These are really easy to make, and you can bust out a ton in an afternoon. That makes for a good gift to give someone! You can make these with a sewing machine, set to an 1/8″ edge, or you can do what is called a blanket stitch. This is the stitch I prefer and have used on my own covers. For thin fabrics, use only 1 to 2 threads of embroidery yarn....
Window stars are a really kid-friendly craft, but this one is a little more complicated than the basic version that I like to start kids off with. If you’re working with kids, this window star might be one that you make yourself while they fold their simpler stars, or it could be a chance to teach an older kid how to make the couple more advanced folds. Hands-on geometry is fun for all ages!...
GreenCraft is their ode to all things green, recycled, upcycled and more. In the premier issue you’ll find over 50 stylish and sustainable projects to inspire you. “Finding creative uses for old items is nothing new to artists, but the spirit of preserving the planet is more important than ever before and GreenCraft Magazine is here to honor and inspire those who find artistic applications for normally discarded resources.” GreenCraft is printed on recycled paper and will be published twice a year; every February and August....
Graphics on tumblers. Car decals. Cute sayings on T-shirts. All these craft projects are beautiful and fun. They’re also all made with vinyl. Vinyl as a product has been around for decades. Vinyl as a craft supply has been around for nearly as long. It’s the popularity and affordability of computerized die-cut machines, however, that has really brought craft vinyl into popularity. With a die-cut machine, it’s simple to create a perfect graphic from crafty vinyl, requiring only weeding and adhesion to make a complete product....
In the past few years, Ingeo™ fiber has been hitting mainstream markets. It offers the softness and drape of natural fibers, like cotton or silk, with the performance of synthetic fibers. It is often combined with cotton to provide improved wicking for high-performance sports wear. It is used in recyclable carpet tiles, coffee mugs, and one reader submission on Treehugger reports PLA-fiber bedding at Target. For us eco-crafters, PLA fiber is available as batting, fiber fill, and pillow forms....
The Eco Etsy team is a group of Etsy sellers dedicated to reducing, reusing, and recycling. They are committed to using recycled materials in both their products and packaging. The Eco Etsy Blog is a great resource for eco-tips, product features, and how-to’s for all crafters and artists trying to go green. P.S. Use your leftover brown paper bag scraps to make recipe cards or seed packet business cards. [Images by Linda Everett for Eco Etsy Blog]
Hat tip to our friends over at CRAFT for this awesome recycled find. By using two items you probably have in your recycle bin already, you can create a smart and simple garden bubbler, perfect for any flower or vegetable garden. Be sure to click through to the artist’s page for full directions on how to make your own. What other fun garden projects can you make with recycled items?...
We love a good mix tape remix around here. Heck, some of us even knit with used cassettes. Seamstresses, don’t you fret! You can get in on the recycled cassette action, too… Sonic Fabric weaves 50% cassette tape with 50% cotton into fabric. The really rad part about this fabric is that it retains the cassettes’ musical qualities: Amazing, right? Phish drummer Jon Fishman wore (and played!) a Sonic Fabric dress at their 2004 show in Las Vegas....
The temperature in England was delightful for our entire trip, so it wasn’t until I got home and unpacked that I tried on my new Stonehenge hoodie and had a distressing revelation: it was WAAAY too snug! I am 100% side-eyeing English Heritage for their faulty sizing on this one. While I know that some cultures have different standard clothing sizes, I definitely saw other XL British people out and about, so I’m sure it’s not just that my personal XL is not their national XL, ahem....
Want to sew clothes for kids that are really, truly cheaper than purchasing them even from your favorite thrift store? Upcycling is ALWAYS the answer. Using one XL T-shirt (total cost: $1, plus tax, from Goodwill), you can sew two pairs of shorts for any size up to your average early-elementary kid. Your kiddo will be so comfy in her soft jersey-knit shorts, she’ll love the awesome appliques taken from the T-shirt’s front, and you will have clothed her quickly and cheaply for the win....
I have some pretty exciting news: starting next Thursday, I’m going to be teaching an after school crafting class at the local Elementary school! Of course, I wanted to focus on teaching the kids about crafty reuse. I’m really excited about the chance to show this group of first- and second-graders the treasure trove of craft supplies right in their recycle bin and in nature. Here are some of the crafty projects I’ve rounded up to share with them (not necessarily in order of appearance): Next »
Got broken crayon bits, but the last thing that you need is to make MORE crayons with them? Here’s a really original project for your broken crayons, from Rachel at Kids Activities Blog [sic]: crayon wands! The tute here is much more kid-friendly than my own recycled crayons tute, as Rachel uses a candle warmer, not the oven, to melt her crayon bits (mental note: look for candle warmer at garage sales)....
We have a homemade valentine rule in our house. I mean, obviously. This year, one of my kids scandalously chose to design her valentines on the computer (Sigh…), but the other kid is happily making hers by hand, going from scrapbook paper to Perler beads to scissors and doilies, depending on her mood at that exact minute. One of her cutest creations so far are these paper fortune cookies that she made using the tutorial from Unsophisticook....
It seems too early to even think about Easter, but Easter goodies are already showing up in the stores! Before you spend money on items at the big box stores, try eco-friendly DIY projects like this one! As you know from my upcycled candle jar, I love using the jars from candles that are burned out. This week my roommate found three red candle holders (picture below) and said, “I bet you could make something for Easter with these....
My family hasn’t bought new underwear in years. Yes, I know that sounds really grim (and gross!), but the reality is quite different. Instead of wearing cheap, mass-produced, uniform, low-quality undergarments that have to be replaced regularly, I’ve found that sewing panties and boxer shorts, for people both big and small, really isn’t that hard. You can sew underwear from your own stash fabric–even scraps, for kids’ underwear!–or from awesome thrifted clothing, and the results are unique, way cheaper than store-bought, and often sturdier, since they can be made from higher-quality fabrics and sewn with care....
It might look like 80’s splatter paint, but it’s actually leaf art! This weekend, my nephew and I did some poking around outside. Our goal was to track down anything green. Thinking that most everything is brown and gray during the winter, Jordan was pretty surprised to realize that some plants do in fact stay green during the winter. We found ivy, monkey grass and even a few sprigs of parsley from my garden....
“Our mission is to produce and sell high quality yarns from natural fibers and design classic Vermont patterns. Transforming the many types of raw fibers into luxurious and long lasting yarn. The Green Mountain Spinnery helps to sustain regional sheep farming, and to develop environmentally sound ways to process natural fibers,” says their website. Using vintage equipment, Green Mountain Spinnery creates yarns that take any project from plain to prodigious....
Struggling to find organically-grown, fair trade cut flowers? You may want to skip the politics altogether, and simply make your own DIY wedding bouquets and other floral pieces for your wedding. You’ll invest more time in the process, definitely, but you’ll definitely save money, and your wedding will be all the greener for it. Even if you just add a few handmade elements as accents to your DIY wedding bouquets, you’ll still be saving resources (your own and the environment’s!...
Homemade Manly Bath Salts – Soothing, earthy bath salts are perfect for a stressed-out fella. Soothing Buckwheat Eye Pillow – These eye pillows would make a great gift to go with those bath salts! Upcycled Neck Warmer – Does your guy have a long commute on foot? Keep him warm! Etched Mustache Glasses – Thrifted glasses get a little personalization! Fallen Branch Slingshot – Is your guy a kid at heart?...
I tend to go on and on about how amazing empty peanut butter jars are (maybe because I have so many on account of Peanut Butter on a Spoon is a completely legitimate snack in my family?). They’re airtight, they’re shatterproof, they’re super clear, and they’re good for tons of things. Here are just a few! 1. bird house. Scroll down to find the one made from an empty peanut butter jar!...
