National Trust 597716, a 17th century sampler turned into a work bag

Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences H4448-7, a 17th century embroidery (possibly a coif or a jacket) turned into a pair of shoes, c. 1710; see also Early Modern Upcycling

Quilted silk jumps, early 18th century, probably “made from a bedcover or petticoat”

V&A 517-1877, a bedgown made in Great Britain c. 1720-1750, pieced from an embroidered textile (possibly a bedcover made c. 1690-1720)

Elizabeth Sinkler advertised that she “Grafts and Foots Silk, Worſted or Thread Stockings, alſo makes Childrens Stockings out of old Stockings, likewiſe makes Gloves and Mittens out of Stockings which are paſt Footing” (The American Weekly Mercury, May 31, 1739)
Elizabeth Boyd similarly placed advertisements in The New-York Gazette Revived in the Weekly Post-Boy for remaking stockings into other items: “Gloves, mittens and Children’s Stockings made out of Stockings” (Sept. 26, 1748) and “Gentlemen’s Gloves, Mittens or Muffatees made out of old Stockings … She likewise makes Children’s Stockings out of old Ones; at a very reasonable Rate” (April 1, 1751).

“an Iriſh Servant Man, named William Wall … Had on when he went away … linen Cap made out of an old Shirt” (The Pennsylvania Gazette, June 9, 1743)

“a Convict Servant Man, named Thomas Evans; he pretends to be a Sailor … He has a double-breaſted Sailor’s Jacket, two Pair of Trowſers, one of Oſnabrigs, and one made out of an old Sail” (Maryland Gazette, August 19, 1746)

“Samuel Hall. I am Constable, I searched the house where the Prisoner lodged, and found these two silk gowns, which the Prosecutor swore to before the Justice, was made out of her mantua.
Q. to Martha Mansel. Is this your property?
Mansel. It is; it was a large mantua, here is a piece to match it; she being but small, the gown and petticoat would make her two gowns.”
(Trial of Jane Avery, 5 April 1749)

“After this, I met the prisoner with one of the aprons on, and knowed it directly, it was made out of an old check shirt of my husband's.” (Trial of Eleanor, 4 December 1751)

“we found upon him a sheet made into shirts and shifts, and an apron, and the like, and his wife had on the quilt made into a petticoat; he had on a coat made out of a blanket, and another upon his son.” (Trial of Thomas Cooper, 15 May 1755)

National Army Museum 2006-08-53-1, the wool front section of a mitre cap embroidered with emblems of the 70th Regiment of Foot, turned into a lady’s pocket, c. 1760

National Trust 1367208, a gentleman’s embroidered waistcoat turned into a lady’s work bag, 1760-1775

A scroll on the trade card of Darby, Breeches Maker, Taylor & Draper, High Street, Ramsgate (c. 1760-1818) promises “Gloves made out of Silk Stockings.”

“one blue Cloth Waiſtcoat lined with Flannel, made from an old Coat” (The Public Advertiser, November 29, 1762)

“one John Hughes, by Occupation a Ditcher and Labourer … Had on when he went away, a Cap, old Hat, old brown Coat, old Lead coloured Pea Jacket, pieced with black at the Sides, to make it big enough for him, Check Trowſers, and another Pair made out of an old Canvas Tent.” (The Pennsylvania Gazette, September 6, 1764)

Colonial Williamsburg 1941-208,1, a lady’s brocaded silk sack-back gown turned into a man’s banyan, c. 1765-1775

“a Scotch ſervant man, named Robert Craig … had on when he went away … a jacket made out of an old Dutch blanket” (The Virginia Gazette, December 17, 1767)

“a Convict Servant Woman, named Eliſabeth Lloyd … Had on, when ſhe went away, a Linſey Woolſey Gown, Two Oſnabrig Shifts, with falſe Sleeves to them, made out of old Shirts.” (Maryland Gazette, July 28, 1768)

“The prisoner's girl, named Nell Ogle, made a petticoat of crimson damask, but she has since made away with it … Eleanor Ogle brought a man's morning-gown to me to make up into a petticoat; it was crimson damask.” (Trial of John Tresler, 5 April 1769)

Fashion Museum, Bath, a woman’s silk quilted petticoat turned into a pair of breeches

Colonial Williamsburg 1953-1152, an uncut waistcoat in silk, embroidered in France or England c. 1770-1780, and made into a lady’s apron

“Mrs. Elizabeth Hiscox deposed that a blue damask gown, which was produced by Joseph Fleming, was made out of her blue silk damask window curtains; she pointed out several marks of the damask, by which she know it … Samuel Jones, the upholder who made up the curtains, deposed to the gown's being made out of the curtains.” (Trial of Mary Andrews, 9 September 1772)

“an Iriſh ſervant man, named Thomas Bready … he carried with him ſundry other cloaths … a pair of mixed cloth breeches made out of an old coat turned” (Maryland Gazette, May 19, 1774)

Baby shoes made from a British soldier’s coat captured by Sgt. James Davenport (now on display at the Museum of the American Revolution); see Family mementos find home in new museum and Telling a Different Story (h/t Trisha da Cunha)

Concord Museum 2006.352, fragment of a pocketbook made from a drum head, New York, 1776

“ſhoes made out of an old pair of boots” (The Newcastle Weekly Courant, October 4, 1777)

DAR 99.72.2: “These green silk mitts are repurposed from a pair of silk stockings. The feet have been cut off and some of their fabric has been used to make the thumbs; the openings are bound with matching green silk satin ribbon. The striped tops of the stockings have been retained.” (See also A Pair of 18th Century Style Mitts Made From Old Stockings.)

Massachusetts Historical Society 4129, an embroidered silk muff that belonged to Hannah Dawes Goldthwaite Newcomb (1769-1851); “Exterior has embroidered design of an oval floral wreath with a posy of the same flowers and leaves on three stems, tied together with a blue bow. On the opposite side the muff has three seams from end to end at irregular widths apart, which might indicate this muff was fashioned from an earlier piece of clothing.” (See close-up photos.)

“I found an apron hanging on the line, and some table-linen on the table, which were made out of my shirts” (Trial of John Cooper et al., 12 September 1787)

“the table cloth is particular, made out of old towels, marked with my sister's name M. B.” (Trial of Joseph Briton, 13 January 1790)

“had his face covered with a remarkable brown woollen cap, which appears to have been made out of an old ſtocking; the cap was picked up a few yards from the houſe, ſoon after the robbery.” (The Gloucester Journal, January 18, 1790)

The spatterdashes on The Woodman (by Thomas Barker, c. 1790) appear to be made from an old pair of boots; see also this advertisement from Maryland in 1783, describing “a likely mulatto ſlave named BASIL … had on and took with him … a pair of boot legs, which he has ripped down the legs and laces up in imitation of ſpatter-dashes”)

“The bed gown was pawned in my name, the flowered one, it was made out of a petticoat” (Trial of Martha Fishbourne, 30 April 1794)

Met 1981.352.2, a gentleman’s embroidered waistcoat turned into a lady’s purse, c. 1795

“Here is an apron made out of a gown of mine, that I know very well.” (Trial of William Charles & George Webb, 16 April 1795)

“the calico morning-gown was made out of a long gown, I have a piece of it in my pocket” (Trial of Thomas Joslyn, 15 February 1797)

MFA 43.2004a-b, a pair of late 18th century stockings “made over into sleeves: feet cut off and hemmed, top trimmed and blue and white striped knitted silk gore added.” See also A Waistcoat With Stockings for Sleeves and Zoffany’s 1772 portrait of John Cuff.

Colonial Williamsburg 1971-1419, a sewing case (housewife) made from pieces of Martha Washington’s gowns, c. 1800

Colonial Williamsburg 1997-15, a set of c. 1770 sleeve ruffles turned into a collar, c. 1800

Winterthur 2016.0017, a quilt incorporating an 18th century cloak, probably made in the early 19th century; “Family tradition says the cloak was captured from a British soldier by an ancestor fighting in the northern campaigns, where the weather was coldest, during the American Revolution. The cloak was then likely passed down through the next two generations, and probably with a tale or two attached as well. Winterthur believes the quilt was most likely made by Myranda Codner Patterson (1808-1881) around the time of her marriage to Thomas Patterson in 1828.” (The Spoils of War, in Baby Shoes & a Patchwork Quilt)

International Quilt Museum 2005.016.0001, a mid-18th century hooded cloak and quilted petticoat pieced together to make a bed cover in the early 19th century

Historic Deerfield F.260, crewel-embroidered bedhangings from c. 1750-1800, made into a patchwork quilt c. 1800-1825

Augusta Auctions Feb 15 2023, Lot 1, a gown and waistcoat remade in the 1840s from an open robe and petticoat made of c. 1770s silk

OSV 26.23.218, an embroidered hand-pieced quilt; “The central section is pieced together and the top center piece appears to be a recycled pocket.”

V&A 1438-1871, a pocket made c. 1840-1850 using metal thread-embroidered silk velvet from the late 18th century

Fancy Dress Bodice from the early 1880s, made from a late 18th century man’s embroidered court waistcoat, in the John Bright collection; “The two fronts of the original waistcoat have been mounted onto a cream silk twill lining and shaped with long boned darts; they are fastened with hooks and eyes with additional non functioning buttons covered in tiny metallic beads to one side. Fortuitously, the pointed bottom edges typical of later 18th Century waistcoats correspond to the double pointed hems that were a feature of some bodices at this time. A new back and high collar have been cut from the same silk in contemporary style with appropriate boning, and below the waist the back has been shaped to accommodate the breadth of the re-emerging bustle. New sleeves of pale blue-green silk ruched into puffs with horizontal bands of hand stitching are the clearest pointer to the date of this adaptation.”