If you have little kids, you know that you can never have enough crafting materials on hand for fun and creative projects. And if you’re on a tight budget, you probably think twice before buying all the new, trendy crafting supplies. But timing could be on your side if it’s time to replace those old drapes—there are plenty of ways to repurpose old drapes into new, exciting craft projects and decor. Check out a few of these fun ideas:
Get Crafty
Drapes offer lots of material that can be put to good use for crafting. Danielle Smith, blogger at ExtraordinaryMommy.com, knows the value of used fabrics. She shows readers how to use strips of material cut from old drapes to fold, twist, and hot-glue into different sizes of ragged roses to use as hair clips, shoe decorations, brooches, and clips for fastening a scarf—even as embellishments for decorating picture frames. A rotary fabric cutter will help you reshape fabric evenly and efficiently.
If you’re creative and crafty, you can probably come up with plenty of good projects for all the material from old drapes. Sew them into decorative pillow covers. Make them into little things like pin cushions, pencil cases, or reusable grocery bags. Apartment Therapy describes how handbag designers Toni Hacker and Ben Harnett of Hayden-Harnett used curtain panels to cover a headboard and add some color and patterns to a white-walled bedroom. A staple gun, a hot glue gun, and a little imagination are all you need to create a fabulous fabric-covered headboard.
Refresh and Reuse
If you’re not feeling craftsy enough to transform your old drapes into something entirely new, there are plenty of ways to reuse your old set. Think of ways that your old set can be used in another room. Clean and hang them differently with new curtain rods or rings for a varied look. If the fabric can be dyed, go for a bold new color, or simply add a colorful sash or tieback. Consider adding some decorations like beads or embroidered appliqués. If you’re handy with a needle and thread, shorten them for a more compact space. Visit The Shade Store for more inspiration on window treatments.
Recycle Them
If crafting and reusing are really not your thing, recycle them instead of tossing them in the garbage. If they are still in good shape, donate them to charity or a local second-hand shop. If you are in charge of fundraising for a school, church, or youth group, consider coordinating a textile collection to raise money or holding a rummage sale to sell gently used clothes and home goods. If you know a young couple or a young person just starting out and in need of home goods, consider offering your drapes and curtain rods to them. Remember: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and there is surely someone nearby who would love to get their hands on your unneeded fabric. As a last resort, if your old drapes are made out of a soft material, cut them into squares for use as dust rags.
