What to Do with an Old Down Comforter

Down comforters are a cozy, often expensive piece of bedroom bliss. These comforters are soft and extremely warm, but also extremely difficult and expensive to clean. Most recommended cleaning on a down comforter is dry cleaning, but some labels say washable. Even so, this may damage some of the feathers. Through the years and regardless of washing type, the comforter loses some feathers and becomes dingy and it's time to replace it. Instead of throwing that dingy blanket away, there are many ways to get more use out of your old "comforting" friend.

Because the down feathers retain heat very well, a down comforter is a perfect addition to a vehicle that will experience winter weather. Should the car ever break down or stall in bad weather, the blanket absolutely will keep you and your passengers warm while keeping body heat from escaping.

Make some comfy down pillows. Depending on the size of the comforter and its wear, you can make a number of pillows from the comforter and its contents.

Choose the size you would like to use for a pillow. Start by finding two areas on the comforter that have no unsightly stains or rips, tears or holes. Cut two equal squares of fabric. You can decide the size and shape of a down pillow that will suit you. As you cut the blanket, make sure to throw all feathers into a plastic bag as you take them out to ensure easy collecting and cleanup.

Once you have two identical size squares, turn them inside out, with the good sides facing each other. Then begin sewing all four edges until there are 1 to 2 inches left to sew on the last edge. Set the needle down and turn the pillow case inside-out through that hole. Though it may seem a bit difficult to do the final steps through this small hole, this procedure hides the seam and is done strictly for appearance.

The good side of the material should now be on the outside. Begin shoving feathers you've collected into that hole until it is at a firmness you like. Sew up the remaining hole. Make sure all sewing is tight so that no feathers will leak out, though some always seem to poke through.