5 Ways to Divest Yourself of Unwanted Clothing Without Using a Landfill

So, if you read our last installment, now you've identified a pile of things you no longer need, wear or want. Congratulations!  Luckily we're ready with a great list of ways to get those unwanted garments out of your house without visiting a landfill.

1.  Host a clothing swap for your friends.  This is a fun way to gather the gang for coffee, cocktails or wine without selling anything (you can probably list all the at-home party sales companies popular in your area), yet everyone still gets some benefit.  Everyone gets to pass along some unwanted items and potentially get something new to take home without spending a dime!  If you want you can even have a themed party: business casual, weekends, travel, or accessories could all be the central theme.  A really thoughtful hostess will arrange for those unwanted items to disappear after the party so no one has to schlep home their undesirables.

2.  Resell. OK, this one will probably take some effort on your part, but you may reap back a small reward for having invested the time.  Of course, usually only the cream of your cast-offs will sell, so hand select items to try this with.  Resale options include consignment (check local shops, their rules, and choose a dealer you can work with), garage/yard sales (where you are likely to recoup only pennies on the dollar), and online sales.  The options for online resale are growing daily, but the granddaddy is probably eBay.  If selling online, be sure to describe your items honestly and fully.  Sometimes even slightly damaged goods may sell if you are meticulous in your description.

3.  Donate.  This option is rife with ethical considerations.  The charity you donate to, is of course, your choice.  Some things to consider might be what works are supported with the funds raised, how much of each donation goes to support these charitable works, and what is done with any "non-salable" goods.  For instance, some groups sell clothing not perceived to be salable in the US to foreign second hand goods markets, others sell them to be made into rags for cleaning, or to be made into fiberfill for soft-goods. Don't forget that you are generally entitles to a tax deduction equal to the resale value of the items donated.  Check with your tax professional for details.

4.  Give away.  Not quite the same as either donating, or swapping, where chances are, you are getting something in return (a tax deduction or another item of clothing), giving your clothing away entails exactly that - giving.  Think hand-me-downs for grown ups.  If you are tired of a perfectly serviceable sweater or coat, perhaps another family member could get some use out of it.  At the office where I work people often bring in items they no longer want and leave them in the break room.  If nobody takes them in a week or so they are donated to the charity next door.  You can also use your local Freecycle online group to give items away for free.

5.  Restyle or re-use.  Well, the last stop on our list does not exactly remove the item from your home.  However, restyling two or more old garments into one new, upcycled one is all the rage!  Think how crafty you'll feel as you make something new and chic out of something that just hung in your closet unloved and unworn!  Or, if you are really never going to wear it again, make it into something completely different - a rug, a potholder, a fort for little ones - the possibilities are endless!  And, if you really can't think of anything, you probably need some cleaning rags, too.

Puzzle Me This

Since acquiring my two wonderful vintage Singer sewing machines, I've been on a quest for accessories.  While trolling eBay, I came across a listing for two Singer puzzle boxes.

A Singer puzzle box is a neatly crafted box of feet and other accessories produced by the Singer Manufacturing Company during the 19th and 20th centuries. The box was invented in 1888 by John M. Griest, a Singer employee who was awarded US patent 397980 on February 19, 1889 for the design. 

The accessories stash into a fold out rectangular wooden box which is lined in velvet or felt (if the lining is still intact).  An alternate name for these is a "style box".  The boxes include attachments for hemming, braiding, underbraiding, tucking, shirring, binding, quilting and ruffling, along with screwdrivers and spare needles.  Mine are not in the most pristine condition, but I will continue to look for more of these fascinating treasures!

Now I just have to clean them up and learn how to use them!  Any tips?

Economics of Sewing - Part 2

Last time we talked about free and low cost options for acquiring sewing patterns.  Today, let's look at interesting sources for low cost sewing fabrics, trims and notions.
   
I don't need to tell you that full priced fabrics are very expensive.  My first suggestion here is something that many of us shy away from:  harvesting fabric from items that no longer fit, or that were never garments in the first place.  Did any of you see Blast from the Past, starring Alicia Silverstone and Brendan Fraser?  One of my favorite scenes takes place on Brendan Fraser's character's birthday.  Having lived in a fallout shelter for the past thirty years, his family is running out of nearly everything.  As a present, his mom, played by the awesome Sissy Spacek, makes him a new sports jacket from old curtains.  Now, it looks quite unconventional, but it was made with love (see below) - and who wants to look strictly conventional anyway!  Dated drapes become a new dress, and old round table cloth is a new circle skirt, and an oversized dress can provide the fabric for a new blouse.  In this instance I'm not talking about item restyling, but actually using item number one's fabric to make item number two. Of course, thrift and consignment shops are a bountiful source of these "harvested" fabrics, as are yard and estate sales.  Basically, anyplace where you can see the condition of the fabric you plan to harvest, can be a great source, if the price is right!

While we're on the subject of harvesting, don't forget that this can also be a great source for notions and trims.  My grandmother, raising her family during the depression, saved everything!  Even the buttonhole twist from one coat's buttons to use on another.  Having learned from the master, when I take apart an article of clothing that I intend to either refashion or simply harvest fabric from, I always take off any reusable trims, buttons, and even zippers.  While you may not want to reuse a zipper for a high wear garment, you might want to use one in a fitting muslin rather than using a brand new one!

 
If you want more traditional yard goods, but want to pay a lower price, you have many options, including some of the ones we've already mentioned, those thrift stores, consignment shops, yard sales and estate sales also sometimes have uncut yardage which can be purchased at a fraction of what would be asked in a traditional fabric store.  Just this past weekend, Sue from Sewin' Steady scored a huge box of fabrics and notions for just $11! Of course, those traditional stores do have sales and extensive couponing programs which can help considerably at the register.  Online shopping is another great option here.  Many traditional fabric stores have an online presence, and coupons will usually apply to online purchases as well.  Also, many of these stores will have swatching services so that you can see what you're getting before making a commitment.  Additionally, one can obtain fabrics on Craig's List, eBay, Etsy, Freecycle.  By definition, what is offered on Freecycle is free, but when using the other sites, it helps to have a sense of what the same fabric would go for in a variety of different settings.  In other words, comparison shopping is required if you are going to come up with a bargain.

Thanks for reading this little series.  Please comment and let me know if you have other favorite sources for low cost fabrics.

Linked to The Thrift Home.

Economics of Sewing - Part 1

Making your own clothing is a money saving activity, right? Well, it certainly can be, but it can also be relatively pricey - fabric from big box fabric stores, notions, trimmings, etc. It can all get pretty expensive. So, how does the home sewist keep costs in line?

Let's start with patterns. Full price patterns are prohibitively expensive if you're on a tight budget. With prices ranging from $5 to $25 (or so), for brand new patterns, and vintage patterns sometimes going for over $100 ($100 for crumpled tissue paper, you say!), patterns can be a very big investment. Check this article on New VintageLady if you doubt me! Now I absolutely love patterns, and I admit to having quite a stash, but I am very choosy about patterns for which I am willing to pay full price. For a full price pattern to be worth it, it must be a wardrobe staple which can be made many times in many different ways, or it must be for a very special occasion. Otherwise, I seek patterns from the following sources:

1) Pattern Sales. Big box fabric stores and pattern websites alike run periodic pattern sales which drastically lower the cost of the pattern from full price to a deeply discounted price. Even specialty shops which concentrate on certain types of patterns, such as vintage patterns, have occasional sales, so keep your eyes peeled.

2) BurdaStyle. This website is a treasure trove of patterns, many of which have been featured in the German periodical, Burda Style Magazine. The typical price point for these patterns is $5.50 USD. Readers of the site can also upload patterns to the site, and many of these are offered to fellow readers for free.

3) Online Searches of Independent Pattern Companies. Recently, I posted a series as I sewed the Colette Sorbetto, one of two free sewing patterns offered on the Colette Patterns blog. Other small pattern companies also give away free patterns as a demonstration of the quality of their wares in hopes that if you like their work, you will return and make a purchase. In my experience, if I like the fit and and I find the instructions easy to follow, I do become a loyal customer when my finances allow, because I know a bit about what I am getting.

4) Magazine and Books Inserts. Okay, the patterns are not free, because you are paying for the book or the magazine, but the value added content of the book or magazine often make the pattern(s) worth it. I already mentioned Burda Style Magazine, but other sewing magazines often have free patterns included. Two I can think of off the top of my head are Threads and Sew News. Also, two recent sewing best sellers (reviewed in earlier posts on this site) each included five patterns. These were the Burda-Style Handbook and the Colette Sewing Handbook. Again, these are merely examples of the many fine sewing books which include patterns.

5) eBay and Etsy. eBay, Etsy, and many other online marketplaces are full of sewing patterns at varying prices. When I shop these sites, it is usually when looking for something specific. I search for what I am looking for, and I set a very firm limit with myself on what I am willing to pay.

6) Estate Sales, Yard Sales and Thrift Shops. Spring is coming, and with it comes the yard sale season! Whenever I am out and about at yard and estate sales, or even at the thrift shop, I stay alert for sewing patterns. Often these can be purchased at one low price for a whole box full of patterns.  Be warned, however, that sometimes these patterns are not in mint condition.  The pattern may not have been placed neatly back in the envelope, or it may be missing a piece or two.  Also, if you do not like sewing vintage, the styles may seem a little dated.

I hope these tips have been helpful. If you know of other places to get free or low cost sewing patterns, please comment and let me know. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this article, In which I will focus on fabrics and notions.