With an economic recession making for uncertain times, everyone is looking for ways to save money. One simple way to save some cash now without completely altering your lifestyle is by changing the way you use fabric.
Do you have old shirts that you don’t use anymore or some leftover remnants gathering dust? Put them to work for you! Not only will you be saving money but you will also have a chance to use your creative energies.
Here are five great ideas for using old fabrics and remnants to save money.
Rags: Using remnants to make rags is simple, easy and saves you from buying rags. All you need are some old clothes. First cut off the sleeves or other extremities, then mark off 12” x 12” squares and cut them out. Cotton flannel is great to use for soft, absorbent rags. By using old fabrics for rags you won’t have to worry about buying rags ever again.
Rugs: Making braided rugs out of your old fabrics is an inventive way of using remnants. You can start out by braiding three long pieces of fabric together. When the braid is done it can be formed into a coil and sewn together. These types of rugs can also be crocheted, sewn and hooked.
Bags: If you would like to use your fabric remnants without completely shredding them you can make them into fabrics bags. To begin with you will need and old shirt, two 12” x 16” scraps, and two pieces of longer, equal length fabric for handles. This is a great way to add a personal creative touch to your wardrobe.
Pillows: Homemade throw pillows are a great way of sprucing up an old couch or bed. This money saving idea can make use of old shirts or any other fabric scraps you might have around. The effect that this simple idea can have on your décor can be pretty big.
Quilts: Besides being an economical way to keep you warm, quilts also serve as a channel for creativity. By making rag quilts you’ll find a great use for fabric scraps.
With the aforementioned tips you will be able to save some of the stress your wallet might be under. Saving money often begins with small steps. Let these five money saving fabric tips help you employ your leftover fabrics to start taking those steps today.
View our Drapery Fabric Labels: fabric-remanants, fabric-remnant, money-saving
Bleak economic news dominates the headlines pushing more families to tighten their budgets and reduce spending. With so many people worried about the economy practical ways to stretch a dollar are valued more than ever. Therefore, we at J&O will be putting together some blogs to help you find useful ways of maximizing your fabric without losing sight of the fact that fabric can still be fun.
For instance, say you have a few scraps of fabric left over from a project, often they find their way into a drawer and when you've tired of them they get thrown out. Why not try using your fabric scraps to make something with?
One idea we found online at twelve22.org is to make mouse pad covers. These are so simple they require four ingredients: a mousepad, a small piece of iron-on interfacing, a scrap of fabric, and some craft glue.
The first step is to trace the shape of the mouse pad over the interfacing leaving an inch on each side. My mouse pad measures 8 1/2" wide by 7" long, so the appropriate measurements would be 9 1/2" by 8" for my mouse pad. Next, place the interfacing on the wrong side of the fabric and iron it on. Then, trim the fabric around the interfacing leaving enough to fold over. Fold the edges taking special care around the corners. After that, spread a thin layer of glue on top of the mouse pad, lay the cover on top, press it down, and voilà, you have an exclusive mouse pad. You'll also have one less fabric remnant laying around the house. If you don't have a mouse pad you can also use a thick piece of felt.
Try using some of these great fabrics or any scraps you have on hand:
Sea Turtles Bubbles Fabric
Labels: economy, Fabric, fabric-ideas, money-saving