What can i do with an old ripped sheet

pinkparrott · 7 March 2014 at 12:48PM

Hi my DH managed to rip out fitted sheet on the bed. apart from the rip (in a triangle ??) the rest is ok.

Usually i would just throw it away, any ideas how i can recycle / reuse it? i have a sewing machine - although only i'm only at basic level.

its a 200ct 100% cotton king size fitted sheet.

DigForVictory · 7 March 2014 at 1:35PM

How old is the sheet? Is the tear on an area which will get rubbed by a sleeping person? Can you mend the tear or is the triangle missing?
Thin fabric is much harder to sew as the mend is stronger than the surrounding area (if that makes sense?) and so a well worn sheet is usually a fiend to repair.

Were it mine (comfortable & not yet spiderweb thin), I suspect it would be "repurposed" into dressing up fabric or something to make a toile from, and eventually wind down the chain to cleaning rags.

Elisheba · 7 March 2014 at 1:38PM

If you were to be proper old style (and I admit I have never done this myself!) you would mend the rip, cut the sheet in half, and somehow sew the oppposite sides together with an invisible mend which I have read about many time sna dstill don't understand! And then, hey presto, you have a usable sheet!

whodathunkit · 7 March 2014 at 1:45PM

Elisheba wrote: »

If you were to be proper old style (and I admit I have never done this myself!) you would mend the rip, cut the sheet in half, and somehow sew the oppposite sides together with an invisible mend which I have read about many time sna dstill don't understand! And then, hey presto, you have a usable sheet!

I don't think you can "sides to middle" a fitted sheet.

What about making pillow cases with it?

calicocat · 7 March 2014 at 1:50PM

Make a clothes cover. My gran used to make them out of old sheets for her furs, but they are good for anything, especially leather etc as the fabric breathes....better than plastic any day.

rachiibell · 7 March 2014 at 3:44PM

Pillow cases, cushions, cleaning cloths, scrunchies, hair bands, drawstring bags to separate light things like tights or socks to name a few

trailingspouse · 7 March 2014 at 4:19PM

I remember my mother was always 'turning sides to middle' - but of course you can only do that with a flat sheet. I think she used something she called a 'French seam' - not invisible, but made so that the cut edges wouldn't fray (this would be in the days before sewing machines could do overlock stitches). She would also turn double sheets into single sheets, and single sheets into cot sheets. Wonderful woman.

I suspect our modern poly-cotton fabrics don't wear out like the old pure cotton ones did - I've certainly never felt the need to do this with any of my sheets. Or maybe we change our bedding to match our colour schemes more often, so they doesn't get the chance to wear out.

In this house, it would get cut up into cloths for Mr Spouse to use on his car.

pleasedelete · 7 March 2014 at 7:07PM

save it for when you need to dress up as a ghost

recovering_spendaholic · 7 March 2014 at 7:27PM

I cut up ripped sheets to make dusters.

paulwellerfan · 7 March 2014 at 8:28PM

I use ripped up sheets for either dusters or pets bedding.

[Deleted User] · 7 March 2014 at 9:13PM

If you were feeling VERY OS you might cut and hem some squares of sheet material and make some handkerchiefs which would then save you having to buy tissues for quite some time in the future. I know they have to be washed and ironed but it's quite a money saver if you use them instead of tissues.