1) Why did I cut the sleeves off the shirt and cut out a rectangle from the front pieces? Here are 2 super ideas that are easy to bring to life. Men's shirts are a wonderful material for creativity. You can repurpose them into many useful and interesting items. The main thing is to have the desire to sew and to be imaginative. There are many great ideas for transforming men's shirts into women's blouses, and they look fashionable and cute. You can also make aprons. Besides clothing, shirts can be used to create useful home accessories. Today, I will show you 2 original ideas.
Arm Protectors
Arm protectors are needed to prevent stains on sleeves. In the past, they were worn by salespeople, accountants, and in the trade sector, meat and fish sellers wore them. I remember that in school, everyone had arm protectors made of black satin, with elastic on both sides, and we wore them until they were threadbare at the elbows. Nowadays, you rarely see this item, but it is still necessary. For example, when doing dirty work in the garden or yard. When repairing a car, arm protectors are essential, as they are in construction and laboratories. Many professions require protecting the sleeves while working.
- You can easily sew arm protectors from a shirt in just 5 minutes. To do this, cut the sleeves off the shirt; the length can be up to the elbow or much higher.
- Then, fold the cut edge twice and sew it. Insert elastic into the resulting casing.
- Such arm protectors can be made not only for adults but also for children.
Pillowcase
- The front and back pieces can be used for a pillow. You need to lay out the fabric and cut out a rectangle or square. My pillow is 40x50 cm, and I will sew it with decorative "ears." For this, I added 5 cm on all sides. As a result, I cut out a rectangle of 50x60 cm, which was just enough for the shirt fabric.
- I joined both parts with the right sides facing inward and sewed them on 4 sides. I unbuttoned the button and turned the pillowcase inside out. From the edges, I marked 4 cm, drew lines, and sewed.
- The pillowcase is ready; the closure is already there, and all seams are hidden inside.
From one unwanted shirt, I ended up with two useful items for the home.
2) Preparing for vacation in advance. Here are 3 unusual but necessary items that will come in handy in any situation. Made with love from what was available.
There are things that you can't buy in a store, yet they are still needed. During trips, underwear is often stuffed into various bags and awkward bundles. To keep everything compact and in one place, I suggest sewing a small pouch for feminine items.
- For this project, you will need fabric to sew a pouch measuring 20x25 cm or larger, depending on how many items you need to fit inside.
- Sewing the pouch is very simple, but I want it to be aesthetically pleasing. For this, I will use soft colors, beautiful fabric scraps, and lace.
- The main decoration will be an applique that indicates the purpose of the item.
- From fabric scraps, I cut out tiny panties and zigzag stitched them onto the pouch.
- For the casing, I used two colored strips. I stitched hearts onto the strings at the edges.
- The pouch is easy to open and also to tighten. Now, beautiful underwear is stored in a beautiful pouch.
Reusable pads often spark debates and discontent among many. But I know of an account where a girl sews these personal hygiene items to order and successfully sells them online. Moreover, her customers are girls and women of all ages.
In the comments, I read thankful reviews. This means such items are needed, despite the numerous industrial productions.
- For reusable pads, you should choose soft cotton fabrics. For the absorbent layer, you can use flannel in 2-3 layers or terry cloth.
- I used plastic snaps to secure the wings.
A towel with a spacious pocket is a convenient accessory to take on the road. This is especially handy on a train or at a picnic with an overnight stay.
- The pocket should be large enough to hold toothpaste, a toothbrush, and a few other small items.
- The pocket has a zipper, and everything necessary is secured inside, so it won't fall out, and you won't have to rummage around looking for things.
- After water activities, the towel is right at hand.
These unusual items turned out well; perhaps someone will find them useful.