Recycled/upcycled/vintage challenges
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Original Post
I'd like to connect with other artists who use primarily recycled/upcycled/vintage materials in their creations. What are some of the challenges you've found in sourcing, preparing, or using these materials? How have you dealt with them?
For example, I use fabric samples and thrifted fabrics and notions, and old magazines and books. I just learned how to use a match to test whether an unidentified thrifted fabric is synthetic or organic fiber (satsumaart.wordpress.com/2010/02/07/drawing-thrifting-and-a-cool-te...).
I'd love to hear about others' challenges and tips!
If I'm repeating an old thread please feel free to let me know!
Posted at 6:35pm Feb 9, 2010 EST
Responses
Ivy, my sister gave me some sweaters she accidentally felted too. :) I made my husband a beanie, and my other sister a stuffed octopus, out of the same sweater!
Posted at 11:48pm Feb 9, 2010 EST
Hi! I love this thread! Thanks, OP (original poster) for starting it.
I'd love to hear what other people do with recycled materials, too.
My shop is "green clothing for women," so I use recycled fabrics exclusively. I mean--never have bought any new! I try to use all recycled notions too, though I do need to buy thread new.
One of my current challenges is getting rid of odors in some of the vintage pieces I get for upcycling. I've been investigating antiseptic properties of natural materials I can use for washing everything too, since some customers, I think, have "issues" with pre-worn clothes.
So far I've learned that vinegar and tea tree oil both have some germ-killing properties.
On another subject, I've tried felting woven wool and did not get it to work. I have so many felted or to-be-felted wool sweaters, though...it's pathetic! I need to just sit down and MAKE stuff.
Posted at 12:21am Feb 10, 2010 EST
Oh...I forgot something that might be helpful to anyone who's going to do a LOT of felting.
Please get a little mesh thingie from the hardware store that you can tie over your washing machine hose--where it drains from the washer. It catches lint that would otherwise go down your drain. Too much lint can cause serious plumbing problems. I'm afraid I might have put the mesh thingie on my hookup too late, as I'm having plumbing issues in my basement....
Learn from my experience...?
Posted at 12:28am Feb 10, 2010 EST
BlueKimono- I use everything vintage or upcycled and you said exactly what my problem is... the odors of some vintage fabric.... doing what I do it doesn't bother me in the slightest... but I don't want to send a "new" item to someone that " smells " vintage. I have looked for ideas on odor removal, and one that works well is to bag it with a LOT of baking soda , tie it up and leave it for several days.. it will absorb some of the odor,, but if anyone had tips on the hard to remove smells I would love to hear them!!
Posted at 12:51am Feb 10, 2010 EST
oh and febreze helps!! lol. but I know some people are sensitive to the smell of this too..
Posted at 12:52am Feb 10, 2010 EST
Thanks, freshvintage. Hey, didn't I just say I'd buy from your store even though I'm an oldie...46? In another thread??
Anyway, thanks for the tip about the baking soda. I also have heard from a costumer friend that spraying vodka or a combo of vodka/water is a standard thing to do in drama departments. I've never tried it, but it sounds very interesting!
Posted at 1:13am Feb 10, 2010 EST
im not sure I'd be willing to share my vodka with the fabric... lol and yeah I think I remember that thread I'm all over the place in here tonight
Posted at 1:16am Feb 10, 2010 EST
We are a pet&smoke free house. But I am not sure that I will be able to put that in my shop announcement. Since, some of the fabric MIGHT come from homes with pets. I know I got one fabric that has cat hair on it for instance...
Another challange is to find the fabric. I browse through second hand and thrift stores. But, sometimes I can spend a couple of hours searching and coming up with nothing. And the next time I have to restrain myself from not buying more than one bag...
Posted at 3:31am Feb 10, 2010 EST
BlueKimono and Freshvintage, thank you for your input on the odors! I've learned to smell everything before buying (books too, since I use those for decoupage), but that's mainly for cigarette odors.
Kaja, I think that's part of the fun of it -- never knowing what you're going to get. :)
Thank you again to everyone who's posting in here! Keep it going!
Posted at 12:35pm Feb 10, 2010 EST
I was reading in another thread that you should use really cheap vodka for odor removal. The cheap stuff is filtered through charcoal, but not that expensive stuff. apparently the charcoal is what makes it work so well.
So, Freshvintage, if you like the upper shelf vodka, you don't have to share it!
Posted at 11:03am Feb 11, 2010 EST