Deconstruction, Re-use, Re-cycle

Deconstruction: what I term taking apart clothing to in order to use for another purpose ie: re-purposing, re-cycling, up-cycling or re-using. I have had several pieces of clothing scattered around waiting for the deconstruction  so that I can use the fabric for another purpose. Why not donate it to Goodwill or some other charity? Well, these particular pieces had issues. One top had a snap front and a snap in a vital position was gone. Well, anyway you get the idea. Here is the stack of tops waiting for the deconstruction to begin. They have been washed and dried and are ready for a new life.



Sorry, I am still getting used to the new camera and I know that this is a bit blurry.



I cut the seams off. So then you are left with little skinny strings of seams. This is the underarm seam from the hem to the wrist.



Here are the seams from this shirt.

Then I cut the cuffs off of the sleeve.





 

This is called the placket and I cut it off and toss it in the trash. Sometimes these plackets have little buttons and I cut those off and add them to the button box.



 

I also cut off the button band and then the buttonhole band as well.



Here is shirt number one, as deconstructed as I like it. I keep the buttons and the fabric.

See the rest of the tops all ready for new life.



See the seam strings to the right of the stack of tops. I also had a nice pile of buttons that I  put away in the button box. The cuffs I am sending to a friend.



So that is one way to deconstruct a shirt.

What would you do with all of the cuffs and seam strings?

I have had some thoughts but would love more input!

Karen

 

 

Wips and Pigs

What are WIPS and PIGS you ask? Some sort of new political designation....nope. WIPS are works in progress and PIGS are Projects in grocery sacks. Which explains why my work tables look like this.



and this...



and then also this. Have I no shame?



Well, Yes, I do have shame and this is really bad. So I went to work on it.  How do you get started and what do you do first? This time I started with a list. I usually start with a list and then get side tracked. Today was no different. Our internet was down which was a really good thing. So I finished several WIPs and finished up some deconstruction that needed to happen, cut out some cozies and put a bunch of fabric away. I am going to show you bits and pieces over the next few days. So bear with me as I get started on all this mess.

Here is the first WIP project; dog beds. Our friendly four footed friends love to use their teeth on their soft plush dog beds and I refuse to spend $20 on  new ones when they finally demolish their current beds. Here is the finished products being tested by the dogs.

Stay tuned as tomorrow, I will do my best to show you how I up cycled the old fluff (clean, very clean fluff from their dog beds) into new dog beds.

Talk to you later,

Karen