Are you a sewer or quilter? Do you have lots of small pieces of material left over? Don't throw them out, but recycle them. You can make fabric bags in various sizes to use for gift bags, jewelery, cosmetics and even to put your keys inside your handbag so you can spot them quickly when needed. I have made many of these little bags over the years.
Approximate Time: 30 minutes
By linn from Nova Scotia, Canada
I had a storage cube that I was using for my pills and vitamins. I also had a lot of long fabric strips. I put the two together by trying bows through the holes and the result was a fluffy version of what I had before.
I didn't have a handkerchief or tissue handy when I needed them the other day, so I used an offcut of flannelette from sewing. It was really soft and easy on my nose, which was sore and chapped from much blowing.
This is a page about using fabric selvage edges for crafts. When saving fabric scraps for future craft projects don't neglect the selvage edges. They can be used to make projects with a really unique appearance.
Other than blankets and bags, what else can I make using old scrap fabric? Keeping in mind I am not a fancy seamstress. lol! For example, I made these Easter baskets from scrap fabric and old dishpans. I have 4 kids and they love homemade things.
By Judith Q.
Have you ever thought about quilting? I'm 30 and I'm starting to get into it. My grandmother uses everything to make quilts. you don't have to be a seamstress either. There are really easy quilts you can make. For example, use parts from your kids old shirts along with scrap fabric and make them a personalized quilt.
How do I make my own appliques, from fabric, for my sewing projects? I am trying to make them for purses, bags, etc.
By Marilyn Steckly from SW Ontario, Canada
I'll be glad to answer your question. I've been sewing now for 45+ years and have never bothered learning how to sew on appliques until just very recently. I had to set aside my sewing projects since my sewing machine is now in the shop being repaired.
Save all your small pieces of fabric for making your appliques.
Here are a few websites to get you started. The only thing different that I don't do is use the iron-on adhesive. I pin the applique to my fabric, then I set my sewing machine on straight stitch and sew all the way around the applique close to the outer edge. Then I remove the straight pins, and set my machine on the satin zigzag stitch and sew around the applique.
www.lovetosew.com/
I am looking for ideas (with instructions) for crafts and other uses for fabric (large yardage to scrap-sized pieces). Thank you and God bless.
By Erin813 from Seffner, FL
Moderately Easy Instructions Things You'll Need:
Potpourri
Ribbon
String
Needle and thread or sewing machine
Carpet pad
Adhesive
Scissors
Stuffing
Step 2 Wrap gifts. Cover a package with the material cut to size and tie it with string or ribbon. Alternatively, if you are handy with needle and thread, stitch up a pouch and tuck the gift inside.
Step 3 Braid long, thin strips together and wind them in an oval shape. Glue to a piece of carpet pad cut to the size and shape you want for a rag rug.
Step 4 Make bedding, window treatments and even sofa covers for your daughter or niece's doll house. Whether she collects vintage miniatures or plays with Barbies and Bratz dolls, she will be delighted.
Step 5 Create simple stuffed animals. Lay two pieces of fabric together. Draw or print out an animal shape, and cut the shapes out of both pieces of fabric. Place the pieces together, right sides touching, and stitch them together all the way around but for one small spot. Pull the fabric right side out through the hole. Fill with stuffing, dryer lint or more fabric and stitch the hole closed. If the two sides are different material, it will give the animal an old-fashioned look.
good luck.
Go onto Gainusa.org. They will send you a kit containing everything you need to make two gospel aprons. They will also send you patterns to make children's elastic waist pants that you may sew from any fabric that you have. These items are then given to the poor and used as Christian outreach.
Thanks so much, ladies! Your ideas are great, and it helps restart my brainstorming for a bunch of vintage fabric that was my late Mum Mum's and some of my own fabric.
My church has a sewing group but they don't accept fabric, so thanks for the Christian site, user "Salpif"!
To "Kffrmw8," I have a 2-year-old daughter, Taylor, a 1-year-old son, Luke, and a 2-year-old niece, Juliette who are wonderful, by the way. (You nailed that one when you said daughter and niece- how did you know? lol). I made Taylor's doll a dress before and have ideas to make dress-up clothes for the girls, but yours help a lot! ALSO, thanks for the rag rug idea, too! I didn't know it can be that simple! Thanks again! Yay!
Here is a fabric bird lined with a dryer sheet and fringed with beads. The photo shows the craft clockwise from start to finish.
These DREAM alphas were made from an old shirt I liked the print too well to toss it into the "rag bag".
I have a ton of fabric pieces in fairly large sizes. I purchased a ton of them for using as clothing on my sculpture art dolls, I'll never be able to use it all up on those! I am just learning to sew on my machine.
I would love to use them up in sewing projects. I have two daughters so it would be great to get some easy sewing ideas to create some fun things for them.I have a suede waistcoat made of scraps. The scraps are of different colours and patterns, and most folk who saw it said it looked neat. You might need to do a fair bit of hand stitching, though, to join the scraps together.
Draw your pattern first, then make the panel out of scraps. Make the panels with a decent margin, say, 5cm / 2". Don't cut the excess material off until you have stitched all the panels together.
You can make almost anything - bags, lampshades, and so on.
