I might actually customize these drapecloths with embroidery or stamps but in the meantime, I'm plenty happy how they can create a big impact and hide clutter instantly.

Emma

You don't always need big plans or complicated designs to make the most of your Reuse Centre fabric finds, small pieces of fabric in the same colour scheme were used to make this dolls quilt for a child. A simple but traditional Dresden quilt design shows off some interesting patterns in similar colours.

Dresden quilt (Source: Flickr: Ruby Murrays Musings)

You may even be lucky and find a half finished gem like this complete quilt block. A completely original find, add some co-ordinating fabric backing, a pillow insert and voila a gorgeous quilted cushion without any quilting know how! I've been lucky enough to find two totally different quilt blocks just ripe for cushion making, these are the holy grail of Reuse Centre finds for me.

Quilt block (Source: Flickr: Ruby Murrays Musings)

Kelly

I previously put some scrap silk to use by making an eye-pillow. It's a 4x10" pouch filled with ½c flax seeds and ½c dried lavender - and mega relaxing. Flax seeds' oil makes for better heat retention, for a thermotherapy bonus from brief microwaving, but rice may be substituted. With different dried herbs, flowers, or teas, even a couple drops of essential oil, the aromatherapy aspect can be tailored as well.

Sarah

This Zip Pouch project requires very little fabric, so it's a great way to use up scraps or small pieces. You could even make one of these with an upholstery fabric sample from the Reuse Centre! It's super simple, and could easily be done by hand if you don't have access to a sewing machine. A little pouch like this is great for organizing change, loyalty cards, or other small things in your purse or backpack.

Nichole

This is the craft I've been looking for! I've been holding onto scraps of fabric for years - too small to do much with, but too big to be trashed. These coasters, made from fabric scraps twined around a length of rope, are such a clever and colourful way to finally make use of this clutter.

Hayley

I love a good keychain and by good, I mean one that lasts longer than six months (I'm a bit hard on them). I found this awesome tutorial on how to may your own key chains from those small bits of fabric that are hard to use. They are durable, stylish and make thoughtful gifts! 

- Reuse Centre Blogger team

Scraps Project: Slipper Boots

It's almost the end of summer, and sometimes the nights and mornings still carry a bit of a chill. This was one of those mornings; temperatures dipped overnight and since we leave the windows open 24/7 this time of year, the apartment was a bit nippy when I got out of bed. Brisk as it was, I was loathe to close the windows and deprive myself of the fresh air. We're on weather lockdown 8 months of the year; we have to take advantage when we can!

My toes are always the first things to get cold. Enter one of my favourite things about fall and winter in this region: slipper boots. Unfortunately, my own were a few years old and they were looking pretty sad. After a few seasons of good use and many a trip through the washing machine, the soles were cracking and on the right foot, actually breaking off in chunks. The pom-poms had fallen off one slipper, and on the other had long since unravelled and shed their stuffing.

I've been meaning to replace them for a long time now, but once spring hits, slipper boots become difficult to find. I've toyed with the idea of making some, but it just never seemed that urgent. Well, today was the day. With freezing toes and the initiative required to pull out my sewing machine, I sat down to work. 

I had a surprisingly difficult time finding a pattern on the internet. Most free slipper patterns and tutorials seem to be for knitting or crocheting, and of those that were for sewing, hardly any were for boots. Taking a cue from this tutorial I decided to make my own. Of course, since I was making boots instead of snug ballet flat style slippers, things got a little wonky. I simplified. 

First, I traced the bottom of my slipper onto a piece of plain white paper, adding roughly half an inch for seam allowance. Then I grabbed one of my dingy old slippers and a pair of shears. I could see from the seams that the top of the boot was only two pieces, so I cut the top away from the sole and snipped along the joining seams, to end up with this:

The one that's shaped like weird pants? We'll call that pattern piece "Top 1" and the other shall be known as "Top 2".

 I traced these onto paper as well, again adding room for a seam allowance and voila! I had a pattern. Now, I could have started with a nice, fresh bolt of fabric, but where would the fun be in that? Slippers are small and don't take much material, so they are perfect project for using up leftover scraps, or even old clothing. Wooly sweaters make awesome slippers. In my case, I had a failed sewing project, made of the funkiest flannelette in the world. I'd been waiting for some inspiration and a project small enough to use what little I had.

I adore this weird, busy print but it was too much to take in cardigan form.

 My slippers would also need a lining; luckily I was also sitting on some artificial sheepskin that I'd purchased for a coat before changing my mind. I was happy to have a chance to use some of it up. What really urged me to action though, was this recent find at the Reuse Centre:

You really never know what you're going to find in the "Sewing Notions" bin! 

Now, here's a great tutorial if you happen to have two sided fabric, or something thick that doesn't need a liner. If you don't have an old pair of boot shaped slippers, it's also a great reference for pattern design.

Again, using this tutorial (from above) I simply adapted the author's directions for a slightly different shape. I pinned and sewed my boot pieces together using the remaining, uncut slipper as a reference.

Remember me? Top 1 is the heel and ankle piece, and Top 2 is the toe piece. Simply sew (right sides together) the curve of Top 1 to the flat part of Top 2, and then sew the sides of Top 2 together to make the upper half of your boot. 

Even with all of my fiddling and adapting the pattern (not to mention watching TV at the same time), this project only took about an hour and now I have a pair of adorable, cozy new slippers. What do you think?

-Sarah (Volunteer)