Projects for Recycled Wool Men's Suits

Don't throw away your wool suit just because there's a hole in the pants or the sleeves have been stained. A suit has a lot of good fabric in it that can be recycled into useful and attractive household items. Reusing your clothes can save you money and help our environment at the same time. Suits with bright colors or bold patterns are especially fun. So before you toss out grandpa's out-of-date plaid suit, think about giving it new life.

Wool suits are generally very sturdy, which makes them perfect material for a handbag. Suit jackets have a one or two piece back area that can be used for large parts of your bag. The pockets from the jacket, or even the pants, can be strategically placed or reattached in convenient placement on the bag. Buttons from the suit make great accessories, as do zippers. Take into account the pattern or design on the suit, and use it to your advantage when laying it out on your pattern.

Wool suits can be turned into fashionable throw pillows for any room. The strong fabric can take a beating from children or even pets. Choose suits that match your decor, or have a strong design on them, for a funky accent. For an added decorative quality, cut the pillow from the front of the suit and include the front pockets or buttons.

Make your old wooden chairs a little bit more comfortable with seat cushions fashioned from old wool suits. You may need more than one suit, depending on how many chairs you own, but a variety of colors and patterns may spruce up your room.

The long leg section on wool suit pants can easily be cut out to fashion part of a warm scarf. With double the fabric, you can make a long scarf. Depending on the feel of your suit, you may want to use a softer material as a backing for your scarf. For some added color, try using a few different suits and piecing together the scarf to make a stripe or patchwork design.

Cover up that battered hardcover or journal with a piece of your favorite wool suit. Either glue it directly to the book's cover, or attach just the edges to the inside endpapers. Buttons, pins or brooches, patches and other embellishments can all be attached to this fabric cover.

If it's time to replace your old Christmas Stocking, try using the fabric from your wool suit. A quilt style stocking can be especially interesting if you use a striped suit and alternate the direction of the pattern. A wool suit stocking adds a touch of masculinity to a man's mantel, and some elegance to any home.