Storage Repurpose
As quilters we already have it in our genes to recycle our scraps or pass them on to someone else who can use what we don't want or need. There are so many other ways that we can be kind to the planet and repurpose other items that might just be thrown away.
My daughter, Kate, was looking around my sewing room one day and noticed the different ways that I was doing this myself, and I didn't even really realize it. I'm just one of those people who would rather use something or give it away rather than trash it.
Part of that comes from my upbringing...not much money and making sure that you only bought what you actually needed. Both sets of grandparents lived through the depression, and they often spoke about how tough times were and that they had to make do with what they already had. When my Grandma Wilson died we couldn't get over finding the bags full of bags, bags full of elastic bands, bags full of bread bag tabs and 14 jars of Vaseline (which she used as face cream!). I definitely don't stock-pile things quite like Grandma did, but I am careful with what I do buy.
One thing that Kate spied was a couple of Play-Doh™ containers holding my quilters safety pins. Well, Kate and Alex are in their late 20's and they haven't played with Play-Doh for quite some time, so these containers have been storing my safety pins for over 20 years! And I love that the lids have such fun colours. (***Sharon's time-saving hint: don't close up safety pins when you put them away in the container...leave them open so they're ready for next time!)
I often buy these great tasting tomatoes from Costco. Well, they just so happen to be sold in heavy duty plastic containers that I have reused in my fabric storage cupboard. They hold fat quarters and other smaller pieces of fabric and just sit on top of my folded fabrics. I also have one on my cutting table that holds smaller scraps, and they're also perfect for storing my pre-cut squares or strips for scrappy projects.
Who remembers actual film canisters? Back in the “dark ages” before digital cameras and Smart phones we had to buy film for our cameras. 35 mm film came in small plastic canisters that are just perfect for old dull or broken pins and needles. Luckily I still have a couple, so once they're full I don't feel badly throwing them in the garbage because no one can get hurt. Many other quilters use old prescription bottles instead.
Brand new sheets and blankets usually come in great zippered bags when you buy them...I never throw these out. They're perfect for organizing projects to take to retreat because everything you need for individual projects can all be gathered up and put in the same bag so nothing for that project is forgotten at home. I also store in-progress projects in these.
When my mom moved into her long term care home a few years ago she asked me to make her up a small sewing kit for doing her mending. I found an old case for eyeglasses, filled it with 4 or 5 bobbins with different coloured thread, a small pair of trimming scissors, hand sewing needles, a thimble, seam riper, small ruler and marker. It was just perfect for the little bit of sewing that she occasionally needed to do...but she always passed her mending on to me anyway so I don't know why I bothered!
Another lady I know uses an old egg carton in the drawer of her sewing table for holding sewing machine feet, small items and supplies for beading. There are so many useful items lying around that we can repurpose for our needs as quilters/sewers. Care to share some of your inventive ideas?