Tools for Repurposing.

I bought a seam ripper this weekend and I immediately broke it while taking the pocket off an old pair of cargo pants. It occurred to me, about 10 seconds before the ripper bit the dust, that repurposing clothes into cloth is a lot of work and some special tools are required. Oh and some time, too. It takes some time.

Craft knife: a sharp blade is really my most reliable tool for taking apart clothes. A seam ripper just takes too long and doesn't hold up against the heavy stitching and double seams found on a lot of commercially made clothing.  Use the tip of the blade to pick out a few stitches and then use the blade to saw into the stitches while pulling the fabric apart. Watch your fingers! 

Steam iron: steam is a great way to reduce the tiny holes left in your fabric from its former seams.  Give the fabric a few squirts from the iron. Let it soak in for a few minutes and then iron on the appropriate setting with the full steam on. 

Sharp fabric scissors: cutting fabric with dull scissors is impossible. Use a sharp pair of scissors dedicated to fabric only so that you can keep those cutters sharp as long as possible. I write "fabric only" on mine and try to keep them out of the family's sight. Once in a while I find them in the bathroom, used to cut someone's hair and I go crazy. Don't ever touch Mama's fabric scissors!

Scissor sharpener: gotta keep those snippers sharp! Be sure your blade is flat against the sharpening stone or you'll actually be dulling your scissors instead!

Sorting bags or boxes: Save time by cutting apart an entire item at once. Separate the pieces into it's parts; zippers in one, pockets in another and so on. 

Sharp, sturdy pins: I find that commercial fabrics are sometimes a lot heavier than those I buy at the fabric store, especially fleece and denim. Good pins are a must for holding it all together. Corsage pins and safety pins can be the answer to your problem. Remember the little strawberry that hangs off your tomato pin cushion? It's not a decoration. It's actually a pin sharpener. Run your pin in an out of it a few times for a perfectly sharp tip!