Lazy W Marie

Carpeing all the diems in semi-rural Oklahoma...xoxo

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Sewing Day: Things to Never Discard

November 14, 2012

   Today I am spending most of my negotiable time upstairs in the sun filled Apartment, sewing and sewing and designing and sewing and crafting and stuff like that. I am having so much fun and am knocking out orders and gifts left and right! This makes for a good Wednesday, you guys. On a quick brunch break (on solo days like today I skip breakfast and don’t really need lunch), I thought I’d share a few thoughts on resourcefulness. With Christmas right around the corner, if you are anything like me, you can use a little encouragement in this area.

   Thanks to my sweet Momma, the Queen of the Art of Leftovers for Dinner and the world’s original Re-Purposer, my habit has always been to use found fabrics and materials, recycling stuff as many times as possible before resorting to purchasing anything new. I prefer to collect old things and make them into new things and try to put a new spin on classics before dabbling in a trend. This leads to a lot of, umm, stuff piling up. Some people call it hoarding. I call it stockpiling on the cheap. Thank goodness for excess storage space, right? So my sewing caverns are full to bursting with old castoff fabrics originating anywhere from bed sheets to beach towels and everywhere in between.

Remember when Handsome built me these colorful raised garden beds?
They’re made from all reclaimed lumber from the kids’ old playhouse, 
which was itself built from stockade fencing we had found on someone’s curb a thousand years ago.
Then we filled the raised beds with shredded office papers for soil building.
Zero waste. Unless you count the manure. Technically, that is waste.
But we used it, too. I mean, whatever…

   Okay, the animals and gardening are an entirely separate conversation about resourcefulness. I could talk about composting and healthy diets and cheap, old fashioned organic farming methods for hours and hours. Like, for longer than I could talk about running. But not today.

   Today, back to sewing.

   Some things in this beautiful world translate to re-imagination better than others, and that’s kind of what I want to share with you today. These are just my own thoughts and experiences, so take them with a grain of salt (collected frugally from the counter top, of course; no need to waste NEW salt!). And please share your own re-purposing ideas too!

The Lazy W List of Material Things to Never Discard

  • Jeans Any denim, especially once it’s broken in, is easy to press flat and sew with and combines really well with all kinds of cotton and chenille, etc. PLUS the pockets are usually fun additions to aprons, etc. The possibilities for reusing denim are endless.
  • Sweaters Sweaters might be slightly less enthusiastic than jeans about being cut into new shapes and sewn in with other fabrics, but if you can handle the pilling and stretching, they make luxurious textures for new projects. One of these days days I’ll show you the blanket I’m working on using old, mismatched sweaters. Pinterest is filled with mitten-making tutorials too! Have you tried this? I’d love to know how it goes.
  • Men’s Oxford style shirts Again, endless possibilities. The fabric is usually super smooth and often has nice geometric designs which make cutting straight lines a cinch. I really like to reuse the pockets. And I have found that one men’s shirt, butchered carefully, can become a ruffled half apron in just a couple of hours. If you don’t need the buttons right away, remember to save them! That’s what Mason  jars are for, ladies.
  • Bed sheets I can’t even describe to you how sad it makes me to think of people throwing away bed sheets. I mean, obvious hygiene requirements aside, sheets have built-in straight edges, generous yardages than you can’t buy at the fabric store, and that smooth cottony-ness that makes any sewing project wonderful. SAVE THEM. Some of my favorite projects have been made form a stack of sheets passed down from my Grandma.
  • Worn out bed pillows. Lumpy, yellowed, or otherwise just not fit for slumber, bed pillows can be cut into smaller squares (or left whole, I suppose) and recovered easily for throw pillows, etc. Pillow forms are expensive. And I don’t know about you, but in  my book free is a lot cheaper than expensive.
  • Beach towels So far I have only used beach towels as a quilting-type filler, but I know there are millions of other possibilities hanging out there in the universe just waiting to be lassoed! 
  • Canvas-type (muslin) drop cloths My personal fave way to use this little textile treasure is as a table cloth base. I let it fall flatly to the ground then add more colorful things on top, like silk scarves or ratty lace or actual tablecloths. But drop cloths also make excellent window treatments (they ruffle and embellish easily), place mats (because they are sturdy and bleachable), and pillow covers. You might say that these heavier duty sheets of neutral colored fabric are blank canvases for your fertile imagination. PLUS they are pretty cheap and come all hemmed up already. Not bad, folks.
  • T-Shirts Oh my goodness. Scarves, quilts, tote bags, drawstring tank tops, wall art, you name it. If your family collects sports team or charity event t-shirts like my carpets collect stickers, then you will always be supplied with free craft material. The weirder or more sentimental the shirt, the better. Don’t toss these, man. Just fold them neatly somewhere until you can spend the day with some scissors.

   The items pictured here were all made exclusively from found materials…

Okay, I did purchase the black and white striped dish towel new.
Everythinng else is reclaimed. The hot pink floral apron used to be a sundress.
Again, the onesie is new but embellished with found fabric.
I had SO MUCH FUN making this scrappy little gypsy tutu for my cousin’s baby!
This half apron is fully up-cycled.
The waistband and some of the autumn leaves are made from
part of that bed sheet collection from my Grandma.
Kind of a dark photo, but this is an example of a t-shirt scarf. 
I love these so much, planning to make a bunch this winter!
All reclaimed cotton tote bag.
The floral pattern is really, really old. Like, vintage old.
The striped pocket is just lifted from one of my husband’s old shirts.
Brand new cotton tea towel, embellished with ruffles made from an array of very old garments.
You absolutely cannot beat the texture of old, well worn cotton.
A crib quilt made exclusively from found fabrics.
Again, why not surround a beloved infant with old, cherished scraps 
that not only feel better to the touch but also
are drenched in memories and wisdom from decades past?
Even better, use those old pieces and discreetly label some of them
so the provenance is not lost.
   So my brunch break is over now! I am headed back to the Apartment to finish a certain list of projects before the sun warms the horses enough to welcome my brushing and the water hose doesn’t mind doing a little trough filling. I would be so happy if you shared your inspiration for reusing perfectly good castoff stuff!
Waste Not, Want Not!
xoxoxoxo

7 Comments
Filed Under: recycling, sewing

You Might Be a Runner If…

November 14, 2012

… you go for a relaxing pedicure with your girlfriend and select a nail polish color that exactly matches your blackened toe nails. All the while, you resist apologizing to your manicurist for the condition of your feet and in fact manage to spark two and a half ounces of pride over their recent destruction.

… you look up one day and suddenly realize that you care more about the numbers on your mileage sheet than the number on your scale.

Seriously, folks, that second one feels incredibly good.

…  your husband slightly cringes when someone else broaches the topic of running in a group conversation. Because he knows you won’t be able to be quiet. And he’s pretty much heard it all already. (Sorry babe…)

… you sleep better at night after enjoying a run longer than three miles. In fact, you can’t sleep at all on the days you skip.

…you have more stamina to work after a good, strong run.

The energy relationships in the human body are fascinating.

… you can no longer wear yoga capris to relax around the house because they trigger something in your legs that makes them bounce frantically until you lace up.

…when clothes shopping you are more likely to browse racer back tanks and lined shorts than jeans and shoes. Unless they are running shoes.

http://www.hillsandhammies.com/

   So have you started yet? If you’re local, would you like to schedule a long run with me soon? I am focused on being ready for the Oklahoma City Memorial (half) Marathon by next April, and the holiday season seems like an excellent time to burn a few extra calories. Hit me up!

   However you stay healthy and happy, keep it up. It’s worth it.

“He conquers who endures.”
~Persius
xoxoxoxo

2 Comments
Filed Under: running

Hi! I'm Marie. Welcome to the Lazy W. xoxo

Hi! I’m Marie. This is the Lazy W.

A hobby farming, book reading, coffee drinking, romance having, miles running girl in Oklahoma. Soaking up the particular beauty of every day. Blogging on the side. Welcome to the Lazy W!

I Believe Strongly in the Power of Gratitude & Joy Seeking

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