Don't Toss Them Out! Upcycle Your Old Bed Sheets

Discover innovative and eco-friendly ways to repurpose your old bed sheets with our updated guide. Breathe new life into unused fabric.

Did you know that your old bed sheets can lead a fascinating second life beyond the linen closet? With a bit of creativity, they can transform into anything from chic home décor to practical everyday items.

Using old things in new ways is not just a trend; it is a way of life as we try to be more environmentally friendly. This updated guide to creating new things out of old bed sheets shows creative and environmentally friendly new ideas. No matter how experienced you are with do-it-yourself projects or how new you are to crafting, these projects are sure to inspire and delight you.

These ideas offer a range of new projects that cater to different interests and skill levels, from simple no-sew options to more complex sewing projects, all aimed at reducing waste and promoting sustainability through creative upcycling.

Fashion Forward with Bed Sheets

Boho-Chic Maxi Skirts

Create flowy, bohemian-inspired maxi skirts from patterned bed sheets. This project is perfect for beginners and adds a unique piece to your wardrobe.

A boho maxi skirt made out of old sheets.

Jammie Pants

With minimal sewing skills, one can turn old bed sheets into comfortable, easy-peasy jammie pants.

Clothing Linings

Solid-colored bed sheets can serve as an inexpensive lining solution for see-through garments.

Summer Dresses or Skirts

Lightweight bed sheets are perfect for sewing into simple summer dresses or skirts.

Bandanas or Headscarves

Create fashionable bandanas or headscarves, customizing them with fabric dye or stamps.

Practical Upcycling Projects

Custom Tote Bags

Durable and stylish, tote bags fashioned from old bed sheets are perfect for groceries or a day at the beach. Customize with fabric paint or patches for a personal touch.

Wreaths and Decorative Items

Following tutorials like the one by Two Shades of Pink, crafters can create cute wreaths and other decorative items from old bed sheets.

A white fabric wreath with flowers made from old sheets.

Produce Bags

Sew lightweight, breathable produce bags for your fruits and veggies. They’re washable and reusable, making them an eco-friendly alternative to plastic.

Pet Bed Covers

Sew easy-to-clean pet bed covers that can be swapped out and washed regularly.

Home Décor and Accessories

Braided Rug

Cut sheets into strips and braid them together to create a cozy, colorful rug. This project can be a fun way to involve the whole family.

Decorative Wall Art

Stretch and frame a section of a beautifully patterned bed sheet for instant, affordable wall art. This simple project can dramatically change the look of a room.

Wall art made from stretching bed sheet fabric over canvases.

Reversible Table Runners

Combine two bed sheets of contrasting colors or patterns to craft reversible table runners that match any season or occasion.

A reversible table runner made from old sheets.

Rags and Cleaning Cloths

An easy and straightforward way to repurpose any bedsheet. Simply cut the sheets into the desired sizes for a cost-effective cleaning solution.

Throw Pillows

Utilize old bedsheets to create decorative throw pillows for your bed or sofa, adding a touch of personalized decor to your living space.

Curtains or Room Dividers

Transform bed sheets into stylish curtains or room dividers to enhance privacy and décor.

Gardening and Outdoor Ideas

Picnic and Beach Blanket

Transforming bed sheets into picnic or beach blankets involves sewing two full-sized sheets together and adding quilting lines for stability.

Frost Protection

Gardeners can repurpose bed sheets to cover crops during light frosts, providing an easy and effective way to protect sensitive plants.

Outdoor Craft Project

Bedsheets offer a large canvas for children’s outdoor craft projects, enabling creativity and fun outside the house.

Bed Sheet Teepee

Creating a teepee from old bed sheets provides a fantastic play area for kids (and adults), with an amazing tutorial available to guide the construction process.

A children's teepee made from old sheets.

Protective Furniture Covers

Use bed sheets to create protective covers for outdoor furniture.

Frequently Asked Questions About Upcycling Bed Sheets

Yes! Both fitted and flat sheets work great. Consider the fabric type for your project—cotton is versatile, while silk or satin can add luxury.

Not at all! Many ideas are suitable for beginners, and there are even no-sew options available.

Use proper care when washing and handling. For items like tote bags, reinforcing seams can add durability.

After you’ve transformed your old bed sheets into something spectacular, why stop there? Dive deeper into the world of creative upcycling with our collection of ingenious tutorials. Each guide is packed with easy-to-follow steps and ideas to inspire your next project:

22 New Uses for Old Pill Bottles: Discover how to turn those little bottles into useful tools and charming decorations with this eye-opening guide.
12+ Fun Ways to Upcycle Holiday Cards After the Season: Keep the holiday spirit alive year-round with these unique ideas for repurposing your old holiday cards.
Mason Jar Crafts You’ll Love to DIY: Mason jars are not just for canning—explore a myriad of ways to transform them into decorative and functional pieces for your home.
20 Creative Uses for an Old Milk Jug: Don’t throw out your old milk jugs! Our tutorial will show you how to give them a second life in ways you never imagined.

Whether you’re a seasoned upcycler or new to the DIY scene, these tutorials offer something for everyone. Click through to unleash your creativity and make the most of items you already have at home. Let’s turn the ordinary into extraordinary together!

If you’ve found value in this blog post and enjoyed reading it, why not share it with your Pinterest community? Pin the image below and spread the love!

A Pinterest-friendly graphic for my post on upcycling bed sheets into new and creative things.

Using old bed sheets in new ways is not only creative, but it is also a way to live in a more environmentally friendly way. I think the important “takeaway” from this is that bed sheets are free or inexpensive fabric sources. Instead of hauling old sheets away in boxes, figure out if there is some way you can give them new life. That’s the homesteader way!

What’s the most creative way you’ve repurposed an old bed sheet? Share your projects and inspire our community!

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213 Comments

I made a Halloween costume from white bedsheets. – doctor’s or nurse’s scrubs complete with a scrub surgery cap.

Loved all your comments…It makes me feel good to see younger and older people share these ideas..Wish more and more people would share and use your ideas..By the way, I bought a waffle weave looked like new king size blanket for $1.00…I had foot surgery and had to stay off foot for 10 weeks , so I cut up the king blanket and made hand towels, washcloths, kitchen towels and some place mats..The towels I cut so I cut fringe them…The smaller pieces, I am using for dish rags and the pieces with edges I use for wipe ups or spills and also made a few to fit the swiffer…The color is a beautiful light lavender…Probably will give a couple sets to friends…and hope they enjoy them as much as I do..Happy sewing and making or whatvever all of you do…!!.

An old white sheet can be used as bandages in a pinch. I’ve used new curtains to make curtains for most of the rooms in our house. So easy and not as expensive as pre-made curtains or even fabric for them. Anything you can make with fabric, you can make with a good sheet. I lined a patchwork spread for our bed and lined it with a king sized sheet. We have tall queen sized bed.

great quality of the bed sheer

Hi, great ideas!
I make “angel gowns” for local NICU hospitals. (Burial gowns for the preemies who don’t make it.).
I use edged pillowcases, sheets, even lace curtains I find in thrift stores & yard sales, & trim w/ribbons & lace..
Some of those little ‘angels’ are so tiny, there isn’t anything to fit. I convert or shrink doll clothes patterns. And I offer a prayer that seeing their little angel dressed beautifully instead of just wrapped gives the parents a little comfort.

Anonymous says:

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You’re a saint! ???

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Jean says:

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I am a Volunteer at a hospital and a professional seamstress. I think your idea of making angle clothes is very thoughtful and kind.

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Jeniffer Foster says:

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OMG. What an amazing inspiring Blessing you’re DOING. I have a premiee and my grandson was a premiee too,, Both still with us that k the Lord. But I know the heart ache of not knowing and those I’m the NICU that didn’t make it. God bless you. And I am going to start doing the same making Angel Gowns here in Bakersfield CA. Tha k you for the inspiration.

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Sarah says:

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I just want to say thankyou for making the angel gowns. It brought a tear to my eyes. We were very fortunate that our preemie born at 25wks has grown into a beautiful 3yr old. As a thank you to our nicu I made the triangles that you put close to your skin then put in the incubator to offer comfort to the babies, as they can smell your scent. They were made from a cotton pillow case with Beatrix Potter animals on. I would love to improve my sewing ability to be able to make some very tiny baby clothes too, as they have to be adapted to accommodate all the many tubes and leads and minimal handling of such tiny babies, whose skin is so sensitive to touch. Thank you thank you thankyou x

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A cork board could be covered with a pretty sheet to give pizzazz to a room.

I covered the old solid plastic slats of my patio door blind. Measure slat width (back and front for size plus 1/2 inch for 1/4 inch seam) and length plus 1/2 inch. Undo the small hem on the bottom, iron, cut strips from bottom edge of sheet, to fit to the top with no hem on top. Fold on length, right sides together, sew length and bottom end, invert, iron, slide plastic slat into covering, at the top, poke a small opening to fit onto the plastic hook. lightly hot glue to top. With the edging from the top of the sheet, make a valance and hot glue that to the top of the metal support of the slats. If the sheet has a frilly, lacy edging, the valance is gorgeous!
PS I made one covering, tried it, liked it a lot, then I measured one complete sheet marking the lines on the wrong side with a pencil.

All great ideas, I used an old twin sheet for a quilt backing and it was so soft as it had been washed a hundred times.

There would be different types of usage the old mattress could do. Thank you for sharing!

These are all very cool ideas. My only problem is it implies that you have pretty colored sheets. I only have an ugly orange sheet. If I picture it as these projects… It doesnt look pretty.
Any suggestions on what to use it for?

Pamela says:

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Halloween

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Nancy says:

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You can add cool contrast trim to orange and make it pop. Another idea to use sheets for is tablecloths. Pillow cases can be trimmed at the top with neck and armholes for abtoddlers dress. No hem required. The pattern can be found on Pinterest.

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Anonymous says:

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Crochet a rug (bath mat)…can find cheap sheets at consignment shops to add other colors….so cute!

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susan says:

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Painting drop cloth

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When we do remodeling indoors that causes a lot dirt and dust hang a damp sheet in the doorways to catch the dust and keep the other rooms cleaner

Bee Bee says:

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When my kids were little I would put a sheet under the table and when they would drop food it would go on the sheet and not dirty the floor.

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I use thrift store sheets and curtains for doll and dollhouse linens, clothes, and what-nots like purses, suitcases, etc. I have tons of left over fabric, but it’s better than paying a fortune for smaller pieces of fabric at stores that have fewer fabric choices. I’ve also used pictures cut out of sheets to put on the walls, either in frames or if you soak the fabric in starch it will stick to the wall. was inexpensive to decorate my son’s room and bathroom when he was young. And I use fabric to cover boxes and bottles for use as gift packaging.

This was a god read! I love the reusable grocery sack idea!

My teenage boys liked western shirts, but they were expensive. I learned that if I placed my pattern pieces right, I could get 2 shirts from one double size flat sheet. There were scads of nice patterns in sheets, barely used, at the thrift stores.

Love it! I have to say, in our house, we use sheets for many things, especially since we bought a new sofa, King Boulevard from these guys – https://www.kingliving.com.au/furniture/sofas-modulars-recliners . We cover it with sheets when our baby is in the room , so breathing new life into the sheets is something I’m interested in.

I am making gnomes for every holiday. Call it my Norwegian heritage surfacing. Anyway flannel is expensive. I pick up flannel sheets that are bright and or patterned at yard sales or thrift shops at fraction of cost of fabric for this use

I like to make “bunn ruggs” out of old sheets. If they are a light color, I dye them. Then I cut them diagonally so there will be some give when I crochet the strips. Bunn Ruggs are squares crocheted that one uses to sit on to be more comfortable. I made over 40 this year as gifts. I also go to auctions and buy fabric (can get it very cheap!) If you want a very comfortable one, use a Queen size set to make one. King gives you more so it can be made big enough to fit on a recliner and not be “stingy”!

Camille nieblas says:

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what is a Bunn Rugg? a picture would be wonderful

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Chelsey says:

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I’d also love to know the answer to this. A Google search said, “Did you mean bunny rugs” and then showed me hundreds of pictures of coffee pots. So….

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1. Iceni says:
  
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  BUNN RUGS are for your BUM to sit on to be more comfy onmhard chairs etc.
  
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In our small town, some of the church Ladies used sheets to make adult bibs for the nursing home and put some Velcro on to hold them around in the back….

Great ideas! I love the wreath, especially. I would also like your readers to know that your local ASPCA or other types of animal shelters always welcome donations of old sheets and blankets, they have many uses for them.

Jessica Lane says:

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That’s great to know. Thank you Jinnie!

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Anonymous says:

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Our Humane Society turned down sheets. Said they couldn’t use them.

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Thanks for all the awesome ideas. I love to repurpose wherever possible. I used two stripey duvet covers bought from an op shop split them in half along one seam and then sewed the two large rectangles together to make one huge square which I then used to cover an Australian Hills Hoist clothes line, for a gazebo like tent for my grandsons first bithday party in the back yard. Just tie the corners onto the corners of the clothes line with cut off ties. Makes great extra shade. I then did the same with my own clothes line in the summer to prevent the clothes from getting parched in the summer sun and its cooler when hanging clothes on the line.

Brenda says:

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Great ideas. I miss hanging clothes up on the line outside.

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1. Mary says:
  
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  I still use a clothesline for most of my laundry in good weather and a wooden rack in bad weather stands inside.
  
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Vickey says:

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Great idea, Julie, thanks! I could do this on my rectangular clothesline both to shade the clothes from sun-decay, and to provide a barrier between the laundry and the birds…

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Cotton sheets make great rag curlers! Cut into strips about 6-8 inches long (depending on length of hair) and take a small portion of hair and start rolling up on strip of fabric and when you get near you head, tie the two ends of the rag around your hair. Sometimes we do a lose knot, so it doesn’t come out in your sleep. You roll with your hair damp and sleep in them and when you get up, you untie them and you have beautiful bouncy curls all day long! I have on daughter who her hair will only hold curl when I use this technique.

Mary says:

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I still use a clothesline for most of my laundry in good weather and a wooden rack in bad weather stands inside. I did that for my daughter when she was young. Lovely long curls.

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Ann Friederich says:

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Great idea

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It was in Potugese, not Spanish.

I love the pajama pants idea & will definitely have to try it.

I have used a bedsheets for making small petticoats for rag dolls.

I use them as strips for waxing my legs

Don’t Toss Them Out! Upcycle Your Old Bed Sheets