‘Thrifting’.

Farmor15

Here's a good example of upcycling, producing something useful. Someone in a group I'm in moved house and curtains from old house didn't suit. We're converting the very good quality fabric into tote bags, to be sold at a craft fair. Last Saturday the shed where we meet looked like a sewing factory with 8 of us busy making bags! We hope to have over 40, from various curtains.

I had not done any machine sewing for years, and the gears in my machine had perished so I decided to buy a new one and get back into it.

I was practising and used some random material that I had been given and found could barely sew a straight seam <LOL> so I made some random bags to donate to a charity that was looking for bags to give stuff in. If it's free they cannot complain about wonky seams

Farmor15

Here's a good example of upcycling, producing something useful. Someone in a group I'm in moved house and curtains from old house didn't suit. We're converting the very good quality fabric into tote bags, to be sold at a craft fair. Last Saturday the shed where we meet looked like a sewing factory with 8 of us busy making bags! We hope to have over 40, from various curtains.

Farmor
I don’t know if you’ve made these bags.
My friend used to make bags out of jeans. What made them different was that she kept the look of the jeans by keeping the zip/ button fly and waistband all in one piece and the same with the back with the pockets. They looked amazing.

I remember taking a trip up to the lakes, there was a bit of a factory that made bronze animals. Outside was a skip, so we had a nosey. I found a couple of bronze cats, ears were chipped but I restored them.
Anyway I passed them on to a friends daughter as she loves cats.
Does anyone know of such a factory? Name?

HelterSkelter1

MT62. Look on eBay and see what your items go for and if its not that much, then repack it and off to the charity shop.

If you are sitting on a fortune then I would ask AI what to do with it. There may be specialist auctions.

No GC or GGC who would love it?

No I’ve no children unfortunately 😞

I know Cossy looked lovely in my cottage but we are in a modern house now so doesn’t quite go.
I can’t bare to part with it.
I don’t think my niece will want it.
Just waiting for the right person to come along & appreciate it.

Thanks Damaskrose, I’ll take a look.

Farmor15

Here's a good example of upcycling, producing something useful. Someone in a group I'm in moved house and curtains from old house didn't suit. We're converting the very good quality fabric into tote bags, to be sold at a craft fair. Last Saturday the shed where we meet looked like a sewing factory with 8 of us busy making bags! We hope to have over 40, from various curtains.

They are lovely

HelterSkelter1

MT62. Look on eBay and see what your items go for and if its not that much, then repack it and off to the charity shop.

If you are sitting on a fortune then I would ask AI what to do with it. There may be specialist auctions.

No GC or GGC who would love it?

Great stuff Helterskelter. I think it most be at least 48 yrs. I’ve got all the seasons so might go for something! 🙏

MT62

I use to collect Bramley hedge, & Beatrix Potter ‘Peter rabbit’ when I was a teenager but it’s all wrapped up in boxes in the loft.. no idea what to do with it all.

BH is expensive on eBay so if you don’t want it sell it!

This thread reminded me of a shop in a Cambridge. It was (maybe still is) set on a corner.
Its name sign reads “ My auntie had one” on one side
And “But she threw it away” on the other.

Oh, they're nice!
I'm always looking for shopping bags to hold just a few things, that look different from the usual.

Here's a good example of upcycling, producing something useful. Someone in a group I'm in moved house and curtains from old house didn't suit. We're converting the very good quality fabric into tote bags, to be sold at a craft fair. Last Saturday the shed where we meet looked like a sewing factory with 8 of us busy making bags! We hope to have over 40, from various curtains.

The dusting must take forever

MT62

I use to collect Bramley hedge, & Beatrix Potter ‘Peter rabbit’ when I was a teenager but it’s all wrapped up in boxes in the loft.. no idea what to do with it all.

How lovely, BUT if no family interest get rid!

MissAdventure

A lot of these people make their living out of thrifting and more importantly, making videos of themselves doing so.

I watch a woman who "thrifts" from dumpsters, piles the stuff up, and lets people come and help themselves.
No money changes hands.

I rather like the sound of that!

But with unopened boxes still in our dining room from my Mum’s house sold over two years ago methinks DH would go (even more) bonkers!

MT62. Look on eBay and see what your items go for and if its not that much, then repack it and off to the charity shop.

If you are sitting on a fortune then I would ask AI what to do with it. There may be specialist auctions.

No GC or GGC who would love it?

I use to collect Bramley hedge, & Beatrix Potter ‘Peter rabbit’ when I was a teenager but it’s all wrapped up in boxes in the loft.. no idea what to do with it all.

Calendargirl

Was undecided about putting this on the Decluttering thread, but decided to start a new one.

On my Facebook site, these reels keep coming up showing people ‘thrifting’ (in the USA).

They show shelf after shelf of stuff, vases, ornaments, crystal, kitchen paraphernalia… and what the buyers do with them.

It’s fascinating, the new life they breathe into ‘Grandma’s stuff’.

We are always saying how no one wants our stuff, but looking at some of these uses that are found for them, I find myself thinking “I could have done that with that bit of crystal” etc.

🤷‍♀️

I have seen a couple of these vids of cluttered shelves,
an ornament repurposed.
It is still stuff, though, it is still mostly junk - which is
why there is so much of it on those packed shelves.

A lot of these people make their living out of thrifting and more importantly, making videos of themselves doing so.

I watch a woman who "thrifts" from dumpsters, piles the stuff up, and lets people come and help themselves.
No money changes hands.

Me, too, keepcalmandcavachon. I console myself with the somewhat specious reasoning that I am helping the charities..

It’s what we call up cycling or re purposing. Crafters have been doing it for years in the uk.

I could have a serious Thrifting Habit. I now operate on a strict one in, one out policy, otherwise known as Treating the Charity Shop as a Lending Library

Me too.
If I want "things" I will look to get secondhand & do up if neccessary, but I have enough things to paint, stitch, clean & dust as it is.

Did a quick google.
Not for me thanks.
I am going the other way.

It’s hoarders, when selling our home last year I put lots of stuff on the local FB group.

I had one lady who probably purchased 75% of what I listed, I delivered a dinner service and lots of crystal, her little house was rammed with “stuff”.
She was so thrilled to get the boxes, I stacked them on top of other unopened boxes for her.