Guest Post by Alise from Papilio Prints

Everybody has that one piece of fabric that’s connected too emotionally to throw away yet too old to be worn. They are mostly stacked at the bottom of the dresser drawers or in the darkest corners of the wardrobes, where it is most likely to be never seen again.

Holding on to clothes that we do not use prove to be a complete waste if one doesn’t believe in donating or selling them. So let’s bring out the old pieces of fabric and try some crafts.

Below are the most practical and innovative ways to transfigure a pinched piece of fabric into a day to day household accessory. Out of our old fabric junkies we can make a trendy new bag, a soft pillow, a handy cleaning tool, hair bows or a pretty watch strap, or even a rag-rug.

A Trendy New Bag:

Credit: https://www.marthastewart.com/1106890/diy-buckle-tote-bag/

Bags are just a step away from turning into a tote to wear over your shoulder. To make a bag you need two pieces of 10 inch (25.4cm) by 5 inch (12.7cm) fabric pieces for the lining and two long pieces of fabrics to make the handles. To prepare the handles take two segments of fabrics of equal size and fold them into halves along the length. Hem along the open edges of either handles and then turn them right side outwards and iron flat. Keep the handles aside and start working on the bag. Sew the junk fabrics into two large rectangles approximately about 10 inch (25.4cm) by 5 inch (12.7cm) each and then match the sewn scrap fabric with the lining material. Slip the ends of one of the handles amidst the two sections so that the handle ends are fixed between the fabrics at the top of the tote. Hem the surface of the tote to secure the handles. Repeat the same method for the other half of the bag as well. Now take both the halves of the bag and pin them together with the lining face projecting outwards. Hem the bottom and the sides and turn the finished tote right side up.

There are numerous books available in the market like the “simply sublime bags” which contain instructions for making more than over 30 bags with very little or no sewing.

A Soft Pillow:

Credit: https://theturquoisehome.com/easy-diy-throw-pillow/

There are three fundamental steps one needs to follow to make great and inexpensive throw pillows. Hem two square scrap fabrics into a pocket, fill with cotton or other unused clothes and hem the top shut.

Firstly, assemble a pile of fabric scraps, material for the stuffing, a needle and a thread. Organise the scarp fabrics into a desired shape. The easiest method to achieve a proportional shape is to cut scraps of equal sizes. Now sew the scraps together which becomes the front panel repeat the same for the back panel . Then place the panels flat with the inside facing outside and use pins to hold them together.

Next, hem along the three sides of the pillow, continue sewing the fourth side leaving a small hole to fit the stuffing. Now turn the sewn fabric right side up and start stuffing. Now sew the hole shut.

Credit: https://www.thriftyfun.com/Making-a-Pillow-With-Fabric-Scraps.html

A Handy Cleaning Tool:

You can use old T-shirts or tank tops to make cleaning tools. To start with, place the fabric flat and cut off all extremities like sleeves or straps to attain a square or a rectangle shape then stain every 10 inches of the rag with a sewing crayon. Shred the rags in the marked places. Tear in straight lines.

Choose fabrics made of cotton flannel or any other lint free material so they don’t leave trails while cleaning. A nice light weight rag is perfect for dusting. To increase the lives of the rags sew the edges to abstain them from fraying. Thin materials also do well for polishing metals.

Hair Bows:

Pretty hair bows can be made at home with no expenses using your scrap fabrics.

Making the bow base:

Firstly enfold the biggest square of the fabric into half along the length. Keep the wrong side up and sew a straight stitch that doesn’t have the fold, pin the fabric and turn the fabric right side out. Clasp both corners of the side seam and flip the fabric so the ends correspond with the corners. After getting the side seam edges lined with two pins, the current seam should be in the middle of the fabric square. Now fold the rectangle into half along the width and close the edges with a stitch. Turn the right side out and keep aside.

Making a bow cincher:

A bow cincher is a little piece of cloth that divides the bow. The technique of making a cincher is similar as that of a bow base. Fold a 3 ½ inch (9 cm) by 2 ½ inch (6,5cm) piece of rag into half along the length and pin it. Sew along the edges and close it. Turn the right side out. Fold it into half again and stitch the bottom edges to close.

Putting 1 and 2 together:

Take the bow base and pinch the middle of the square using your thumb and the middle finger to make a pleat. Pin the centre of the bows to secure the pleats. Press the pleats together towards the corners of the bows and slide them through the clincher loop. Pull the fabric inwards until it reaches the center of the bow. A perfect hair bow is ready.

A Rag Rug:

Crafting an inexpensive rug using unused fabric takes just a few minutes. First bring a non-slip rubber mat and cut it into a desired size and shape. Cut your rag fabric into 1 inch (2.5cm) by 4 inch (10cm) strips. You can use a single or multiple colours to coordinate the pattern. A rotary cutter will make cutting the fabric strips easier. Use a pair of tweesers and pull the fabric strips through two holes in the mat making sure the strips cross under the corners in between the squares. You can now tie the two ends of the strips.

Recycling makes use of fabric that would be thrown in the junkyard by collecting trash. Recycling helps the environment by reducing the amount of thrash thrown out. It also helps to conserve natural resources by curtailing mining and saving energy. Therefore recycling household waste can be a crucial step for sustainability.

This is not a sponsored post, though it is a guest post that contains outbound links not affiliated with KraftiMama.com.