What a great way to reuse the vintage fabrics. The dresses are so cute.

Kudos to Curby for preserving history & repurposing!

One of the single biggest things that most people can do for the environment is simple - eat waaay less meat!

I have been taking my long formal dresses and whacking them at the knee, making them cocktail length with a stole that matches. They can be worn more often and sometimes in a much more informal mannner. A couple of dresses, I have taken in/shortened and given to my daughter. Sometimes she has an idea of how it is supposed to look, and I think she watches "Project Runway" too much!
On the quilty side, I have been collecting old jeans and am planning (in my spare time) to make a quilt of jean and chambray materials.

I like to reuse jeans - cut them into shorts, or make denim quilts.

I have been trying to be more "green" myself, especially in my everyday life...buying groceries in reusable bags, walking more, etc. etc. But in addition, I have a pile of shirts that I took from my father's closet when he passed away almost 8 years ago and I have made two quilts and three pillows from them, with even some leftover to spare. Not only are they great memory quilts and pillows, but reusing material is going green too. I have also made a quilt for my sister's ten year wedding anniversary using the bridesmaid dress that I wore in her wedding, that we thought "oh, sure I can wear that again". It was a great addition to the quilt and she loved it!

I love using old tablecloths for my grandaughters' dresses I make. I know I've used something that belonged to their great-grandmother makes them very special. There are usually stains that make the cloths unusable, so this is a great way to re-purpose them. One of our local quilt stores is taking quilt tops, blocks, or even fabric that is patriotic to make kid quilt for the VA's Fisher house that is opening soon. How great to be able to make a top and donate it, knowing someone else will do the quilting - a group effort for a worthy cause and it helps me clean out my stash, too.

I was making my grandmother's embroidered pillowcases into dresses for nieces before there were patterns for them. The girls got to wear something their great-grandmother had made.

I love all the green ideas, I too like to re-use, recycle, etc. One idea that I would likt to share is for quilters who have a lot of small scraps. Years ago, English Paper Piecing was a very popular way to quilt, for those of you who are familiar with the antique quilts, Grandmothers Flower Garden. This is how these were made, and with the economy the way it is, even if you don't have money to go out and buy new fabric, you can still quilt, by using up your scraps aad making one of these,There are so many different Paper piecing shapes available now, just drop me an e-mail and I can get you the paper pieces, in all shapes and sizes.

I take my bitty left over warm and natural pieces and use them as dusting and cleaning cloths. They work very well and hold up to even a good scrubbing!!!!

They are beautiful. Making vintage new again is something I love doing.

My quilting life for the next year revolves around being green; I've pledged not to buy new stuff (fabric, etc.) for a year. Isn't that what "being green" is all about? Making use of what we already have! Our grandmothers were forced to do this long before it became an environmental issue. I'm having so much fun going through my stash, discovering books and fabric I forgot I owned! I use old plastic coffee containers for storing stuff. I make necklaces from soda can pop tabs. I use skirt hangers to hang small quilts. What fun I'm having!

I have been recycling clothing for years for myself and my daughter. She loves the skirts and tops made from her Grandmothers 50's dresses, the outfits made from the leftover Bridal fabric from the same grandmother's dressmaking days and the 3/4 length shorts made from jeans that had been previously extended. I have made long dresses into skirts and vests for myself. Such a great feeling of accomplishment comes from recycling.

I use vintage quilts to make into other items...pincushions, coasters, jewelry pins, Christmas stockings, candle mats and many more things. I know some people think that it is bad to cut up a quilt...but I say if it has holes and worn areas, why not make usable parts of it into something else? That way the guilt lives on, and doesn't end up in the garbage or the dog's bed!

I'm using the long strips of selvedge edging to make a crocheted rag rug.

I also use tiny scrippy scraps of fabric for stuffing rag dolls.

Great ideas here, and I love the table cloth dresses!

I love Curby's Closet! Chris has made such darling dresses for little girls. It seems like she never runs out of fun ideas for creating something out of nothing. I try to reuse, but I am still learning. I really want to make t-shirt quilts for my children with their favorite tees. Thanks for introducing us to Curby's Closet! It's one of my favorites!

While I haven't done this personally yet, it's on my never-ending list of "to-do" projects - fabric-covered buttons for hair clips! I have so many cute scraps left over from different projects that would make darling little hair accessories for my little girl once she grows enough hair. We are HUGE fans of Chris's and Curby's Closet - we love you guys!!!

So far this year I have made 2 demin quilts, using my families "old" jeans and scrap flannel. With my excess backing fabric I have made my daughter (2 years old) a few pairs of carpis. I have also made several 4 patch scrap baby quilts. Also I making cloth shopping bags out of yardage I love but haven't used for Christmas gifts, with matching half aprons.

Thanks
Dianah

Rather than tossing those last few inches of quilting fabric, cut it into 1 1/2" or 2 1/2" strips right away. Now you've got the beginnings of a scrappy log cabin or numerous other projects. You can also store them by color to use in more planned projects.

a lot of kids clothes are the ones with the snap crotch especially for small ones. when you cannot get them snapped because they are not long enough cut them off and make a shirt or add fabric to the bottom to make a dress. linda gerig

I don't know if I can leave 2 comments....but I have a couple of other ideas that I use fabric for that I would like to share.

I use fabric from my stash to wrap presents in. A fat quarter will nicely wrap a gift for a friend who sews, and then she gets a fat quarter, too! Lace, ric rac or any trim can be used to wrap around the gift and tie a bow.

Make simple bags from extra yardage and make a drawstring opening at the end (use a long shoe lace for the drawstring). Then simply slip a gift inside and tie the bag closed. The bags can be re-used year after year for other gifts or to store things in. The bags can be made any size, large or small, and sew up really fast!

I don't know if I can leave 2 comments....but I have a couple of other ideas that I use fabric for that I would like to share.

I use fabric from my stash to wrap presents in. A fat quarter will nicely wrap a gift for a friend who sews, and then she gets a fat quarter, too! Lace, ric rac or any trim can be used to wrap around the gift and tie a bow.

Make simple bags from extra yardage and make a drawstring opening at the end (use a long shoe lace for the drawstring). Then simply slip a gift inside and tie the bag closed. The bags can be re-used year after year for other gifts or to store things in. The bags can be made any size, large or small, and sew up really fast!

My very favorite green use of fabrics are fabric samples! My business was started when my mom brought me a trunk full of discontinued samples from a furniture store she worked at. I began patchworking handbags and adding bead fringe and braided trim, and have continued to use these small pieces in so many ways. My latest are patchwork pumpkins, so rich and yummy for fall with velvets, brocades, and chenilles. There is a really velvety and opulent crazy quilt in my future someday, too! And to think that all of these little treasures would have gone to the dumpster otherwise...