How to Reuse a Pillowcase to make a Placemat.
Placemats can add a nice touch to a dinner table. If you have an old pillowcase you can turn it into a fun placemat for your next casual dinner party.
How to Reuse a Pillowcase to make a Placemat:
1. Fold your pillowcase in half. Cut along the folded edge to create two pieces.
2. Fold the cut edge of the material and iron to create a crease. Sew crease closed.
3. Pick a fabric that looks good with your placemat. Cut out words, shapes, images, and decorate your placemat.
4. Repeat the process with the other half and you will have two new placemats!
So, there you have it. An old pillowcase upcycled into a new funky placemat! Makes the dinner table fun, doesn’t it?
Happy Upcycling!
Top Ten Reuses for Magazines.
My cool older brother has been sending me magazines by the truck load for the last few months. I like the idea of sharing your subscription. I will admit, it is nice to be on the receiving end rather than the sending. But, my brother has always been nice to me when it comes to sharing. He is also very supportive of my reuse it campaign and my artwork, so I have a feeling he knew I would find a better place for a stack of magazines instead of just the same old recycling bin. So, that is my quest for the day. What are the 10 best reuses, in my humble opinion, for magazines?
Sharing means caring. Be cool like my bro and send them off to friends after you are done reading them. Then they can send them to their friends and then so on and so forth.
Make more paper. If the sun would ever come out in the Bay Area this summer, I would be making piles of new paper in my backyard. Alas, the fog has taken over, so I will have to wait. If you are feeling the heat of the sun in your neighborhood, shred those old rags and make some new handmade paper! I will give credit where credit is due. I was first inspired to make paper by this Instructables tutorial.
Decorate photo albums. When I was younger my friends and I used to cut old magazines apart and tape cool quotes and images we found to shoe boxes and plain photo albums to hold all of our keepsakes and memories. I still have them!
Keep Wet Shoes in Shape. If you have to run in the rain and you come home with soggy shoes, stuff them with magazines so they keep their shape as they dry. Magazines make cheap shoe and boot trees.
Never buy gift wrap again! Save those magazines for Christmas time or a birthday party or whatever and wrap your gifts in them. A cheap and fun alternative. You can also shred the pages to use as filler for a gift bag or box.
Make a dozen. The next time you think of buying your sweet someone a dozen roses, make them instead!
Here is a wonderfully easy to follow tutorial for one version of a magazine flower done by alamodestuff
And here another version of a paper flower
Save a place for everybody. How about turning old magazines into placemats for your next themed party? I just got the idea while I was blazing through my Entertainment Weekly magazine. James bond is on this week’s cover. Just cut out your favorite images, take an old manila folder (or something sturdy), glue the images on top, and there you go!
Make some accesories. You can turn old magazines into beads to make necklaces, earrings and bracelets. I think I just figured out what you can make all, or atleast most, of your friends for the Holidays!
I found a great tutorial from Sweet Tea Please from making a bead bracelet.
Hold some stuff. Make a bowl out of your pile of magazines. Found a tutorial on IndiePublic.com
Make Art! I recently discovered artist Derek Gores and his magazine art.
There you have it, the Top Ten Reuses for Magazines. The great thing about magazines is that there are so many more uses for them. Make a flower vase, a card, decorate a wall, a photo frame, a mirror frame. What do you do with your old magazines?
How to Reuse a Silk tie to make Earrings.
I am a really big fan of both homonogous and dangle earrings. For this week I thought I would experiment making some dangle earrings. The main ingredient for this lovely new accessory is an old silk tie. The best part is that these earrings are super light weight!
How to Reuse a Silk Tie to Make Earrings:
1. Cut about a 2 inch section from the silk tie. Take out the insides.
2. Cut the 2 inch piece at the seams to create 2 rectangles of fabric.
3. Fold the fabric in half, right side to right side. Use a hot iron to create a crease.
4. Sew the two sides of the fabric.
5. Fold the fabric inside out. You will have one side that is still open. Carefully fold the fabric in on itself and sew the sew shut. For more info on this step check out step two of my tutorial on a silk tie necklace.
6. Pick a button and center it on your new silk tie square piece. Starting from the back sew your button to the fabric. Make sure to leave extra thread at the end so you can attach your earring hook.
7. Attach your earring to the hook.
YAY! You now have a new pair of earrings. I think these work as dressed up or casual earrings. They are fun, simple and unique!
Broken Stuff into a New Purse.
I don’t really know what to tile this post, but basically I have had a nice and sturdy pink box for years that has been holding all of my important stuff. It broke the other day; the glue got old and the top portion of the box fell off. Instead of gluing it back to the box I decided to upcycle it and make it into a purse.
This is probably the most impractical purse I have ever made!
Here is my tutorial on how to take broken stuff and turn it into a new purse:
1. Fold your cardboard piece in half. This will become the main part of your purse. “Open” your purse as far as you would like it to go and measure the triangle it makes on either side.
2. Pick fabric for the side of your purse and draw 4 triangles that will become the two sides to your purse.
3. Place 2 of the cut triangles right side to right side and sew along the edges. Keep one of the corners open enough so that you can turn the whole thing inside out and pull all of the fabric through.
4. When you have flipped your triangle fabric so that the right side is out; fold the open edges in on themselves and sew along the edges of your triangle again. Repeat for the other 2 triangles. Fold each sewn triangle in half and iron a crease down the center.
5. Pick fabric for the inside of your purse. Measure so that it is 1/2 to an inch larger on all sides of your main cardboard piece. Fold the excess fabric and iron a crease.
6. With a hot glue gun, glue the inside fabric to your cardboard piece.
7. Next glue half of the triangle to the edge of the inside of your purse. Fold the fabric in half, put hot glue on the opposite side and then press the other side of the purse into the folded triangle. Hold the purse closed for about a minute. Repeat with the other side of the purse.
8. Pick a handle and attach!
How to Reuse a Necktie to make a Necklace.
Girls can wear ties too, you know. They will just wear them a bit differently. This tutorial has two tutorials in one. I wanted to learn how to make a tshirt flower, and, at the same time, learn to make a necktie necklace. So, that is what I did.
Here is how to reuse a necktie and tshirt to make a necktie necklace:
1. Place the neck tie around your neck and pin it wear your clasp/button will go on the front. Cut out any excess tie material from the center. For my tie I cut 14 inches from each end and left the rest for another project.
2. Sew each open side closed; then sew them together.
3. To make a tshirt flower:
a. Cut tshirt fabric into different sized circles.
b. Use a needle and thread and sew around the edge of the circle.
c. Pull the thread so the fabric bunches up togehter.
d. To secure your new flower put the needle and thread through the center a few times. Then, put your needle underneath the thread that is at the center of your flower. Don’t pull it all the way through; just enough to create a loop. Put your needle through that loop 2 times and then pull tight.
4. Design your tie. Use a button as your necklace clasp.
5. Sew your flowers, buttons, button holes and whatever else you want on to your new necktie necklace.
I changed my design at the last minute….
Top Ten Reuses for Wine Corks.
Wine corks aren’t just for keeping your wine tasty and fresh. You can reuse wine corks in almost every room of the house. A cork board in your kitchen, a coaster in your living room, a pin cushion in your sewing studio, and perhaps a
Here are ten ideas on how to reuse a wine cork!
Start a fire. Wikihow.com suggests that you keep old corks in a sealed jar filled with alcohol. When you are ready to light a fire, place a cork or two underneath your kindling and newspaper and light them with a match.
Cushion your pins. Wine corks make an easy pin cushion. The next time you finish that bottle of wine keep the cork near your sewing machine for your pins.
Let people know their place. Corks make super cute and cheap place markers for a dinner party and wedding reception. Just slice part of one of the sides of the cork to create a flat bottom. On the opposite side slice a small sliver into the cork to hold your name card.
Here is a great sample from Savvy Housekeeping
Keep your pictures straight. Keep your frames balanced when you hang them on the wall. Just slice two small pieces from a wine cork (the same size) and glue them to the left and right bottom corners of your photo frames.
Sow a seed. Keep your green thumb clean and have even sowing holes and the same time. The next time you are sowing seeds in the garden use a wine cork to create your small holes. If you want to be faster attach several wine corks to a board spaced out according to your planting preferences. Just flip the board over and press the corks lightly into the ground; lift and pop your seeds in all of your new holes.
Make a Picture Pretty. Wine corks make wonderful photo backgrounds. I have a tutorial on this site; check it out HERE.
The Obvious Cork Board. A cork board seems to be an awesome suggestion, but I had to share this cool version of one. I will have to make one when I collect enough corks. Thanks CraftingaGreenWorld.com
Stamps! Carve shapes from your wine cork to make unique and personlized stamps.
Give a bird a home. Another great idea from WikiHow.com is to reuse old wine corks to build a bird house. The birds will love their new hip home.
Carry them with you. My all time FAVORITE! Make a wine cork purse. I have to figure out how to do this. And when I do I you will be the first to know. I love it! Check out an example on www.alittlebit2.com
How to Reuse Playing Cards to make Petal Earrings.
A while back I made some simple playing card earrings that I deemed perfect for your next poker night or crazy Las Vegas weekend. Well, I have now designed version TWO of my playing card earrings product line. This version is a bit smaller, slightly more complicated and still just as fun! So, if you have a deck of cards laying around that you are wondering how to reuse, I have a tutorial that will upcycle 2 of those cards. If you are looking to reuse playing cards, you stopped by the right blog today my friend, here you go!
How to Reuse Playing Cards to Make Petal Shaped Earrings:
1. Pick the two cards that you would like to use. I chose the king and queen of spades.
2. Cut 3 petal shapes from each card.
3. Lay the petals in a stack and spread them out so that the tops are still stacked but the bottoms are expanding away from each other.
4. Pick a button to go on the top of your petals. Get some thread and a sewing needle (tie a double or triple knot at the end). Push the needle through all three cards and then through one of the button holes. Keep sewing your thread through each button hole.
5. When you have gone through each button hole twice cut the thread where it meets the needle (you need extra thread to attach your earring hook). Now you have two pieces of thread. Tie them in a knot two times to secure your button and cards in place.
6. Hold your earring by the top of the thread and let it spin until it settles. Put the thread through the earring hook so that the front side of your earring will show when the hook is in your ear. Tie two knots to attach the thread to the earring hook.
7. Repeat steps 3-6 for the other card.
And there you go, easy as easy!
Have fun wearing your awesome new earrings.
How to Reuse an Old Comforter to Make a Doggie Sleeping Bag.
So, just a few weeks ago I made my pretty pup Neko a cute pink doggie jacket from an old zipper jacket of mine. This week I am getting ready to take an extended camping trip with my husband and want to make sure that Neko has a warm place to sleep. Lucky for me I had an old comforter laying around that needed to by upcycled! So, I took some scissors, a sewing machine, a few buttons and Wha-La! It will take a few tries, but I think Neko will get used to it.
Here’s How to Reuse an Old Comforter to Make a Doggie Sleeping Bag:
1. Cut the comforter to width of your dog’s bed, with a little more than twice the length. You want to be able to fold the sleeping bag over the dog, leaving a little room for a flap to close at night (for extra coziness and warmth).
2. Cut out about 1 inch of the stuffing from any of the open edges of the comforter.
3. Fold both sides of the fabric towards the inside of itself and pin shut.
4. Sew the edges along the pins.
5. Fold your doggie sleeping bag in half, with about a 6 inch flap sticking over on one side, and sew it closed. Leave the side with the extra flap unsewn.
6. Add a few buttons and button holes and you are finished!
7. Give your dog a bone and see how he/she likes his/her new sleeping bag.
How should I upcycle a Men’s Coat?
Husbands grow up so fast don’t they? Well, my wonderful hubby has grown out of a suit jacket and I am so very excited to use it for something awesome! I have been pondering and researching what to do for a couple of months now and still haven’t made up my mind. So, help me decide!
Here are my favorite ideas so far:
This is a great video from ThreadBangers.com on how to turn an old men’s jacket into a new backpack. Super cool!
I could certainly make a purse from it.
Check out the tutorial on how to make the above purse on ehow.com
Here is another cute purse from a suit made by Suriya Designs.
Other ideas I have that I am unable to find tutorials on at the moment are a pillow, laptop case, messenger bag, skirt, dress….
What do you think I should do with this Men’s Coat that needs some upcycling love? Cast your vote—leave a comment!
How to Upcycle an old Zipper Jacket to a New Doggie Coat.
My husband and I like to go camping as often as possible. We take our puppy Neko with us whenever we can. It is crazy how cold one can get when you only have a bit of nylon and synthetic material separating him/her from the elements. This is especially true for a short haired pups. After our last camping adventure I decided that Neko needs a camping sweater. Luckily, I had an old zipper jacket that was begging to be upcycled.
So, if you want to make your own Dog Jacket, here’s how to upcycle an old zipper jacket to make a new dog jacket:
1. Figure out how long you want the arms of your jacket to be. I decided to make the sleeves so that they would hit Neko at the middle of her arms. She likes to dig, so I didn’t want the sleeves to get in the way of that.
2. Cut the sleeves to the measured length.
3. Fold the cut edge of the sleeves towards the inside of the sleeves. Iron and pin in place.
4. Sew the sleeves edges.
5. Find your dog model and try it on!
Neko was a bit shy for her modeling debut, but I was able to get a few photos of her in her new digs.
