So get out that basket of fabric scraps, because here’s how to some mini quilt blocks the quilt as you go way! Materials You will need: interfacing. I don’t usually like to buy proper interfacing, instead subbing in whatever scrap fabrics I’ve already got squirreled away. Eco-fi recycled polyester felt, for instance, makes an excellent backing for my quilt as you go bookmarks, and scrap batting works really well in my quilted coasters....
There are so many things you can use from your trash or recycling to help make your garden grow. Garden Containers I have my egg cartons saved from Easter and I have two boxes of pellets to go in the cartons along with seeds I saved from last year’s plants and a few new packets I bought. I also have some fab pots and containers I found while cleaning out my basement I plan to use in the garden and the old bathtub saved from the remodel but I’m not sure if it’ll become a garden bed or small pond yet....
Got some old votive holders that are feeling a little bit blah? Raid your stash of burlap, and give them a quick, easy makeover! What I love about this tutorial from our sister site Sustainablog is that it’s customizable. Sure, you can go with a votive holder and burlap, like in the picture, but you can also use what you have. No burlap? Use any cool fabric scraps you have handy!...
Grab an old water bottle from a recycle bin and start a water bottle garden! Of course, the best way to reduce plastic waste is to skip buying things in plastic. Unfortunately plastic bottles can feel almost inescapable, can’t they? I see them lying in the road or peeking out of recycle bins all the time, even though I try to avoid buying drinks in plastic bottles for myself. Next time you run across an empty plastic bottle, don’t get glum....
For those of us who enjoy being a part of the creative process or are beginning to experiment with do-it-yourself projects, then Crafting a Green World is for you! We’ll be featuring everything from eco-patterns, supplies, and creators to book reviews and event/sale notices. Crafting a Green World (CAGW) is working to be your #1 resource for organic, natural, and recycled crafty projects, products, media, and businesses. Whether you are a novice, a pro, or somewhere in between, Crafting a Green World will have the sustainable crafty content you are looking for....
Need an idea for what to do with old bath towels that are past their prime? Turn them into cute wash cloths! You can soak ’em in Oxy Clean and wash ’em with vinegar, but after a while those old bath towels just bite the dust. Maybe they have a hole or a stain or are fraying on the edges. Whatever the reason, you don’t have to send your old bath towels to the landfill!...
Gather your bags. I separated mine by color, but why not go crazy and mix and match? Start by cutting off the handles and the bottom of the bag. The result will be a nice smooth rectangle, as the bottom gatherings will have been removed. Cut the bag into long strips of “yarn.” You can do this two different ways. One is to cut the bag in one continuous spiral or the other is to cut the bag in a zig-zag pattern as in the picture....
Functional garden signs, like plant markers, are definitely important, but sometimes you just want to add a little bit of pretty to your garden. These adorable, recycled, DIY garden signs will deck out your garden in DIY style! Wooden Stake Sign – Use wooden letters to add a colorful message to your garden. Hamilton Sign – Julie put Hamilton lyrics on pallet wood, and it’s the cutest! Moss Graffiti – Turn your garden wall into a beautiful sign with all natural graffiti made from moss....
Unfortunately, some store-bought curtains reduce your overall positive environmental impact. Perhaps they’re made entirely of polyester. Maybe that blackout lining is essentially just a layer of plastic. Perhaps the fabric has been chemically treated to be stain- or water-resistant. Possibly your curtains have been coated in flame retardants that will, yes, keep them from blazing in a house fire but will also merrily off-gas into your bedroom for the first month....
It’s time to DIY! Whether you make your sewing table from scratch or modify it from an existing piece of furniture, DIYing it is a great way not only to avoid buying something else new that will one day end up in the waste stream but also to make yourself the exact custom sewing table that you need, exactly the way you want it. Want a drop-in table for your machine?...
It seems a little strange to promote real-live paper-and-stamp mail on an eco-friendly crafting site, I know. Think of the paper used! Think of the energy spent transporting a letter across the country, when you could just email someone for the energy spent on electricity and wi-fi! Nevertheless, I was raised in the South, and I hold these truths to be self-evident: thank-you notes must be written by hand and mailed....
Got an old deck of cards that’s missing the queen of hearts or a Scrabble set that’s missing a Q? Don’t send that board game to the landfill! There are lots of ways to repurpose those old games! Before we get down to the crafty goodness, this is my plea: when crafting with old board games, stick to ones with missing pieces or that are too damaged to play. You might not think that 1970’s version of Pit is worth salvaging, but that game might make someone else’s day!...
We’ve got exactly a week to get Christmas sorted out, y’all. Are you panicking? Don’t panic. You’ve got this, because we’ve got nine last-minute Christmas gifts that you can make quickly in batches. Years ago I realized that the key to a low-stress handmade holiday was figuring out gifts that I could make in big batches. And over the years, I’ve gathered some tried-and-true batch gifts that work well for most of the folks on my list....
If you are looking for some fabulous one-of-a-kind holiday gifts, and you live in the Bay Area, visit Bazaar Bizarre SF on thanksgiving weekend November 30th in Golden Gate Park. If you would like to attend Click here for more information! Bazaar Bizarre is a part of the Maker Faire (we mentioned in May) hosted by Make Magazine and Craft Magazine. Check out their gallery of past events for some inspiration!...
The beach is such a wonderful place. The waves, the sand, the sun, the wind and the veritable treasures that the ocean provides is a wonderful sensory smorgasbord! I love tide pools and the small vignettes of life found within. I love picking up and looking over beautiful pebbles, shells and sea glass. I usually don’t take any of the small treasures that I find, often admiring them then giving them back to the waves....
Welcome to the first Carnival of Green Crafts! For more information about the Carnival, please see the Carnival of Green Crafts home page here at Crafting A Green World. We’re pleased as punch to announce that the next Carnival will be August 9th at BlogHer, courtesy of Hobbies, Crafts & DIY Contributing Editor Debra Roby. Send in your posts via the carnival submission form today! Thanks so much to all the crafters who shared their posts with us for this Carnival....
If you’re ready to get your leaf on, sew up these simple but sophisticated leaves from Amy Butler Design. The fabric that’s used for the pattern photo is from the Amy Butler fabrics collection, and I like how it shows the interest that an unexpected fabric pattern brings to the leaf. You’re not sick of pumpkins, are you? I think these Hostess with the Mostess paper pumpkin ornaments, which are unusual and really rather subtle, are not at all Halloween-y....
Ahem. Um…I really like Craftster? In my own challenges to work only within the boundaries of my ethical beliefs (I really do follow my green crafting manifesto), I find Craftster to be one of my best guides. Crafting from primarily recycled materials doesn’t often make working to a pattern or specific tutorial easy, but Craftster, with its indie spirit and overarching environmental ethic, provides a lot of both abstract and direct inspiration....
Dismantling A Wood Pallet SUUUUUUCKS! I have written before about the different methods of dismantling a pallet, and how much I hate each of them. I may have to find yet another method because this time–perhaps my demolition blade is dulling?–it was nearly unworkable. I made zero progress on my own, and even My Husband of the Big Biceps had a heck of a time, and split so many pieces of wood in the process that we were in danger of having to take apart a second pallet just so I could build one bird house....
Supplies Needed : Funky jeans past their prime (beyond patching or your style threshold) Scissors Sewing machine or mad hand sewing skills Thread of any color you enjoy Step one: Choosing Use either old jeans, or thrift jeans that you really love the color of but you just don’t wear that MC Hammer style anymore. Just make sure the jeans fit your hip or waist where you plan to wear the skirt....
