Did you know recycling old clothes is good for the environment? It can save you money too!
And in case you didn’t know, third world countries, where garments and textiles are often made, have the least amount of funding for pollution prevention and clean-up. This leads to air pollution, rain forest depletion, and damage to drinking water and other essential resources.
If you’d like to learn more about this issue, please click here for information about the Circular Fibers Initiative.
So using second-hand clothing as a source for craft fabrics actually does help prevent damage to the planet.
Second-hand fabric can also be a money-saver in your overall fabric investment, which is why a lot of doll clothes sewing enthusiasts have tried this approach. You can gather hand-me-down clothing from friends and relatives or purchase them at second-hand clothing stores.
But when you buy second-hand clothes to use them for fabric, it’s a good idea to look for small print or solid colored fabric.
If the print on a woman’s dress is too large, it’s going to look kind of strange when you try to sew it into a dress for Barbie.
Thin, soft denim will also be easier to work with than your average pair of heavy denim jeans, being both easier on your sewing machine, and in terms of the types of dolls you can use the fabric for.
If the jeans you buy at a fabric store are made of extra thick denim, it’s going to make a pair of Barbie-sized doll jeans look bulky on the doll. So when buying second-hand clothing for doll clothes, consider the weight of the fabric.
Last Monday was Earth Day, and if you’re a regular follower of this blog, you’ll remember that I issued a challenge: only use second-hand or hand-me-down fabrics for your doll clothes sewing projects for the week of April 20th to the 26th. How did you do?
Please leave a comment below, telling all of us what you made and how you worked with the challenge!
FYI: my Barbie owl-fabric outfit was made from used hand-me-down half-sewn fabric scraps:
Note: I’m currently on vacation at the Doll Day Jubilee in Seattle. If you have sent me a message lately, or if you are worried that your comments are taking a while to get approval, please be patient. I’ll be home some time soon!
I donate three to four times a year to local non profits. Plus a friend of mine takes my some what torn or tathered clothes and make doll clothes, sadly not Barbie but American doll size. Because as you know I can not sew.
But you have so many other talents, Dodi! A lady just left a comment, asking for advice on what to do with her doll clothes patterns. In my reply, I said, “Get in touch with my friend Dodi. She’ll buy them at a fair price and re-sell them on eBay.” — This is indeed your true talent, and I’ve learned a lot from you!
Hi,
I missed the challenge and also I’ve been housebound with a hip replacement. . . . I collect mostly vintage/antique dolls so I’m ALWAYS shopping for used fabric.
Antique fair in my area this weekend — another chance to look for old fabric!
Erica
Old fabric is the best!