This winter we had a very cold snap where I live. Now our house is pretty rustic, and has no central heating or air. Our insulation is very good and we make do with a wood burning stove in the evenings and just tough it out. So this wasn't terrible for the human members of the household, but our elderly cats were angry, cold and very loud about how displeased they were.
My solution was cat shirts. But pet clothing is expensive and we have several cats. What was available was mostly boring colors and meant for dogs. I did not have the money or the time to wait for things to be shipped to us either. [We were literally snowed in for a week and couldn't leave to even get the mail at the bottom of our rural driveway.] What I did have was a single, small, snap front shirt I'd gotten from a Chinese wholesaler for about $5. I also have a decent store of used clothing in wild colors because I use it to make toys and clothing for the dolls I make and sell. So I took a seam ripper and disassembled the entire shirt, then I used the parts as a pattern. The most important aspect to doing this is writing on the wrong side of the fabric what each piece is and what other seams it connects too.
But I didn't have the right kind of front snaps for a perfect copy, and the first shirts I made the snaps were too tight and ripped the fabric rather then coming apart when pulled. These prototypes [as seen] were given to our youngest cat Alex. Who is both used to wearing clothing because he requires a thunder-shirt in bad weather, and so small I don't need to undo the snaps to put the garments on him.
For my next attempt I traced the pieces onto paper and altered the blouse style pattern into a t-shirt type. Then I used that to make multiple cat shirts and even put some up for sale.
The point is that if you have one of a cloth item and you need more; there's nothing to stop you from taking it apart and using the parts as a guide to make something new in the same shape. This can also be applied to a well-loved garment that's worn out. Just be aware that you need a serger rather then a regular sewing machine to make durable clothing out of stretch fabric.
There are many projects online for old shirts, and while it's possible to hand-weave strips of old t-shirts into a rug, I find the knots will loosen over time and it won't look nice anymore. T-shirt quilts using the fronts are a better solution. The panels are ironed onto thick Pellon interfacing and then sewn together like normal quilt blocks. [This is a good method for humanely relieving a stubborn boyfriend of all those band shirts he never wears anymore.]
The backs of the shirts can be snipped into reusable cleaning rags. In a container that can be covered- mix a solution of 1 gallon water and 1/2 or 1/3 cup Clorox bleach. [The bleach label will tell you the proper ratio.] Toss the rags in this and let them sit for at least 5 min and soak in it before using them. T-shirt fabric is also excellent for polishing leather [shoes or otherwise] or buffing wax or oil into wood furniture. If you have a lot of things that are basically worn down to rags; they can be used as stuffing for floor poufs, cloth shell footstools and pet pillows.
The back parts and sleeves can also be sewn into tubes and made into cat toys. Good filler materials include a plastic bread bag for crackle, dry lentils in a pill container, empty pistachio or peanut shells for click-y sounds, loose jingle bells and catnip. Remember that cat toys should be stuffed lightly so they're easy to bat around and toss. Also supervise their play if they're destructive, and remember that over-exposure to catnip can wear them out on it and it won't affect them anymore.
Worn out socks are also good for making cat toys. All you need to do is stuff them and then tie the open part in a knot. Depending on the composition of the sock fabric and how long it is, you can also turn them into hot pads for sore muscles. You fill them with rice [and dry lavender buds if you have any] and microwave them for 30 seconds at a time to put on your neck, back or wherever you please. Socks can also be made into stuffed cats. If you search 'make a sock cat' on YouTube there are several instructional videos.
Worn out blue jeans have their own set of possibilities. The tough fabric is good for patching other clothing, and if you have the skills you can make a nice heavy quilt from it. This type of quilt is perfect for your car emergency kit. Cover up with it if you're cold, toss it on the ground for a pad while changing a tire, use it for a picnic blanket, and it may satisfy those who need a lightly weighted blanket to sleep properly or calm down from a stressful episode. Jean fabric makes tough throw pillows too. I find that it can also substitute for canvas if you want to paint a design on fabric for a doll face or a decorative jacket or backpack patch. [I would still gesso the fabric first if you have the materials.] Remember to leave the part you intend to sew unpainted. Pinning or thumb-tacking the fabric to something like a few layers of cardboard, or stretching it slightly in an embroidery hoop will also make it easier to paint on.
This cat-shaped pillow was a simple blue jean upcycle. Only two pattern pieces. Try to think of things that require tough fabric for this versatile material. This simple stretch over a frame is great for displaying enamel pins that might make a thinner fabric sag.
Clothing that is neither stretch nor jean fabric can be used as any other cotton fabric. Sew it into soft toys for children or pets. There are plenty of simple patterns online [some of them cheap or free] for stuffed animals, quilt block purses, juggling bags, puzzle balls, pincushions and catnip toys. [Try to stick with finished items that won’t be washed often.]
At the end of the day, I find it very difficult to discard even completely worn out clothing. With a bit of ingenuity and hopefully a sewing machine; there are so many ways to give those old scraps a second and maybe even a third life.
Even if it involves annoying your cat.
P.S. If you need another excuse to put some catnip plants in your garden; know that it has effects on humans too. Dry the larger leaves by hanging them somewhere warm. Dry an equal amount of mint leaves [find these in the fresh herbs part of your grocery store if need be.] Use boiling water to make a tea out of equal parts dry mint and dry catnip leaves. Add sugar and/or honey to sweeten. This will absolutely knock you out if you need to sleep.
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