101 uses for old and worn out clothes

[Andy Hamilton]

Thinking of having a bit of a clear out and giving some of my old stuff to charity shops, some of my clothes could not be sold though as they are in a right state. So any ideas????

1. repair them
2. Rip them up and use a dusters

[Shirley]

3. make into something else. I believe the term is upcycling!
4. Rip into shreds and make a rag rug

[Thomzo]

Take them to the tip. They should have a skip for textiles. They shred them and turn them into felt or something.

[cir3ngirl]

Make a scarecrow

[Milims]

You can turn old jeans into handbags - should you ever need one Andy!! Seriously tho - I once saw this in the Jackie Magazine in the 70s - or it could have been a Diana Album - my memory is a little hazy!! You cut the legs off at the crotch, sew up the holes. Use the denim from the legs to make a handle and decorate it if you want.
I've also seen wool jumpers made into cushions. You wash them on a hot wash to felt the wool and make a cushion cover out of the body. If you are really clever you can do it so that it looks like its hugging it self!
How about turning a kiddys top into a peg bag? Cut off the sleeves and sew up the holes. Sew along the bottom (trim it if its too long). Sew a small coat hanger into the neck so that the hook sticks out, and there you go!!
You could perhaps do something similar with a larger top and turn it into a laundry bag!
Cut the leg off old leggings and stuff with cut up clothes, sew the ends and its a draft excluder.
How about turning them into a quilt?
My mum uses my dads old vests a dusters, and makes hand towels, face cloths and dish cloths out of worn towels.
Phew - didn't realise I could be that creative - now all I have to do is summon up the energy to make all this stuff myself!! lol

[Clara]

14ish. I´ve recycled mr clara´s old pjs into washable sanpro - was that more than you needed to know

[Karen_D]

some uses for old jeans here

http://www.thefrugallife.com/blue.html

and here

http://www.thefrugallife.com/blue1.html

Wassail

Karen

[the.fee.fairy]

Patchwork!
patchwork clothing, patchwork throws...

Also, patchwork things onto holes in old things, and make new things!

[red]

cusion covers

a trouser leg can be turned into one of those bag holder things.. though I use mine to hold rags

you can make hair scrunchies

[wulf]

I assume that, when we refer to "old and worn out", we mean completely beyond a wearable state and any feasible repair rather than "last season's colours"? I've still got one of the shirts I bought for my first job, almost fifteen years ago, which is part of my regular garb for DIY and gardening tasks.

Wulf

[Andy Hamilton]

I assume that, when we refer to "old and worn out", we mean completely beyond a wearable state and any feasible repair rather than "last season's colours"? I've still got one of the shirts I bought for my first job, almost fifteen years ago, which is part of my regular garb for DIY and gardening tasks.

Wulf

Oh yes mate, I am reluctant to throw anything out myself too. I still have a few shirts that are about that old too and one that I borrowed off my dad 15 years ago, I think he had it for a few years before that. Still in good condition apart from missing a button.

[ina]

After you've made that handbag (personally, I don't use handbags), use the rest of the jeans to make a shopping bag.

T-shirts end up, once they are more hole than shirt, as rags for cleaning windows and car.

[possum]

trousers for storing onions - tie a knot in the bottom of each leg

for compostable material - use to line a raised bed to improve water retention

Cut into strips and use as tree ties

cut into long strips and use for tying tomato canes to a rope above

for thinner fabrics use as a fleece to prevent frost damage

[Millymollymandy]

That's very good advice Possum!

[possum]

old fleeces - the obligatory cat bed

You could also weight them down around the base of fruit trees to suppress weeds