Sunday 29 June 2008

just what do you do when the kids grow out of their clothes?...

there are the obvious options, to pass on to friends or family or send off to the charity shop...the brave few might even ebay them...but you know those little bits of clothing that have a special resonance...the ones that you absolutely adored on them...or that remind you of a special occasion,...or were given by a special someone...what do you do with those? I just can't bear to let them go...I'm pretty good at moving things on and looking forward rather than back...but some things I just can't say goodbye to...

they've been hiding away in a special box until recently...when I took them out, gave them a freshen-up wash and did this...

trousers Ms Reva wore to Florence aged 3 months (and a felted cashmere sweater of her dad's - the moths got it so it had to be...) the back has the smock you see below...

from my favourite smock of Ms Reva's, back when the girl would still wear anything floral ...before she moved on to robots and spacepeople and living in t-shirts...


from the dress Ms Bester wore to the Venice Biennale aged 2 months...and a pretty vintage button

now I just need to score me a billion pins...

what do you do with those special somethings?

23 comments:

Apryl said...

wow those are georgeous! I adore that little house one... they are so special, what a lovely way to keep discarded kids clothes and turn them into real treasures... I want one..

Charlie P said...

What a great idea! I can see why you loved those things as clothes- the fabrics are beautiful and what's even better is that you now have pincushions with memories attached to them. Aww.
Although I have no children to steal clothes from, I can at least recycle all the lovely the size 8 and 10 clothes hanging in my wardrobe which I've been meaning to get back into for the past 3 years :)

Florence Knapp (Flossie Teacakes) said...

Oh this is something that I find really difficult...there are so many lovely fabric garments in the loft, but I still feel far too attached to even begin to contemplate cutting them up...but eventually I will turn them into a quilt, when I am feeling brave. I love the idea of making pin cushions - it's nice to have special fabrics in something utilitarian that you use everyday. x

JuliaB said...

How lovely! I never thought of this when my boy was little, but I have recently started recycling his Jeans! I particularly like the red one at the bottom of your post. x

Jodie said...

Thats a great idea. I have kept some special things and as the kids grew up they kept some for themselves as well.

JuanitaTortilla said...

Yay for recycling! (Or is it re-purposing?)
I like to find a new life for old fabrics, as well, usually as bags or purses...

"Mummy mummy, there is a mummy, Mummy." HOW CUTE!

Unknown said...

I love those loads!!!! No surprises you've stitched a label on though.........

Ayama-chan said...

Hoarding everything at the moment. Miss CT may or may not have a sibling yet. If it is a boy, one will have to think of what to do with the treasures we have. Still in the too hard basket. (Some of them were my clothes. Do I hold on to the best of them so her children can wear vintage clothes??) Love the items you have made. Have felter envy though, no hot water cycles here in Singapore for the humble washing machine.....

Gift of Green said...

Annieb, your comment over at saltandchocolate cracked me up! She is such a whirlwind of activity...

Jessica said...

That is a wonderful idea! I used to love getting bags of clothes from my cousins as a kid, but all of my clothes sit in a box waiting to be used again!

Things Hand Made said...

I have 2 boys and a girl and I now find myself choosing her clothes by how nice the fabric is and what I can do with it afterwards. Little boys clothes in our hosue consist of lots of stripey t shirts which aren't always very usuable.

Hells said...

they're lovely. I have the same thing here. There are 'special' clothes that you just have to keep. Ours are going into a patchwork throw each for the girls. (mind you they'll be 35 by the time I've finished!!)

Gina said...

How beautiful! I wish I hadn't got rid of some of my boys' things - they had some gorgeous dungarees when they were tiny that I would love to use now!

Jackie said...

I just found you again and I've missed a lot so you are now permanently linked to on my blog!
I saved lots of pieces of fabric from dresses I made for me in the 70s and 80s for my future 'Little girls' dresses and what happened? I got 2 boys. I did make them lovely old fashioned dressing gowns but not much else after baby quilts.

Swirlyarts said...

Gorgeous pincushions! I'm saving my little girls clothes to turn into quilts for them - when I get round to it anyway!

Unknown said...

Annie, I just spotted your darling house on Cuteable!!! Well done! You have such a great way of making new twists on old things. Such boundless creativity! Lilly has been loving dressing and undressing Ms Myrtle! Great practice for her learning to snap!
~Emily xxx

jessica daisy said...

Such a lovely idea, I've recently been in two minds about some of my daughter's clothes, the ones I particular love, but she has grown out of, do I keep them in a suitcase under the bed, or do I cut them up and use them for some special? I like the idea of turning some of her cotton floral dresses into a patchwork quilt, but it will be my first, and I don't want to muck it up, and will it be too precious that I'll worry about her staining it?!
Jessx

Miaou said...

I love those pincushions - what a beautiful shape they are! I can see why you kept the fabrics too - as well as their personal significance they are such pretty designs.

Mary Beth said...

What a lovely idea! I tend to get rid of everything. Wish now I'd saved a few things for crafts (from girls clothes. Boy clothes are not so special).

angharad handmade said...

I have done all of the above - family friends/charity shop/recycling/ebay (though I lack the necessary patience/commitment for the latter!).
What a lovely idea the little house is! I have a great pile of clothes which my children have grown out of waiting to be sorted out, so I might just have a go at something like this.

Jennie said...

What a fantastic way to keep those bits of material! Love it!! :D

syko kajsa said...

I usually do like you, cut the special somethings into pieces! I have been looking wit that eye on the dress I was wearing at my best friend's wedding last year, should I, or should I not, the fabric is beautiful...

Your house is super cute!

Anonymous said...

this inspired Zed and I to make cuddly toys (a turtle and a dolphin) out of his baby clothes (we used the horrid ones for stuffing). Afraid my sewing isn't half as good but Zed's pleased with his new toys.