Making New Cleaning Rags

 

I had worn the seat out of my favorite red flannel pajama pants.  I probably should've given them up last year, but I wasn't ready to let them go.  I also have a couple bath towels that are beginning to show their age and are starting to look pretty ratty.  I decided to take one of those towels and convert it into some much needed cleaning rags.

 

Initially my plan was to cut up the towel with scissors and zig zag the edges with my sewing machine to help minimize fraying.  But then I had the idea to reuse my pajama pants to make rags too.  The flannel was a bit too thin but if I paired it with the terry cloth towel…..  hmmm.

 

So that is what I did.  I used my homemade pattern from when I made cloth napkins and cut out four squares from the bath towel.  Then I slit open the pajama pants at the inseam and was able to get four squares of flannel.  I used a 1/4" seam allowance to stitch a flannel square to the terry cloth square leaving an opening.  After trimming all four corners I turned them right side out and top stitched along the edge to finish them.  

Only one problem!  I think they are too pretty to actually use as rags.

 

Along with the rags I used scraps leftover of the towel to cut two rectangle pieces the same size as my mop head to make a homemade Swiffer pad.  I stitched the rectangles together at the edges then added three rows of stitching down the middle to hold the pieces together nicely and prevent them from twisting.

 

This thing works great!

Next I placed two strips of the widest elastic I had across each end to hold it onto my mop.  To finish it off I added matching seam binding I had in my stash.  I am horrible with seam binding, however I do think it turned out quite nice.  I think I may make myself another one too as this was a much easier project then I thought it would be.  I also have more of that towel to use up .  So what to do you think?  Time well spent?