Wednesday, January 11, 2012

To Throw, Or Not To Throw

"To Throw, Or Not To Throw"...that is the question.  For a collector, like me, it's difficult to actually purge when something is obviously worn out.  I was faced with this question when our bed linens, which we purchased 1 year ago, were worn thin and already ripping to shreds.  Not wanting to throw them out, I tried to think of a way to reuse them for something....maybe if I was a quilter they could be used as a lining of the back of a quilt...or perhaps I could use them to sew little Easter eggs....or donate them so someone else could use them.  So, it's time for true confessions, I did actually throw away some perfectly salvageable celery colored cotton sheets.  I think it might haunt me for a while. 

To redeem myself, I found and rescued 3 wonderful handmade patchwork quilts.  Each one lovingly pieced together from old scraps and stitched together for someone's loved ones.  Now they are tattered, torn, and worn to shreds with many years of use.  But to me, these quilts are works of art.  They should never just be thrown away!  They are salvageable to reuse and repurpose in many, many ways.  So, I started cutting out hearts to make pillows, wings for new angels, and sachets to tuck in drawers. 

Ah, now that feels better.  I think I made the right choice.  What do you think?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Most definitely! You indeed made the right choice!!!! (Hard to take when something so new wears out so fast, eh?!)
-Brenda

MEM said...

Little treasures made from reused textiles are wonderful keepsakes. Just found your blog so will continue to visit. Would like to see small shops/occasional sales link up and keep in touch. Look forward to future blogs.