At some point our bedrooms must have makeovers. Maybe the sheets have seen better days and need replacing. Maybe we've painted the walls anew and our sense of aesthetics can't stand the new clash of colors the bedsheets have with the bedroom. Maybe it's just time for a change.
If the sheets are in great condition, they could be saved for extra bedding or donated to one of the many charity thrift stores so that they have continued value: Someone else can use them, and some money goes to a good cause in turn. There's no use belittling a set of good sheets. Of course, those that are beyond useful, too threadbare for much, could be cut up and used for shop rags or other similar types of things.
It's those in-between sheets that pose a different, possibly more exciting option. Some old sheets still have life in them, but that life might not be as bedding. That's when we, DIY-ers and upcyclers, have the opportunity to get creative. We can take those old sheets and make something that sparks some new magic.
Rugs and mats are something that add character to a home or room. They work in front of or behind doors. They work next to beds, at the foot of comfy chairs, or on the seats of stools. They just plain work.
They are fairly easy to make: Cut the sheet into two-inch strips, the longer the strips the better. Crochet a test patch, one-foot square, and weigh it to determine if there are enough rag strips to make an adequately-sized rug. Then, join all the strips together, making rag yarn, and crochet the rug.
With minimal sewing skills, it's easy to make a pair of pajama pants out of old sheets. Imagine how snuggly bedsheet pajama pants would be!
It begins with a pair of good-fitting pajama pants and some paper: The pajama pants are traced onto the paper to provide the pattern. That pattern is adjusted to allow enough size for making seams and even an elastic waist. Then, it's only a bit of basic sewing left.
Kids are often wrapping themselves in sheets and pretending to be royalty or pinning on pillowcases as capes, so it isn't that far of a stretch to come up with making pillowcase dresses. With the shape of a pillowcase, most of the work is already done.
For a pillowcase dress, it happens via adding some ribbon and thread to add to the mix, as well as about an hour of free time, say in front of the television. There are easy-does-it patterns all over the Internet that help with setting the length, cutting the arm holes, and creating a neckline.
Ironic that a bunch of retired sheets become new bedding, but that's exactly what can happen. Old sheets, particularly a few different bold sets, can provide plenty of fabric squares for making a new quilt.
The easiest way to do this is find two sheets in good condition, lay them out, put batting between them, bind it all together, and sew the edges. For the more complicated and probably more remarkable and traditional quilt, it'll require sewing a collection of fabric squares together to make one side of the quilt and using another full-sized sheet for the backing.
Coat hangers are pretty much a closet necessity, but they are not always the most attractive things. That could change with a little bit of old bedding and some simple instructions. It's as easy as cutting the sheets into strips, wrapping them tightly around the individual wires of the coat hangers, and fastening them in place at the end. Instead of having ugly bare metal or plastic hanging on the closet rod, it'd be soft, fabric hangers, which would be a little gentler on the clothes.
Who knows how many times we wash a set of sheets before they run their course, and how funny would it be if in their second life they come back as a laundry bag! Well, doesn't it kind of make sense? Sheets are just a big spread of fabric that can be easily sewn into something else.
Making a bag is as stress-free as cutting the sheets into a wide strip, doubling that over, sewing the seams and creating a drawstring at the top. Then, if that's easy, make one for each bathroom or bedroom.
Obviously, with large pieces of fabric, there are many more options out there for the creative crafter to get into. Old sheets are super useful for making new things that are both useful and beautiful.