Great ideas when you are cleaning out your closets after the holiday rush!

Here are some great ideas when you are cleaning out your closets after the holiday rush!  Found a really great blog on how to recycle clothing read this from money saving Mom and get some good tips on consignment shops.  My problem is when I go, they reject so much.  I like to donate to a certain extent, but am trying this year to reuse, recycle, grow and compost as much as possible.  I want to keep the cash I have put out, paying me back as much as possible.  I racked my brain on what to do with the left over clothes.  You can only get so much of a tax deduction and then you are done.
My parents were much older than all my friends.  My relatives even got confused this year with which group I belonged to for pictures, my cousins or my cousins children.  I teased that it was the first because I was the baby, but it is true.  Lots of stuff was passed down from my grandmothers depression era sewing, but only in my brain.  I never followed up.  So I started thinking about my fathers mother and her great quilts, always made out of dress or shirt scraps.  I did some of that this year for my rice bags.  Then I though about my mothers mother and the fact she made me some great Halloween costumes from scraps.  I remember a whole Indian princess costume from burlap sacks.  Why can't I do things like they did this year?  I can do it and help to recycle, save money and save the environment in my own little way.
A few things I came up with are listed here with links:
1.  If you have babies, friends that do or even grandchildren and can sew at all, these patterns for diapers and wipes are great.  So many of us are trying to go green and this is a wonderful way to do it yourself or help someone you know who is, get greener.  Thank you Zany Zebra for the many options and patterns you have listed.  They allow you to even use left over t-shirts!  She also gives you tips for washing them on her main pages.
2.  Everyone loves quilts or baby blankets. These are great gifts for Mom's to be, or me....ooo...ooo....pick me.  This is an EASY one you can  make with old clothes.  I know, they say they used flannel, but you can use cotton or anything else.  I would choose to use all the same type of material, but still this is great.  Use old flannel sheets or pillow cases if you want, but these are neat.  Rag quilts.
3.  OKAY!!!!  This is my favorite - my friend Heather's Aunt sews her new pillow cases each year for Christmas.  I thought, man, I love those.  They look and feel so much better than the store bought ones.  Why can't we make these with left over clothes.  Since it is something you sleep with, I recommend cotton or flannel, but use what you want as long as it is non flammable.  Watch this woman, this is amazing.......we can do this....Easy Tube Pillow Cases.  You can make these and send them to our troops too.  They are asking for pillowcases from home.
4.  Okay, always have to take it a step too far.  But I am making some of these just to have on hand in case of an emergency.  Flood, power outage or volcano, who knows.  Anything that means I can't re-stock.  They are a necessity.  Sanitary pads.  The Hillbilly Housewife has this one down pat and she uses them all the time.  So here is her post on how to make your own Sanitary Pads.

Explore and have fun, make some pot holders or make a baby doll for the little girl in your life, start looking here Rag Doll.  This is the first of many she has posted to complete a doll.  Just remember to try and be a little greener if you have time.  People will appreciate those gifts you start now for this next Christmas.  You can do them with little money and lots of love if you start thinking and planning now.  Thank you for reading what I post and please send me ideas back in the comments, if you have any, feedback is much appreciated.  Suggestions on posts you would like to see are great too.  After all, I have the time right now.  What homemaking stuff would you like to know about?  Also, if you have any friends you think would like my ideas, let them know.  I love having peeps out there.  The more the merrier!