One of the things that both men and women alike usually have in excess is clothes. You probably have more than a handful of old clothes lying around at the back of your closet, waiting to be used. And you’re probably too sentimental to donate or throw them away. Instead of keeping your old clothes in the dark, find some other use for them. There are a lot of ways old clothing can be repurposed into something new, either as another type of clothing or a completely new item. So sort through your clothes and be creative. Here are a few ideas that might spark some inspiration in you.
1. Shirt to Fringe Scarf
With just the aid of scissors, you can turn your old shirt into a stylish fringe scarf. Start by cutting the shirt under the sleeves, right where the armpits should be, all the way to the opposite side. You’ll be using the bottom portion of the shirt for this. Cut 20 cm fringes where you made the initial cut and stretch each fringe down to elongate them. Pair up the fringes and knot them together, then repeat for a second tier.
2. Jeans to Denim Pocket Sling Bag
Before throwing away your worn-out jeans, know that you can easily turn it into a small sling bag for your gadgets and other small, important items. Cut out the two back pockets of the jeans, add a zipper on the top, sew them together, and then add a strip of denim from the same jeans for the sling. You can even add some velcro to securely close the pockets.
3. Long Skirt to Slip Dress
You’ve probably already had the idea of turning a long skirt into a dress but you just don’t know the right way to do it. The first thing you need to do is to hold the skirt up your body to see how long or short you’d want the dress to be. Afterwards, just cut it from the top to your match your desired length then cut an opening for the neck and arms. Sew in the right places to secure the dress straps together and it’s done.
4. Old Shirt to Produce Bag
Using an old shirt as a produce bag is a great way to keep air flowing through the produce and keep them fresh. Cut out the shape of the bag from an old shirt then sew the bottom and sides together. Cut a long horizontal line in the middle of the top portion of the bag for the handle then cut a series of about inch long horizontal staggered lines all throughout the rest of the bag. Stretch it out to open up the holes and it’s ready to use.
5. Old Shirt to Fringe Vest
With just a pair of scissors, you can easily transform an old shirt into a festive fringe vest. Cut off the sleeves of the shirt then cut a vertical line at the center of the front of the shirt to open it in half. Cut a series of long fringes all around the shirt and stretch it out.
6. Old Shirt to Wrap Bracelet
There are numerous ways you can turn old clothing into stylish jewelry. One way to do it is by cutting three strips of clothing from an old shirt, stretch it out, and then braid them together. Add huge beads as you braid for accent and use different coloured strips from different clothing to add more colour and design.
7. Shirts to Quilt
If the main reason your closet’s overflowing with clothes is because you’re too sentimental to throw old shirts away, keep them close by turning them into a quilt. Just cut out a square from the shirt, making sure to include the print from where it’s from, and then sew the prints together. If you’ve visited a lot of places or attended a lot of events, you’ll find yourself with a larger quilt than you were hoping.
