If you do stuff, stuff gets done.......

If you do stuff, stuff gets done.......

Friday, March 16, 2012

Fixing, recycling and making


We have more wear and tear to our towels than we used too.  I am assuming it is because things are just not manufactured with very high standards anymore.
This hand towel had a hole and some fraying at the bottom along that plain part on a towel.
To save the rest of the towel,  I trimmed off the entire bottom, then enclosed that cut edge with some wide black bias tape.
I think it looks pretty good - it will hang in the hall bathroom that has yellow walls and mostly black and white accessories.


I also had to big bath sheets that had very frayed edges but the inside part of the towels were in good shape.
I decided to recycle them into wash cloths.

I cut away the bad parts of the towels, then cut 12 inch squares - you can tell they are not all exact but close to 12 inches. 

I cut 12 inch squares from a vintage yard sale sheet and sewed them to each wash cloth,  then turned them right side out and sewed around the whole thing, close to the edge to seal up the turn spot and to keep them from getting too wonky as they go through the wash.


Those towels were so big,  I ended up with 16 wash cloths.  
We have been using them for about a month and like them just fine.  

These go in the master bathroom that is mostly white with a little blue in the curtains.  


The bibs I made earlier worked so nicely on Gavin and Elizabeth.  They really enjoy picking out the animal they want to wear.
Elizabeth's momma, Nina,  requested some big girl bibs for Elizabeth to have at home so I sewed up 6 bibs that next evening.  3 of them are a "Pooh" print and 3 of them are dessert themed fabric.  I used fabric I already had - the thriftiest way to do things right now - besides not spending money on the fabric,  I also did not use any gas for a trip to the store.

Bibs really are quick and easy to sew up,  if you need some for your toddlers or maybe a baby gift,  give them a try!

11 comments:

  1. I love what you did with the bath sheets. Maybe I will just add a vintage bed sheet too our existing rags...a little "beautification" is good.

    Since we moved to Yuciapa and can walk to so many places, we are saving about $300 a month on gas. It has become a game to see who can use the truck less, which was impossible in San Diego.

    blessings, jilly

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  2. You have been a busy beaver for sure!!! I think you are right that towels these days are not made very well, my old towels look better than the new ones. I love the bibs, our grands bibs are a little short on them now, as soon as things settled down around here I am going to whip some up. Congrats on all the recycling and saving $$

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  3. Being thrifty is right up my alley and I like seeing what others do. Great job!

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  4. You are so smart and thrifty, Rhonda. I may try that with an old towel, I will be needing new face cloths soon. Thanks for the tips on how to live a frugal life. I love it!
    Hugs, Cindy

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  5. I really enjoy your ideas! I have quite a few towels that I don't want to throw away but have seen better days. I'm going to use your idea and remake them using what I have... and your grandchildren are adorable!

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  6. I love how you are able to upcycle things and sew them into something new! I do not sew, so these types of things are not a possibility for me. I donate old towels to the animal shelter and use old sheets for painting projects (drop cloths, or to cover furniture).

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  7. Great ideas for making the towels last! Also love the bibs! I like the idea of letting the child pick the animal bib they want. Makes them think they are more in charge. LOL

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  8. thanks for the good tips...I would have just thrown them all away...I will think twice the next time about how I can reuse them!!!

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  9. It was very smart to make nice new washcloths with the old towels! Those bibs are great too! Thank you for your super ideas! Happy Spring!

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  10. I like the idea of the towel trimmed with bias tape. My mom often made washcloths out of the better parts of worn towels. When my son was a baby he drooled so bad that regular bibs were soaked in a few minutes, so she layered several old washcloths or squares of old towels and made bibs for him. He still got those wet fairly quickly, but at least they lasted longer than the others. I think you need to put those ideas on Pinterest!

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