Treasures from the past

Have you noticed the latest recycling trend? Oh yes, we all recycle our metals and plastics and compost if we can, but I'm talking about recycling with fabrics or "upcycling", as it's called. The trendy place to shop these days isn't Holt Renfrew or Nordstrom, it's your local secondhand store where you can find all kinds of treasures just begging to be transformed into new and wonderful upcycled items. 


Okay, you may think "I'm not going to be pawing through other people's clothes", but hey, it's fun and CHEAP and with my Scottish ancestry, finding something cheap is like finding the holy grail! I've been browsing through my local thrift shop and have found lots of interesting treasures.


If you haven't been into a Goodwill store lately, let me tell you they have changed. Clothes are organized and even segregated into colourways on the racks. It's almost like finding fabric in a quilt shop. The only difference is that I'm looking at the colour second and the composition of the fabric first. Size doesn't matter here, ladies! It's all about the quality and content. I'm looking for either 100% cotton fabric or 100% wool. So, I'm cruising the suit jacket and skirt aisles looking for interesting textures and colours. I'm felting the wool sweaters to make bags and stuffies and using the suit jackets for another type of project. Intrigued? Check back with me tomorrow to see what I'm talking about.