You have a collection of faded home textiles and embroidered items you don't know how to use? It seems pointless not to reuse them in another way. Curtains, pillows, earrings holders, new hangings... You are out of options. Here are Tediber's seven suggestions for DIY projects.
How to recycle your old sheets?
There are various options for reusing old clothes. Try cutting the fabric to recover the patterns if they have been lost by holes. You can then use glue or a needle and thread to attach them to other projects for a beautiful custom finish.
If the curtains are in good condition but their color is faded, bleaching them is the first step to take. For this, soak them in a bath of boiling water infused with the juice of two lemons. After a thorough rinse, your sheet should be as bright as the first day you received it.
Once that is done, you can reuse your old clothes as you please. If you are short on inspiration, don't worry; we have included some suggestions below.
Make towels or tea towels
This is the simplest way to give new life to your worn brocades. In fact, you can create a new set of tea towels by simply cutting the fabric into several square blocks. If your embroidered curtains have elegant patterns, you can use them to make matching napkins and placemats.
Handle the fabric carefully to get a high-quality final result for your napkins.
You can even transform your curtains into a table if you want to keep the kitchen theme. There, the already easy work will be made much easier. We cut it, put a small belt around the middle, and called it a day.
Make a duvet cover
It is not as difficult as one might think to make a duvet cover from old sheets. Simply get two blankets of the same shade and stack them on top of each other. Sew three of the four sides with your sewing machine.
You need to cut 20 centimeters from each side of the final width. Finally, all you have to do is attach a few buttons so your cutting blade is safe.
Read also: what fabric to choose to make a duvet cover?
Make a tablecloth
You can use old curtains to make a napkin by simply cutting them to fit your table. You can use the sheet-tablecloth for outdoor tables or picnics if it is clean but lacks modern elegance.
Make a headboard
A platform-cushion mattress can bring softness and luxury, but that is not all it can do. Many people see it primarily as a decoration accessory for their room. It is quite possible to create a homemade headboard from an old swag if the swag has attractive patterns.
Simply choose the desired measurements and cut the fabric to the right size to avoid losing the patterns.
Make a small pillowcase
Making a scarf, a neck warmer, or an ear muff from old blankets is another great way to recycle your fabric scraps. You will need a sewing machine, your fabric, matching sewing thread, sewing scissors, a fabric pen, an iron, a ruler, and sewing pins to do this. There is a plethora of resources available online to help you carry out your plan.
Mount curtains
Using mismatched curtains or cutting a large curtain in two to create many smaller curtains are also viable options for making curtains from vintage curtains. Making holes in the hem (if it is large enough) is the simplest construction method. Then, to put up your new curtains, all you have to do is insert the curtain rod in the notches.
Create new sheets from existing fabrics
The most obvious answer is to give your old clothes a second chance by reusing them, which raises the question: how would you do that? Putting them through a "white wash" is often all that is needed. The grandma's trick of lemon and boiling water usually works.
If you want to update your child's bedding without replacing it, you can simply cut the old set to fit the new mattress size. An intelligent strategy to save money and keep a high-quality item in use. You can even paint on old curtains to give them a more personal touch that will surely please children.
