Crafts on a shoestring
72Scraps Can Be Used For Many Projects
Lately I've been thinking a lot about DIY crafts (Do it yourself) and crafts on a budget. Partly because it helps save our resources so we don't bleed the planet dry, and partly because if you've been doing crafts for over forty years like I have, you end up with all kinds of scraps and bits and pieces left over that are too good to toss but cost money and space and time to store and organize.
One of my favorite sites for DIY crafts is http://www.threadbanger.com. I've already done several of the projects from that site.
Pick any craft and odds are good you'll find many sites on line with free instructions, illustrations and videos.
I particularly enjoy making quilts out of leftover bits from sewing clothing, items made from worn out denim jeans, and reusing old t-shirts. There is no reason any of these need to go to the landfill.
Even if you have none of your own scraps, if you put the word out, things will come to you. If you know people who sew put a bug in their ear that you can use any scrap no matter how small. If you knit or crochet, take it out to the park or lunchroom with you. You'd be surprised how many people have bits of yarn from aunt so-and-so hidden away in their closet that they really want to give to someone who will do it justice.
As far as t-shirts go, at least in the USA, every time you enter a run, or work at a festival, or have a company picnic, you seem to be given a t-shirt. You can use t-shirts cut into a long spiral strips to make t-shirt yarn or you can cut the front and back off to make a blanket or a pillow or many other items. There is a whole new wave of books out now on just how to do that.
Right now I am making a postage stamp quilt out of bits and bobs of fabric. Each square is just 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" so I can use pretty small scraps for it. Just like our foremothers did, these quilts were designed to make the most of worn family clothing to make blankets to stave off the freezing winters. Even in a small family, you can probably find enough discarded clothing to make at least one quilt.
I also enjoy making small fabric postcards and brooches (pins). Those take the tiniest snippets of fabric, lace, buttons, charms and ephemera. It's a good way to use up leftover beads & trim after your main project is finished.
Don't be afraid to trade. If you have piles of leftover yarn trade it with someone that has piles of leftover fabric. I know http://www.etsy.comhas a category for supplies where you can post your leftover craft items & someone else can snap them up for whatever price you put on them. I'm sure other sites do that as well. I've seen people devote a page on their website to items they have to trade and 'destash' from their personal stash.
These projects are a lot of fun and give you a warm feeling inside. It's a great way to teach your children about thrift and creativity. And you'll save money because you will be using things you already paid for years ago instead of buying new.
Postage Stamp Quilt
Make a Collage
100 Things to Make With Bits & Pieces
T-shirt yarn:
1. bathroom rug
2. throw pillow
3. wall hanging
4. comforter
5. picnic table tablecloth
6. body pillow
7. sewing machine dust cover
8. replacement for canopy cover
9. picnic blanket
10 retro skirt
Old t-shirt fronts and backs
11. picnic blanket
12. headbands
13. backpack
14. laundry bag
15. halter top
16. paint smock
17. garden 'bras' to support fruits and veggies
18. shop rags
19. cat toy
20. dust mitts
Worn denim
21. quilts
22. bellbottoms
23. pants converted into skirts
24. hat
25. table runners
26. hot pads
27. place mats
28. pins and necklaces
29. camera case
30. guitar case
Fabric Scraps
31. postage stamp or string quilts
32. fabric postcards
33. pins
34. earrings
35. house slippers
36. potholders
37. hats
38. aprons
39. skirts
40. ties
Found Objects
41. collages
42. decoupage
43. papier mache'
44. jewelry
45. greeting cards
46. journals
47. shadow boxes
48. time capsules
49. found art
50. puppets
Scrap Wood
51. atlatls
52. birdhouse
53. folk art
54. dollhouse
55. dollhouse furniture
56. whirly gigs
57. whittled animals
58. walking sticks
59. jacob's ladder
60. change dish
61. bowls
62. spoons
Out of Gourd scraps
63. earrings
64. marionettes
65. play armour
66. mask
67. doll
68. wind chimes
69. planter
70. nick-nack dish
Mismatched Socks
71. doll clothes
72. beanie (skully)
73. sock monsters
74. sock monkeys
75. catnip mousies
76. fingerless gloves (mitts)
77. draft stoppers
78. sleeves to protect jewelry while traveling
79. tied to your belt for a quickie 'purse'
80. to hold your juggling balls or any small object you don't want to lose in a giant bag.
81. dog tug of war toy...stuff with rags and knot the end
Leftover Paper
82. Blender paper
83. origami
84. greeting cards
85. paper flowers
86. rolled up newspapers can be used to make furniture
87. paper airplanes
88. shredded paper can be used as packing material
89. confetti eggs
90. papier mache masks
91. love letters
92. gift wrap
93. party hats
94. party favors
95. garlands and leis
96. use old phonebooks for pressing flowers
97. compost shredded paper
98. paper dolls
99. kirigami
100. crowns
If you don't know any of these terms, you can research them using your favorite search engine or the public library. This list is by no means exhaustive, but a jumping off point on a new craft adventure.
Make Your Own Cards With Pen and Ink
Tatting
Aids Quilt
Tie Dye a T-shirt
My Craft-a-day blog
- Paper Valentines Cards
I spent today designing Valentine's Day cards for a tutorial. Hopefully I'll get it written and posted tomorrow because I'm running out of time. Some of them are simple enough to do with your children. Others are a bit more sophisticated, but surely there is something for everyone. My Grandson Puppy Love
- Crochet Some Hearts
I couldn't resist trying this. I just grabbed some acrylic yarn that was laying on my desk, but I thought it came out pretty cool anyway. This is all one strand of yarn.
- Loving My Junk Journal
As soon as my boyfriend wakes up I'll clean off my printer and scan the heart collage I did in my Junk Journal yesterday. I'm totally digging the junk journal concept. I'm throwing all kinds of things into it, from project ideas, to poetry, papers, stamps, rubber stamps, and all the ephemera that floats around my house. I filled the journal with envelopes to tuck things into like recipes, receipts, postcards new and used, bits of trim, photos. It's not really fit for public viewing, but now and them I can scan one of the artsy pages and share it here. It helps me test out techniques before I try them on a commercial project. My playing around and screwing up I come up with fresh ideas. Fancy tissue paper collaged with ModPodge
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MOONMAIDEN *gasp* You're BAAAAAAAAAAACK! *slides on socks, crashes into the wall* Hey - great hub. I am comin' over to do quilting withya. I'll bring my scraps. I'll start walkin', so I won't be there for about...oh, 6 months! That should give ya time to 'prep'!
Great ideas Moonmaiden! I love the quilt... Bet it is soft!
Creativit: Thanks for your support.
teeray:
Laughs, Teeray you are a total crack-up. If you knit while you walk you'll have scarves for everyone by the time you walk to CA. Thanks for the warm greetings.
Cindy thanks. You slid that comment in while I was editing.
Ummm I don't knit, Moonmaiden, but you can show me how to knit once I get there! I can spell 'k-n-i-t' and p-e-a-r-l tho' and I know that you're supposed to have the TV or radio on when you're knitting 'cos I watched my gram do that a lot! I'll carry a radio in my backpack just in case your TV goes 'on the fritz' on my way over heh. So I think I am on the right track and could learn to knit pretty quickly, eh?
Hah!
I'm sure you could do anything you set your mind to, and it's PURL. Laughs. I may have to write another hub after getting all these warm fuzzies.
Moonmaiden, I did the T-shirt quilt about 30 years ago. This is a great way to do concert T-shirts if you wear them out. Unfortunately for me, my quilt was lost in a house fire. I am with you on recycling items into our crafts, Your hub provides a lot of good suggestions. Thank you for sharing your crafty experience. C.S.
Hi C.S.
Thanks for sharing your personal story with us.
I particularly like the t-shirt pillow ideas. Those are pretty cool - got more pics of some of those? Okay I got it - P-U-R-L lol
Actually the pillow is made from a sweatshirt. Cut a rectangle out of cardboard in the largest size that will fit on the front of your sweatshirt, and cut the front and the back at the same time. Sew the seams leaving a 5" gap and turn right side out and stuff with filling. Hand stitch opening shut with a blind stitch or an overcast stitch.
Since I wanted to put my juggling balls inside mine, I fastened it with buttons instead and used the six juggling balls as the filling. Or you can fill it up at the park with a sweater or some scarves. That way you can use it on a train or bus and then wear the sweater when you get out in the cold again.
Great ideas! I get blocked occassionally on new ideas. Thanks for yours. I've made the t-shirt quilts for my niece's and nephew's graduations.
oh my gosh!!! I can't believe this has been here and I didn't find it!! I learned all kinds of new thing. Thanks especially for the video about the collages. I was dying to try one, and had never done it. Now my mind has gone nuts! am going to start one tomorrow. I have Sooo much stuff to do this with,. and the collages are perfect for using that stuff I can't seem to throw away. I think I have found a "kindred spirit" in you!
Laura T.
Cool hub very informative, I love using scraps it just makes my day with I can use them up. Thanks for the inspiration.
Creativita 3 years ago
Good job, moonmaiden...so many things to make, so little time. -Helen