Lately I’ve been a bit obsessed with all things vintage. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed me sharing lots of my favorite finds. My love of vintage bed sheets may or may not have become intervention-worthy, but I can’t wait to share these 15 genius ideas for repurposing vintage sheets!

Why I Love Vintage Linens

My mother is a quilter and because of that, I’ve developed an appreciation for vintage quilts, afghans, fabrics and linens.

The deliciously soft texture of the worn fabric, the delightful colors and patterns just make me smile.

Since I’ve become somewhat of a minor hoarder, I’ve been doing a lot of research on how to upcycle these lovely finds.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing simple ideas for upcycling items that have a lot of life left in them with you here. You’re not going to want to miss a single thing, I promise!

What to Do with Vintage Bed Sheets

Today, I’m going to focus specifically on vintage bedding. Below are more than 15 inspirational ideas for repurposing these treasures, plus ways to score your own fabulous vintage floral sheets.

Pennants and Bunting – Years ago I bought a beautiful bunting made from vintage sheets. Not only does this come out to decorate every birthday party for both of my girls, but it hangs on the wall of my daughter’s bedroom every other day of the year.

Clothing – I’m so charmed by these beautiful clothes made from vintage sheets and fabrics. How gorgeous are these tea-length bridesmaids dresses?!

And, I absolutely love this idea for upcycling scraps into a darling sundress for girls.

 

I can’t imagine a better use for the super–soft texture of vintage sheets. Pajama pants are the ultimate lounging luxury, don’t you think?

I tried my hand at making pajama pants from vintage sheets recently and my girls and I LOVE them. And who doesn’t want to match their mom? Uh, yes please!

We will definitely be adding more pairs of these cozy, repurposed vintage linen sleep pants to our collection soon.

Even better? I was able to make three pairs of mommy-and-me matching sets for less than $1 total. Score!

Bedding – This seems like perhaps the most obvious idea for reusing old sheets, but I don’t see it done nearly enough! Just look how beautiful and colorful these quilts are. Can you imagine how soft they must be?!

With a little thread and time, you can take a king sheet and turn it into a perfectly sweet twin bed skirt or patchwork quilt!

Pillows – Another great idea for upcycling old bed linens is to sew pillow shams or throw pillows. This idea is especially great if you only have a remnant to work with.

I can picture pairing these with a vintage quilt or contrasting it against solid bedding. How darling!

Fitted Sheets – How sweet for a baby nursery – making fitted crib sheets! It’s easy to make something unisex with vintage bedding, the colors are sweet whether you’re having a boy or a girl!

Aprons – How adorable are these? Wouldn’t these be perfect for a girl’s bake shop birthday party? And anything that makes cooking together more fun, I’m all about.

Basket Liners – Wouldn’t vintage basket liners be adorable in a laundry hamper, or a bedroom or linen closet? They’d also do a great job tying together a playroom or kids’ room.

Doll Accessories – When I was a little girl, my best friend’s mom made me sleeping bags for my Cabbage Patch dolls that I loved so much! Perhaps it’s why I’m smitten with these!

And, how stinkin’ sweet is this doll-sized quilt and sham made from vintage fabrics? Even better, make one to match your girl’s bedding so they can twin!

Photography Props – It makes my heart happy to see these beautiful finds used as photography props. There’s something so pure and sweet about them.

My talented friend at Little Fawn Photography took this lovely portrait – you can see how vintage sheets are perfect for outdoor and newborn photography!

Here is another example of how to use my vintage bunting that I mentioned earlier. It makes such a darling photo prop! It’s easy to make in so many different colors for any time of year.

And, can you imagine a sweet newborn photo in this miniature bed with a vintage quilt and pillow?

Tablecloths – If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ve likely seen me use vintage linens as tablecloths.

Such an easy and inexpensive way to swap out your table coverings by season or occasion for handmade vintage table linens that your guests will adore.

Ways to Score Your Own Vintage Linens

Now that you’re inspired to use vintage linens in your own home, you may be wondering where you can get some.

Of course, you could raid your grandmother’s linen closet, but if you’re like me, you couldn’t bear to cut those up! They’re way too sentimental.

Instead, I’ve had some success finding them at thrift stores, vintage shops and flea markets. Depending on the size, pattern, and condition of the sheet, you can expect to pay anywhere between $7-$18 per sheet.

If driving around town in search of the perfect pattern isn’t your idea of a good time, I highly recommend visiting Etsy. There you’ll find that the store owners have done all of the work for you. The fabric is handpicked, cleaned and shows up at you door. What’s not to love?

It just so happens that I have my own shop where I’m de-stashing some of my own vintage finds that may be exactly what you need for your vintage sheet DIY!

Please check it out and let me know what you think of my finds! I’d love to help make your project a reality with the perfect vintage linens!

Do you have other ideas for reusing vintage bed linens and fabrics? Let me know in the comments below!