Grow Your Stash and Upcycle Quality Fabric.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2024
- I wanted to show you my method for harvesting quality clothes from the thrift store. I also wanted to show you how I process and store this fabric. It is a great way to get fabric to work with. It's fun to save money and still work with quality fabric. It is also a really wonderful way to get a variety fabric color. I once made a king sized quilt using only recycled/upcycled men's shirts. It feels so good to make beauty from these donated and unwanted clothes. I also show you my other tips for shopping at the thrift stores.
Stay Merry and Creative,
Merry Mabel Market
My husband ripped a nearly new shirt that had pink flamingos on a navy background. I thought, “I can use that fabric,” and took it to my sewing room. Next thing I know the grandkids saw it and immediately wanted me to make something out of it for them! I didn’t even know using thrift shirts was a “thing” until today, but it makes tons of sense. My husband just retired and has lots of dress shirts he will never need, and our church rummage sale is coming up. Opportunities!!
Also thrifted 100% wool blankets for the batting.
And 100% cotton sheets for the back of the quilt.
Great video thanks. Very useful.
Love your channel 😻❤️❤️❤️
Save his favorite shirt and make a teddy bear. It makes a great keepsake.
This is what I do for quilt fabric. Also I re-style mens shirts into blouses, some of the fabrics are wonderful for womens blouses.
Fabulous!
I rarely comment on videos but i just have to say i love this straight to the point no nonsense, all valuable information, keep it up
Thank you for your sweet comment!
Thank you! You have me thinking! My husband used to have business casual dress code but now he works remote. He is 6’5” and only wore XXL Talls. I’m going to be shopping in his closet later today!😃
Brilliant!!
Love this! I have just bmade two quite large quilts from a pile of our old pyjamas, and my sons' old children's shirts. My mother-in-law liked them so much I am making a quilt out of her recently deceased husband's shirts. It's quite a sad process because a few weeks ago he wouldn't have imagined all his clothes being chopped up but hopefully I will create something that mum-in-law will cherish.😊
A hug from him that will last forever. I too have made memory quilts like this. They mean so much to his loved ones. Best wishes as you sew this. It's deep therapy.
I'm sorry for your loss.❤
Thank you for this video!!! This way, we are saving money, as well as saving the planet by making new wonderful things out of "pre-loved" fabric. I have to thank you for teaching me in a previous video that my VERY old 100% Egyptian Cotton (!!!) sheets could be foundations for string blocks. I'm a charity quilter, so it's all about giving joy to others. You are helping us to not only be more creative, but kinder people. Grateful to you as always, from the Rockies in Canada.
You are so welcome! Thank you for your kind words!
Newbie. What's a string block?
@@lutkeone Hi Newbie!!! A string block is made from sewing strips of scrap fabric onto a foundation. It's a no waste super easy way to quilt. The best video is Merry Mabel Market from a year ago, Making String Blocks out of Scraps. The video is 13:03 and has all the info you need. Hope you try it as it's super fun. All the best to you.
I also HAVE!!! WAY TO MUCH FABRIC. Very small "unassigned" , fabric comes in the door, it gets looked at matched up with what's available.. assigned a pattern, notes added & put in a zip lock bag. Yes, too many "kits", but no "just piles/totes of random fabric. Everytime I complete 6 "kits", I get to pick 6 more. It's like winning the prize drawing sometimes. I grab a tote, take the 'kits' out & tada, great fun.
❤ Thank you , some of us just don’t have money for the expensive material. I’ve made my daughter a quilt out of m shirts and bedding . Made with love x can’t beat that❤❤❤
Wonderful!
So many wonderful things can be done with other's discarded clothing! Thanks for another great idea.
You are so welcome!
I’m not a quilter but what a great way to get quality cotton fabric at an affordable price! You have a great eye for putting colors and patterns together 🫶
Thank you so much!
Sheets make great backing for quilts & no piecing , second hand sheets are also way better prices
I just left a comment about using thrifted wool blankets and cotton sheets for the rest of the quilt sandwich, but I can't find my comment now.
I wanted to add that any scraps from thrifted items, I chop up and use as stuffing for cat toys, along with cereal plastic (that your cereal comes in). It makes the toys 'crinkle' and the cats love it. I always put "made from recycled materials" on any labelling for the cat toys.
❤❤❤ Love your channel
Sounds great!
The best part is these fabrics are different from what you can find in a fabric store. So whatever you make will be one of a kind & unique. Tiny checks & plaids are great for baby quilts. Thanks for sharing.
I really enjoy your channel! I love your descriptions of “happy fabric,” “fabric friends,” “holding hands,” and so on. I’ve made your baby “trip around the world” pattern twice and both mamas loved them! 💕
Oh thank you!
Me too! This is totally "my speak" as well... kindred spirits for sure....!
Straight to the point ! Thankyou❤
I make memory bears from shirts like this. I have been taking shirts apart for years, but you have taught me a few new ways to go about it. I had not thought to actually buy fabric like this. Thanks.
That is awesome!
I love men’s shirts for fabric! I think I need to put a limit on number of tubs like you do….I’ve lost track of what all I have. That
Nas for the tips.
A limit does help me.
Whoa--this only has the "dislike" icon and I clicked on it unthinkingly! Sorry, I REALLY, REALLY like this video! Shirts are a great way to fill in gaps in a stash, or get a particular color, geometric, or plaid pattern fabric. And yes, the amount available from a 2X or 3X shirt is astonishing!. Thanks for sharing your breakdown method too, I love learning new things.
Thanks so much for your feedback! I love that you comment!
W😮w I just started to play with fabric for my paper projects and small bags... this is a game changer. Thanks for sharing! Also, keeps textiles out of the landfill or dumped in other countries for just a bit longer. God bless you! And thanks for sharing. 😊
Thank you SO MUCH for commenting! Best wishes on your fun projects.
My boyfriend has given me his old shirts for me to make into something. I made a pillow with the polyester/rayon one that is cute!
FUN!!
Great video! I love your four tub rule! Thank you🤗💗
Great video. I use the cuff from the shirt with the button as a coffee cup sleeve. 🎉
Love that!
I find that the seam ripper is the best tool for removing buttons. Thank you very much for sharing.
Love this! So insightful!
Hello lovely, this is the best video ever!!! I have watched it 3 times, I just love your voice and your brilliant way of empowering us all. I have an idea for a video that I think all your subscribers would enjoy- tell us about your gorgeous sewing machine, thread type and management, you bobbins etc.and machine maintenance, if any. Loads of love Rachel xxxx
What a fun idea!
This is so cool! What a wonderful idea! Thank you for sharing.
I love this thrift store. I've found many silk vintage Plus size dresses there
It really is the best.
Girl, you are one after my own heart!!! I have been thrift shop buying for years mainly for repurposing clothes.
Thanks for sharing this so others can know what can be done 😊❤
Love that!
Great tips. Thank you for sharing.
So smart and creative
"Harvesting"! Love that! I call it "Rescuing!"... I have only ever thrifted fabric for myself...then cotton sheets for my mom for her charity drawstring bags, that get filled with essenstials for Overseas. It is getting harder, as everyone is doing the same...either for sewing/quilting, or necessity. Our thrift stores are marking items to the point where we can go to Walmart and purchase new! CatBird Quilting on YT also thrifts mens' shirts for quilting...such a great idea!
Thank you for commenting!
I've been 'shopping" for fabric at the thrift store's men's shirts for quite some time. I LOVE doing so. Sometimes a 3x or 4x shirt will yield a nice top, or a smaller one an apron. Scraps get pieced into 12" squares for a tote bag front, and some wait for that baby quilt project.
Right now I'm shopping/piecing coordinating shirt fabrics to "make fabric" for a dress.
Sounds like such fun project !
Love your efficient way of deconstructing - have made many memory pillows for our local hospice and always struggle with the best and quickest way to get the most fabric out of the shirts and sometimes jeans and cargo pants. Love the keep the pocket and buttons to incorporate into a project. Thanks!!!!
Sounds like you are doing great work.
This was great, thank you.
I love this!! Thank you for sharing how you salvage the shirts. I think the pockets would be great to use for a little pocket on purse linings.
Great tip!
I think I am so smart about all things quilting, but I ALWAYS learn something from you! Thank you ❤
Happy to help!
I buy fabric on Whatnot! Great deals!! :)
Good idea 💡
WOW! I had no idea the long sleeves had so much fabric.
Great video.
I go to the french bins one a year. I take the biggest number of 100 % cotton men shirts what ever thé size, the color ...
I enjoy this kind of video
Sounds brilliant!
Great idea😍❤️
Glad you think so!
I started this during the fabric shortage when everyone was sewing masks and slipped into a fabric collection habit that I just wont break! I have gathered so many great woven (not printed) fabrics. Good to see how you handle them. I've started cutting up polar fleece cast-offs to use as layers between cotton for coasters and small projects too.
Wonderful!
I started cutting up antique linens working around stains. Amazing how much fabric was in a huge tablecloth and napkins!
@@candykammerzell3919 I think there should be a section at the thrift store with stained and ripped clothing and sheets for upcycling, painting drop cloths, and times when you need grungy clothes. I'm not that hard on my clothes so I can't really downgrade that many.
Great video. I invested in some electric scissors and they work so well for this job. I also harvest flannels for cozy quilts. I ALWAYS wash thrifted clothing.
Smart!! I generally wash them too. If they look smell and feel clean, I will wait and wash them after the quilt is made.
😃😃😃👏👏👏👍👍👍María José 💖💖
I do the exact same thing. Treasure hunting...😊
The best!
I found 100% cotton queen sz sheets in aqua, buttery yellow and a pretty floral..bought every single one for future sewing. Lucky find!
HOORAY!!!
Thanks for sharing
You bet!
I use the cuff with the button to wrap up fabric when I can roll it.
Thank you for the video, yes, you have beautiful colors! Great job. So great to use items from thrift stores. I live within walking distance of 3 thrift stores here in Goleta CA. My only issue is that I have a hard time paying $10 to $12 dollars per shirt to cut them up which is the price they ask at local thrift stores here. My solution is to ask friends and neighbors for old clothes.
Great Solution!
Lucky finds - cotton shirts are nearly as expensive as new quilt fabric in our area and difficult to find. I do buy pillowcases and sheets
i am going to go in a thrift store today
Yes! I 100% agree cuffs Yokes and darts are not worth the time to pick out.. Cathy Martin from cat bird quilts does do that tho
Thanks Dawn This was delightful! Why don't we cut up our own clothes that we could salvage have a great day!❤
Good question!
I like the idea that you limit yourself on the thrifted fabrics... I do tend to buy extras at time, I make quilts and get some great sheets as quilt backs
Fabulous,
Great great video. Hi from South Africa. I also do this and love it. I use the cuffs for cords with Velcro... don't we have so many.
Oh yes please show us how you repurpose buttons. I just can't think of any.
Sweet plan!
I do quite a bit of memory quilts. I cut the shirts or pants the same way sort of. What I do is cut along all seams and to cut out sections. So all of my waste is connected vs multiple pieces. Either way you still have the same results
I buy men's shirts ALL the time. Have made countless quilts with shirts. I use cotton blends (low % of poly or bamboo, etc.), 100 % cotton, what ever colour way works. Too many shirts, way too many buttons. Cuff, collar, upper back, button bands...GONE. the larger the better, so useful. Very good video, tnx.
Sneak into your husband's closet and see what you can make for him. He will be like, "Thank you!! Boy, this quilt looks so familiar..."
i love to thrift pillow cases most give you at least a yard of material and you have to look at the tag for 100% cotton you can tell if it looks new
by condition of tag... i pay 1.49 for one and 2.99 for a set then look for matching sheets love to thrift
Love it ! What kind of cutter are your
th-cam.com/video/c-JES6cVTR4/w-d-xo.html About one minute and 20 seconds in I share all about that cutter in this tools video.
This was great. Do you have tips on how to launder thrifted fabrics?
Depending on where I get them.....I just wash them. If they are from a "clean" source, I will wait and launder them after the quilt is made. If there is anything "iffy" about them (smell, source, etc.) I launder them first before using.
Hate to said it but I have found better bargins for fabric at the thrift shops instead of my local fabric shop.
Must you use a prewashed binding and backing with your thrifted quilts?
I don't. And it has never been a problem. Mostly because the batting isn't pre-shrunk either.
That’s great! I wish our second-hand store has lower prices. One shirt runs for $12-18 CAD. One yard of some quilting cottons run for about $18-21, so is the time deconstructing well spent? Pocket says no, environment says yes.
Don't forget to check the sheets in thrift stores!
I definitely want to recycle. Whst do you do with your pieces of fabrics I'll see if you have a video thanks
I cut them up and make quilts out of them. The string quilt video is a great one to use. I showed in the video the rail fence blocks. Really - you can make anything from any pattern.
My local goodwill has $2 Tuesday. I've gotten some 2X and even 3X mens long sleeve shirts. The fabric is also different designs than what you find in a fabric store.
Thanks for sharing!!
Lol i do the same
I have used thrifted sheets as quilt backing too. At $6.00 per shirt, I’m thinking one could find better deals at Joann Fabrics or similar stores. Unless there’s a discount or coupon used?
It's easily a yard and a half of quality fabric with incredible thread count. I guess it's what you want to buy? It makes the fabric less than $4.00 a yard. You can get them even less at garage sales.
Save the cuffs for me - I make little jewelry pouches from them.
That sounds clever!
Do you wash the shirts before cutting and storing?
As a rule, yes. I should have shown that because I have been asked a few times. I didn't for this video, as the shirts seemed fresh and clean and the quilt will be washed before donation, plus... we were on a video deadline.
Did you wash them first?
I would... as they are 2nd hand, they have been washed already, so no worries about shrinking or anything...what you see is what you are getting...but I would wash first anyways, just to freshen them up, as thrift stores do NOT wash anything when it is donated...
@@DH-qz2so I worded my post incorrectly. I was curious if she washed them first 😉. I also have worked with thrifted garments and they go directly in the washer. Great video but was just thinking it should be encouraged to wash and dry before bringing into the living area of the home.
I should have said. This particular thrift store washes clothes. Generally, I do wash them first. I did not wash them for this video. The shirts looked and smelled clean. Of course the quilt will be washed before it is donated.
BTW...I live 5 minutes from DIs and I keep all my receipts because every receipt has a 15% discount on clothing
Great place to live!
Just made a quilt for my son from thrifted shirts. Got them for $1 each by going on a specific day, otherwise they are 9.99 each.
Fabulous!
Holy moly I need those scissors! Can you tell me about them? I know you said Kai but what size?
I bought them LONG ago. I don't know which ones they are on the website - but I have a bigger pair that work wonderfully too! I love Kai Scissors and they don't pay me to say that. They don't even know I exist!
Placket
I do that all the time❤
If you’re a gardener you can chop up your 100% cotton scraps and put them in the compost to break down mix it with green plant s and weeds for compost
As a gardener I find the seam scraps great for tying up plants. It also looks colorful in the garden. The bees are attracted by the colors and stay for the garden flowers. Good idea to chop up the 100% cotton scraps you can't use for compost. I'm going to try that too. Thank you for the idea!
👏🏻🧵
This a wonderful video!! You are very lucky that you can find thrift stores that sell their stuff for a decent price. Not quite the same luck here… 🥲 but, I’ve got a few places that I go, that have scrap bins, or ACTUAL sales on some fabrics.
I love how you ‘allow’ yourself (and us) to waste the bits & pieces that take too much time. I’m right there with you on that…at some point I just have to stop.
Perfect tutorial!! Thanks .. as always, you’re SEW fun to watch & to listen to. xoxo e.
Thank you for always watching and leaving such great comments!
@@merrymabelmarket you’re very welcome; after all your content is easy on the eyes & ears❣️