SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS

Part of the frugal skillset is the ability to find multi-purpose for one item.

Old sheets can be transformed into valences for windows or the backing of a quilt. When fabric is required, sometimes a sheet can be less expensive to use than a cloth purchase from a chain fabric store.

Sometimes the opposite holds true. Sometimes fabric makes for some good bed linens, pillow cases in particular.

When Mother’s Little Helpers were young, Old Mother Frugal would make their pillow cases. A few of these pillow cases still exist today, albeit they are about 25 years old but still in good condition, as in they have not fallen apart in the wash!

It all began with a birthday party for the youngest of Mother’s Little Helpers. Coming up with theme parties was not always an easy task and this was long before there was PINTEREST.

One of the party games was a pillow sack race but pillow cases were so expensive to be used by preschoolers to hop and jump around in. Equally challenging to creating a party theme was the all-illusive ‘goody bag’.

The pillow case solved a multitude of party problems. It was both party game and goody bag!  What an ingenious idea from someone without a creative bone in her body. I found remnants of fabrics in the sewing department. Remnants are less expensive than fabric sold “by the yard”.

The wilder and brighter the print, the happier the party-goers would be. In the span of a morning, half dozen pillow cases were sewn on my sewing machine. In the span of an afternoon, little preschoolers enjoyed hopping, jumping, giggling and racing their way to the finish line. Somewhere in the background was an Old Mother Frugal hopping, jumping and giggling that the party was a success!

SOUND THE BUGLE! Fabric remnants come in all sizes and it could be cost effective to use a remnant in place of a piece of fabric cut from a bolt on the store shelf. A frugal source of fabric is Goodwill (sheets, tablecloths, remnants) stores or any thrift shop. It may take some hunting to find what you are looking for but the treasure of savings may be worth the hunt!