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Frugal Friday

Time again to remember creativity and frugality! I really enjoy www.biblicalwomanhood.com where today it is Frugal Friday. Two needs we had were new nighties and bicycle baskets. We've been riding like crazy and I was tired of old t-shirts for jammies. It's hard and expensive to find nice, cute nighties for 5 different age groups! So we headed to a local thrift shop and bought sheets. Now if this thought grosses you out, just think "Vintage"! Everything was washed and dried in the dryer. Each sheet cost about $3.00. I was able to get 3 nighties in children sizes out of one and 2 in adult sizes out of another. I wish I could show more pics, but thought it was best not to of my older chicks. Needles to say they have become every one's favorites and today I need to make more! The cost of each nightie was about $1.50! I figured in my pattern and lace I also found.


Isn't she a cutie!


I'm not sure how to turn this but I also made house coats for each girl. This one is a bit big, but I wanted her to grow into it. Everyone was able to pick their favorite fabric and I used a swing coat pattern from McCall's. These cost about $9 each to make, but they will last for MANY years!




Lastly, a need for bike baskets. Criteria: they MUST be cute and be able to carry some things! Store baskets start at $5 plus tax. So we put on our "thinking caps" and came up with these. We had planned on buying wicker baskets at the thrift store and tie wrapping them on, but we thought these were much sturdier. We found them at the Dollar Tree .They are Stearalite "milk crate" style ones and are much deeper than the "kiddie" baskets which cannot be customized easily. My middle two chicks were so excited about this project. By completion my teenage chick also thought they were really cute and wanted to make one! We laced ribbon through and tied bows (Joann's clearance, 25 cents a spool!). Then Superman tie wrapped them to the bikes. He did use a piece of PVC on the mountain bikes to fish the tie wrap through to give them more stability at the base. But on the little bike, he just tied it on! So these cost me $4 for 3 baskets! Yippee. One of my middles had a really bad crash so we will be replacing hers. The ribbon is still intact, we just need a new crate. I wouldn't have been able to buy a new store basket!

So be creatively frugal and have some fun!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Your girls nighties and house coats are great. You are so cleaver. I love checking in on your wonderful site. Thank you for your wisdom and insite.
Rhonda said…
I love the patchwork sheet! My parents had the same sheets and curtains for their room. If I remember right, they were very popular and sold at Sears in the
70's.

Your daughter looks so happy to have her new nighty too.
Abbi said…
I love the bike basket! 2 summers back we were wanting some too and I was thinking about figuring out a way to make some when we found some bike baskets very cheap at Target. We got them but they hardly lasted at all, they would have been much sturdier if we would have done what you did.
Dana said…
I sew with sheets a LOT and have two of the faux quilted sheets that are in your first picture--just waiting to be used. Another great thing about using sheets is they get softer with each wash.

Blessings--
Dana

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