The Beauty and Style site List Maven has posted a linky article entitled…

35 Accessories Made From Recycled Materials

It’s truly imaginative. I particularly like the crocheted plastic grocery bag necklace, though I use my plastic grocery bags as trash basket liners if I forget to take my many forever re-usable canvas bags to the store with me. And I’ll definitely have to make my grandson those computer key cuff links for the prom, since he’s determined to win the Duck brand Scholarship for best Duct Tape tuxedo…

Age Counseling Youth

Once Upon a Christmas… my Mother-in-Law gifted my children with some thickly quilted fuzzy slippers to put on in the morning when the wood stove in our little cabin had gone out and the water in the dog dish was more often than not frozen solid. Unfortunately both of the pairs of slippers she’d bought consisted of two right feet. So off she went right after Christmas to the store where she’d bought them, and let the kids pick out new pairs that they could wear on both their feet.

The saleslady remembered when Mom had bought them, and the story she told about the kids living in the cold mountains without automatic heat. She asked the kids how they could stand living in a house with no heat. The kids looked at her quizzically, my daughter answered that of course we had heat, we just didn’t have electricity. That really threw the young woman for a loop, so she just had to ask…

If you’ve no electricity, how can you have heat? Daughter smiled. “Fire,” she answered calmly. “Fire is hot.”

We lived in that little cabin for less than two years, but it was certainly an adventure in learning the difference between desire and necessity. Much older now, I do admit to liking electricity and indoor plumbing even though I know I can live without. Through the years I have encountered people out in the broader world who, when hearing that we don’t have television, are quite simply at a loss to understand what in the world we find to DO with ourselves. As if parking your butt on a couch to volunteer for hypnosis designed to make you buy things you don’t need for more money than you’ve got qualifies as some sort of art, education or sport. Very strange.

I guess I’ve always had a fairly quirky personality. What other people do with their time and money has never much affected what I do with my time and money. Keeping up with the Joneses always seemed like a total waste of life to me, but then again, I don’t know anyone named Jones. I’d much rather keep up with me, my own friends and my own family.

It was probably inevitable that I missed the point in history when being sensibly frugal and confidently self sufficient became hopelessly un-hip, and conspicuous consumption – fueled by ever increasing debt and complete cluelessness about how to live any other way – became the standard way of life. Judging from the number of shoppers at the mall any given Saturday, it seems like nobody believes the old adage “The Best Things in Life Are Free” anymore.

I’d begun to wonder if there are any people under the age of 50 in this country who really grasp the connection between their wasteful, materialistic lifestyles and things like global warming, air, water and soil pollution, disappearing natural resources and the crushing poverty that afflicts the vast majority of human beings on this planet. I’ve wondered how so many people got fooled into believing that “stuff” and “happiness” are synonymous.

So it was with great relief and a renewed sense of hope that I found some very good articles by young(er than me) bloggers out there in interland who not only understand the connections, but write about living frugally as if it were something to be proud of! As we collectively move into the deep recession that cannot be averted by going deeper into debt, I hope to see more young people coming out the other side of it with a better understanding of life and meaning, as well as a new respect for the very real connections between how we choose to live and the wellbeing of the entire planet. Being ‘Green’ is more than driving a Prius, buying $20 bags of forest-grown coffee beans for the expresso machine, and doing lunch at the organic bistro instead of the steak house buffet.

Check out some of these cool blog articles and let yourself begin to hope! Why, it might one day turn out that Americans remember what they forgot to learn… the best things in life really might be free!

Links:

Does My Frugal Life Make Me Miserable?

Don’t Buy It!

Stop Buying Crap

Staying Frugal in the Age of the iPhone

How to Buy Nothing

At our house we’ve been getting the winter flannels, sweaters, long johns, excess blue jeans and coats out of the boxes and closets they’ve been hiding in since last spring, and I am once again amazed at how much of this stuff we’ve got. I gave up long ago trying to figure out where it all comes from, since it just seems to show up in my laundry, in 55-gallon trash bags in the shed, piled into storage nooks and crannies, etc. A lot of it doesn’t really fit anybody in my family, and I’ve suspected more than once that old clothes stashed away like that reproduce in the dark just like wire coat hangers do…

I’m usually amazed as well at how much of this excess fabric is frayed, holey or otherwise compromised enough not to be wearable without major repair (and they’ll still look pretty ragged). These are the kind of old clothes the Goodwill doesn’t want, you can’t really use, and would most likely end up taking space in a landfill somewhere if you don’t do something else with it.

Luckily, there are some really cool things you can do with all these cast-aways that will turn them into coveted gifts for your loved ones and items you may not want to give away when you’re done with them.

All those unraveling old sweaters would make an excellent lap or baby quilt. It takes some care, but could become a regular family heirloom for just the right person. Cut off the sweater body from right underneath the arms, and then cut off the cinch-ribbing at the bottom. Open one side seam and you’ve got a rectangle about 18″ wide and 3′ long. If there are holes in the body, you can cut away that part.

You’ll want to sew the strip or square to an underlining of lightweight muslin (or material from an old sheet) to prevent it from unraveling. I’d go ahead and zig-zag behind the fine straight stitch as well, just to make the quilt last longer through many washings. The pieces can be large or relatively small, regular or irregular in shape. Just piece them together into the size of quilt you want, and sew them together in the usual way. Line with thin quilt batting and line with flannel. I like flannel for the edging too. Tie-quilt it with color-coordinating yarn or buttons 8-10 inches apart.

The sweater bodies can also be turned into throw pillows, and arm sections can be stitched together to make winter scarves and hats, or mitten liners. Old Christmas-themed sweaters or sweatshirts can be used to make Christmas stockings or tree skirts. The cut off cuffs and waistband ribs of sweaters can be turned into nice coozies for drinks, and smaller squares of sweaters make nice potholders and oven mitts.

Again underline with muslin and sew the panels right-sides together on three sides. Turn it inside out, turn the fourth edge under and whipstitch.

You might even consider making stuffed animals out of old sweaters. They’re automatically cuddly, and make great Teddy bears, rabbits or other stuffed critters.

Old blue jeans can also be cut and stitched into some nifty items. There is of course the basic blue jeans quilt, but think about the possibilities of a quilted blue jeans slipcover for your couch, or even upholstery! The pockets make useful TV remote holders or a place to stash pens and note pads, etc. Cut off the legs where they join the crotch and sew the bottom with a double seam, maybe some beaded or yarn fringe, attach a sturdy strap made from material from the legs and you’ve a fine purse. Put a rope through the belt loops to cinch it, or attach a flap cut from leg material.

If you’ve got teenage boys (as we do around here) you’ve probably got some of those baggy, big-legged jeans with destroyed pant bottoms where they’ve been dragged on the ground and walked on. There’s enough material in those pant legs to make some nice shopping totes or book bags. I’ve even seen a used jeans backpack with rivets and pockets all over the place!

Jeans Couch by Karen Robbins

The only thing I’d add to your imaginings of the nifty things you could make out of all those old jeans, is the idea of leaving a topside raw edge when you’re quilting the pieces together, still using the double seam. As the material is handled these raw edges will fray, or you can help them along by pulling the weft. Looks comfy.

Check out some of the great links below to get you going, and follow some of their links to patterns and helpful hints. One of the most coveted of Christmas gifts among my family and friends over the years are new-and-better comforters, quilts and pillow covers, along with the hats, scarves and mitten-liners that go in the stockings. Tell us about some of the cool things you’ve done with old clothes!

Links:

Textile Fusion: Project Workshops

Blue Jean Blankie

Blue-Jean Bed Skirt

Frugal Life: Blue Jeans

Blue Jeans Quilts

Wise Bread: 25 Things To Do With Old Jeans

Simply Thrifty: 13 Things You Can Make Out of Your Old Blue Jeans

Thrifty Fun: Craft Uses for Old Jeans

We’ve covered the subject of thrifting, or purchasing second hand, but there are times when you’ve just got to have new. Shoes, socks and underwear, new clothes, winter coats, household items, art and craft supplies, whatever. If your budget is tight, before you go shopping you might wish to find out where the factory outlet stores and discount outlets in your area are.

These are retail outlets that carry factory-direct items, seconds, and clothing, shoes, coats, bedding or household items in discontinued styles or colors. The prices are significantly lower than can be found at most stores, and the products are usually made in America.

Living on a shoestring budget requires a person to be resourceful, and it doesn’t hurt to remember some of the things you were taught in Home Ec classes, like how to sew. Many community colleges offer evening classes where you can learn the basics for a small fee. Schools, churches and businesses often offer evening classes in crafting, where you may find that you’ve a real flair for making things yourself.

For instance, my daughter and grandson went shopping at an outlet store last weekend. He bought a nice pair of goth-style pants for $8 because they were missing a drawstring on the hem of one leg. He got a dark green collared shirt with shoulder tabs for $4 because it’s a discontinued style. And my daughter got a nice pair of black slacks for $1 because one of the back pockets is stitched closed. You have to inspect factory seconds carefully before you buy, make sure that what’s wrong is something you can live with or fix yourself. If the zipper is broken, you should know how to install a new zipper. If the arms in that shirt are two different lengths, you probably won’t want it (unless your arms are two different lengths).

I’ve seen winter coats at the coat factory outlet for $10 in discontinued styles that will keep you plenty warm and look very nice. I’ve bought shoes for $10 or less that last just as long as $50 shoes and are every bit as fashionable. In many cities a group of factory outlet stores can be found all together in a strip mall. And because I live in an area where there are several textile factories, there are outlets for fabrics and accessories as well. At one, there is a bin of stuffed comforter fabric that goes for $3 a pound – all it needs is binding on the edges and a pound is enough to spread 2 full sized beds.

Getting supplies for crafts and useful items (like comforters) at deep discounts also allows you to make gifts for people that are very much appreciated. Weddings and showers, Christmas and birthdays, baby things. You’d be surprised how much money people spend on gifts over a year’s time, and there’s always an occasion coming up where someone would be thrilled to get something you’ve made yourself.

It takes a little investigative work to find the outlets in your area, but they should be listed in the local yellow pages. With a plan of action and an itinerary you won’t waste any gas getting around, either. Many craft and wedding supplies can be purchased at deep discount over the internet direct from the factories, supply warehouses or on eBay. When money is tight you don’t have to do without, you just have to restrain the urge to make impulse purchases or shop at higher-end stores. There’s no reason to pay a hundred dollars for a winter coat at the mall when you could buy the identical coat at a factory outlet for $25.

And the big up-side to learning how to buy at discount and make things yourself is that your family, friends and neighbors will notice. Before you know it you could be organizing fun shopping excursions with your friends, and might be earning a little money by creating centerpieces, door prizes, wall wreaths and silk arrangements for other people’s weddings, banquets and baby showers!

Links:

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Household Solutions

Peak Directory: Online Discount Outlets

Discount Craft Supplies

Anything Crafts

Thrifting – shopping at secondhand stores and estate/garage sales for bargains – can do more to stretch a tight budget than shopping at Wal-Mart ever could. Even better, many secondhand outlets are charity sponsored, so the money you do spend goes to worthy causes. I am particularly fond of the smaller Catholic Charities and a couple of Kiwanis/Lions outlets in my town, but for basics and a large selection you can’t beat Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

Once you get into the spirit of thrifting it can become addictive, so do be careful to keep yourself to a set budget, only occasionally allowing yourself to make that ‘extra’ purchase because you might never find that item again if you don’t get it right now. When they say “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” they mean women, mostly. I have bought so many bargains at secondhand stores in my life that my motto is “she who dies with the most junk wins.”

Everybody needs clothes, and I’ve found that no matter what styles you need or favor, you can always get good quality at a low price if you choose your outlets carefully. This includes business wear – your basic suits for men and women, accessories like scarves and ties, dress shirts and blouses, even ‘tasteful’ faux pearl necklaces and earrings. A higher end consignment shop will offer good quality items and they’ll cost a little more too, but there are basic styles that never really go out and if you can get a nice 3-piece suit for $25 or a week’s worth of skirts, blouses and blazers for $30-$40, nobody will be able to tell that you bought them secondhand.

School clothes for children and teenagers is always a chunk of income this time of year, so it helps if all you have to purchase new are the socks and underwear. There are literally 4 gigantic racks of jeans and slacks at our area Goodwill that are practically new, come in all sizes, and are fine for school wear. Shirts, blouses, t-shirts, sweaters, blazers and vests. All new enough and stylish enough to please just about any kid.

When I’m thrifting (usually with my daughter who calls herself a “professional thrifter) I’ve always got my eye out for those absolutely hideous ’70s style caftans, formal dresses and/or robes that harbor yards and yards of often rich material that can be easily recycled into costumes for the troupe or personalized gift-quilts. A good thick brocade fabric can cost more than $10 a yard at the fabric store, or you can buy that formal skirt with 3 or more yards in it for $5. I try very hard to stay away from the kitchen and knick-knack aisles, as I’ve entire cabinets full of cute, amazing bargain stuff I still haven’t found a good use for!

Thrifting comes with an attitude, so be forewarned that the competition out there is stiff. But there’s just nothing like the feeling that you’ve saved a boatload of money on some fine ‘new’ clothes (well, they’re new to you, aren’t they?), directly supported useful charities, helped some rich people get rid of their barely-used old stuff so they can go out and purchase brand new stuff – at the usual retail markup – and contributed significantly to NOT trashing the planet with overeager consumerism and conspicuous consumption habits.

A note to those who will be thrifting with or without the kids is to look out for Christmas-worthy items because it’ll be that shopping season soon and it never hurts to be ahead of the game. There will be decorations and seasonal items, some of which will help make your home more Christmas-y, some of which will make good gifts for friends and relatives or for exchanges at school and work, and some of which may be later re-worked in a crafty way to become something entirely new.

So… start your engines, and let’s go thrifting!

Links:

Apron Thrift Girl Blog

The Thrift Shopper Website

Books:Secondhand Chic by Christa Weil; Retro Chic by Diana Eden and Gloria Lintermans

“Is that a blunderbuss in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?”
Mae West

When the kids head back to school after summer vacation, parents have to spend money on supplies. In my state of North Carolina, merchants are exempted from state sales tax requirements on basic school supplies – notebooks, back-packs, filler paper, pencils and pens, etc. as well as clothing sales, which is a help for the less-than wealthy. I always take advantage of those tax-free days to buy the hardware supplies. But even without sales tax, clothing is expensive.

My grandson’s in high school, so this household has been trying to keep up with his needs as well as styles and clothing trends for a long time. If you’re as lucky as we are to have youngsters who are more style-setters than fashion followers, you’re already two steps ahead of the game.

In a later post I’ll discuss some useful resources for the more stylish and/or necessary aspects of wardrobe acquisition, which my daughter calls “Professional Thrifting.” In this post, I just want to talk about my grandson’s fashion wish-list, because it’s not that hard to accommodate…

Grandson in his summer pirate gear helping Grandpa with his fire-eating act at the annual Bele Chere festival in downtown Asheville.

He’s a pirate this year. Yes, the Johnny Depp variety, which I’m sure will cause no end of late evening phone calls from swooning, giggling girls. For this style he’s able to use those amazingly put-together black emo-style baggies with all the studs and zippers and pant-bottoms you detach, which makes them knicker-length to show off his red and white striped or black and grey striped knee socks (he stocks up on those at Christmas). So cool – we don’t have to run out and buy new pants!

Luckily, I’ve been a professional costumer for our family entertainment troupe for the past 25 years. Thought about being a fashion designer in high school, but costuming is both design and construction! My mother sewed, taught me when I was young, and I did pay attention in Home-Ec. That’s a skill that has come in handy all my life, not less so now that I’m a granny. Thus since my grandson bought “Pirates of the Carribean” I’ve plenty of opportunity to spot the details of style, and put together the rest of his wardrobe. Minus boots and accessories he’ll have to purchase elsewhere with his own money.

The shirts and vest are not difficult. 4 yards of unbleached cotton muslin, medium weight, will make a fine shirt. These things are old-fashioned, open v-neck, double yoke, gathered sleeve things you just can’t find in stores. Luckily they’re roomy enough to accommodate some growth, and if constructed carefully will last a couple of years even if washed every other day.

Patterns for pirate shirts are available from the usual companies, and useful if you aren’t accustomed to making it up as you go along. 4 yards of muslin will cost about $10 if not on sale, some mail-order suppliers sell in bulk (12 or more yards, good stuff to have on hand) for a buck a yard or less.

Vest patterns are also readily available, or you can do what I do – use a vest as a pattern. Just be sure to leave room for the seams (5/8″) all around, and choose your material carefully. Grandson’s will have front panels in a lined cotton/poly broadcloth of dark brown/black with a subtle pirate theme. Daughter found it at a fabric store next to where she works, it only takes a yard per vest so that was $7.00. For vest back and lining your basic black satin or grosgrain taffeta works great. Just be sure you wash and dry the panel fabric first so it won’t shrink and seriously disrupt the garment, as the lining and back material is usually rayon or some such petro-fiber.

Cotton batik fabric – usually as wrap-around skirts, shawls and other such garments – can be found at thrift stores in most localities. These make excellent head-scarves, which for a pirate need to be long enough to drape down the back when tied. Fat leather belts are also cheap at the secondhand stores, and pirates need lots of these. Your basic felt tricorn hat can be had at any costume shop in your town or on the internet (usually cheaper via ‘net) for less than $20.

For the finishing touch, those striped knee socks are invaluable. And don’t forget the broad fabric sash, definitely a pirate must-have. These are easily made of any fabric that strikes your fancy, I’ve made several out of dollar bin castaways nobody would ever really wear, but with great maroon and gold paisley or some other fine pattern. Attach fringe, maybe even bead some of it, and be sure it can be wrapped twice and tied to leave at least two feet of drape.

Aaaarrrr, Matey! Pirates rule.

Some sources for pirate patterns, costumes & stuff:

Fun Shop Costumes

House of Dra (Ren Costumes)

Simplicity Pattern Catalogue

FREE costume patterns