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Living sustainably is an important part of life – whether we look at it from a spiritual perspective of good stewardship, a homemaking perspective of being present in our home, or an environmental perspective of reducing toxic waste. Home décor and fashion are two areas in which repurposing materials has become increasingly popular though many approach this through the lens of upcycling, or creating something entirely new with what already exists. There is a way to use sewing as a way to alter clothing, accessories, and even home décor items that otherwise would go to waste, and without actually turning them into something completely different.  In this blog post, we’ll look at some creative ways to look at the items in your home and how to sew them rather than wasting them. 

The Benefits of Sustainable Sewing

 One of the biggest benefits of sewing what you already own is that you will not be spending more money purchasing new clothing or draperies. Besides the environmental benefits, this has a significant advantage for your family budget. 

 How to Reuse Materials in Sustainable Sewing

When people think of sustainable sewing, often the connotation is upcycling, which means altering the form an item or textile has. For example turning a shirt into a bag, or draperies into a rug. These are great ideas for reducing waste, but it can be even simpler than this. 

For example I know that over the years my body shape has changed slightly. Clothing that I have in my wardrobe doesn’t fit quite the way it used to. Some of this may mean just adding a ruffle or such to the bottom of a shirt that has gotten to be too short. 

It also might involve creatively restyling a thread bare shirt, like this one in which I added lace to the back yoke. Like the one here. The lace was from an old curtain or tablecloth that had been hanging in my scrap pile for a while.

Making the Most Out of Old Clothes

One of the best ways to make use of old clothes is simply to mend them. This might seem old fashioned and conjure up the image of Mrs. Ingalls sitting in her rocking chair by the fire in Little House in the Prairie, but it is so practical!

Mending doesn’t just involve holes. It also might mean broken zippers, or worn out elastic. These just involve some basic sewing skills to learn to repair. 

If you are interested in mending clothing to extend the life, be sure to check out this blog post.

Repurpose old Curtains

Recently our family moved and I realized just how many curtains I had. Not all of them fit our new home decor or windows. There are a few options in this case

• If the curtains don’t fit, simply lengthen them or scale 
• Did you know you could even turn old curtains into slipcovers?!

This is a slipcover that I made from a set of old drapes a number of years ago.

Tools you need to Get Started

Most mending and alterations do involve a sewing machine for optimal results. You don’t need a fancy machine with all the bells and whistles, but a basic starter machine that costs around $150-$200 will do the trick.. 

Alterations most frequently involve a seam ripper. Especially, when you are repairing a zipper or waistband, stitches have to come out to remove the old zipper or waistband before you can put a new one in. 

• Hand Stitching needles
• Thread
• Sewing machine needles
• Pins
• Fabric scraps 

There are a lot of sewing supplies out there! Don’t get overwhelmed by all the choices if you are new to the world of sewing, it can feel intimidating, or like you need the latest sewing tool. Remember sewing is here to simplify and declutter your life, not to make it more complicated. 

Altering your clothing and textiles with sewing skills is a great way to reduce waste and repurpose materials while adding unique fashion and décor items to your home.

Through these methods you can make the most out of existing clothing, and ultimately create beautiful items that are uniquely you.. With the right supplies, some creativity, and a few helpful tips, you can easily dive into the world of sustainable sewing for the home. 

Now it’s time to get creative and start altering what you own with your  sewing machine!

Check out our helpful guides and tutorials to get started, and don’t forget to tag us in your finished projects—we’d love to see them!

Virtual Sewing Classes

PDF TUTORIALS

Check out some of these statistics as you consider your own wardrobe

As a society we are buying a significant amount more clothing than in 2000. Why? In part it is because what we have is being tossed aside rather than being mended or altered to fit our style.