Richly Repurposed Archives - Gray Barn Designs

Today I want to show you how my husband (RK) repurposed an old drying rack from our family farm. This rack was originally a tri-fold and wet clothes were draped over the rungs to dry. In the snowy, cold winters of New York State, clothes couldn’t be hung outside on a clothesline so this drying rack would be positioned near a wood stove for a “quick dry”. DSCN6049

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Two racks of the tri-fold had broken rungs, so RK took the rack that had intact rungs and attached it to the wall with some of the broken pieces and parts. He attached it behind the door so it is out of sight but useful. I hang/drape fabrics for current projects, quilts that need bindings, etc.

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I’ve also repurposed a clear, lucite cookbook holder my son gave me for Christmas one year. It worked great in the kitchen but it works even better in my sewing room! It’s on my cutting table so I can easily see the cutting instructions for my quilts.

Like my lamp? I had so many old buttons that they filled a large pickle jar. I added a screw top lamp piece and a plain white lamp shade. I decided to cute up the lamp shade with some polka dot fabric that was cut on the bias.

Finally, let’s talk about pins! I found these cute shallow bowls at a garage sale and use them to store my pins. Because they are shallow, it is easy for me to reach in and quickly grab a pin.

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Why two bowls you ask? The bowl with the most pins is on my cutting table where I do 99.99% of my pinning. The one with just a few pins is on my sewing table and I can easily toss the pins in this shallow bowl as I am sewing.

What do you use for pins? Are you a pin cushion quilter? It’s always fun to hear about “pin protocol” from others, let us know!

I’ve been cleaning up my sewing room, you know how it is after a big project! I had stuff everywhere and couldn’t find anything anywhere! As I was getting re-organized, I realized how many things I’ve repurposed in my sewing space.

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The blue organizer above was made by my uncle many years ago. He and my aunt loved to camp and he made this to use as a tote for napkins and silverware. I put magazines where the napkins would go and the all important TV remote in one of the silverware slots. He painted this a lovely shade of blue and I’ll keep it the same color in his memory.

The above flower vase was a left over from our son’s wedding last month. I liked the shape and it had a shabby chic look so I added a few silk flowers for some bold color. There’s Norma, my Bearded Collie sewing buddy! She was napping and then had to see what I was up to. She’s kind of a nib nose, which is why I love her!

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Another item I’ve repurposed is an old rug beater. I was at a tag sale with mom (who is a pro at tag sales, by the way) and we saw this in the rafters of the garage. This cost me a grand total of $2.00 and serves as a mini inspiration board. I use clothespins to attach thing to the wires. My son made the clothespin with the two hearts on it…I think he was in first grade when he made it for a Mother’s Day gift!

I’m a big copy cat of Sandy even though she is my little sister! She has a big white bowl in her sewing room where she keeps all her pins. I thought her idea was clever and was looking for a bowl like hers. Guess what she found for me at a tag sale? This bowl has a worn blue edge that adds charm and I use it on my sewing table for leaders and enders.

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I was antiquing with a friend and happened upon the sugar mold pictured below. I liked the green color and I liked how some of the paint was worn. There were four sugar slots and I originally planned to use it as a candle holder.

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BUT, you guessed it! I decided it was the perfect organizer for pens, pencils, bias bars, chop sticks and all the other miscellaneous tools a quilter needs. I keep it on a shelf near my cutting table and it’s so handy to have everything at my fingertips!

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