Weave Fun Summer Placemats With T-Shirt Yarn Isn't this just the cutest? This is the weaving my daughter has been working on using the scraps left over after I used a bunch of t-shirts to make some yarn. Now I'm no weaving expert, but this little project has definitely sparked an interest in weaving, so I have a feeling there's more in store! I honestly didn't really know what I was doing when I made a little loom out of cardboard and string, and realized after the project was under way that I really didn't know how to finish it exactly! You'll Need: T-shirt yarn (how-to here) or 3/4" strips of t-shirt fabric cut across the width of the t-shirt. How To: Step 1: Make Your Loom I used a piece of cardboard 14"wide and 19" long, and marked lines 3/4" apart, running vertically on the whole length. Note: While this spacing of loom strings is good for small children, I'd recommend putting them more like 3/8" apart for better construction. Step 2: Weaving Step 3: Finishing
Crocheted Produce Bag Well, I thought since the produce bag was something I just made up real quick I should post the pattern. I am sure there are way better ones out there, but most of them end up decreasing at the end to get a smaller opening, but I wanted mine large so leafy stuff that I buy in multiple little bunches could poke out, like baby broccoli or bok choy. So here is the pattern, just in case you want to make a couple as well. Materials: 1 skein Lion Brand Organic Cotton Yarn (#680), or similar worsted weight yarn Size I-9 Crochet Hook Little scrap of fabric (optional) Rnd 1: Begin with an adjustable loop, and crochet 12 double crochet (dc) into the loop and pull tight. Rnd 2: *Chain 7, skip 1 dc and slip stitch in next dc.* Repeat around. Rnd 3: Chain 7, Slip stitch (slst) into 4th chain (ch) of round 2. Rnd 4: Ch 7, slst into the point where the last two rounds meet, then ch 7 and slst into the 4th ch of the last round as well. Rnd 16: Single crochet (sc) in every chain around, join with a slst.
Potholder from an old T-shirt - Recyclart Unique and budget-friendly. I invented a fun way to recycle old T-Shirt, making it useful items for your home. It ‘s very simple: just cut a T-Shirt in a circular fashion, forming a ribbon about 2 cm wide. Then I used clew got to knit a potholder to take pot boiling without risk, or keep next to barbecue. Not having the knitting needles you can use two ballpoint pens but, being very short, final size will be smaller. If you have knitting needles, however, you can create a larger object, to be used, for example, as a dinner placemat, or anything your mind suggests. If T-Shirt is multicolor, you’ll have a more varied and unpredictable result. It’s up only to you… Submitted by: Annamaria Cocuzzi !
Ten minute no-sew recycled t-shirt bag! Tutorial time! I got a gig teaching a recycled t-shirt project at the library a few months ago, with a request for a recycled tee bag – the only bags I’d made from tees in the past had required sturdy sewing, and I didn’t want hand-sewing to be the only thing holding the bottom closed in a class version of the bags, so I started brainstorming about some kind of hand-sewing-friendly or no-sew bag idea…. and here’s what I came up with! The simplest version of these bags is great for smaller tees, or the more light-weight kind of girl-tees – just turn the bottom of the shirt into a drawstring and tie it closed! As you can see, even with a not huge tee, this will still leave a significant hole in the bottom of your bag, but for purposes like grocery shopping, this size hole shouldn’t really matter… But to make smaller holes, just make more than one of them! Here’s a bag bottom with 2 holes: You could make it rounded, V-shaped, or squared like this one: My finished Sonic bag!
t-shirt latch hook rug tutorial I really love flokati rugs. I have two that are safely tucked away in my parents basement awaiting our reunion. When I learned that I would be having a child and building a nursery for him, I wanted a flokati. A gray one. Being a flokati snob though, I knew that I couldn’t afford the price tag ( ), and I knew that I would be too precious about the rug ( ). So I chose the only sensible alternative: I would make a rug. I’m going to show you how it’s done, but let me warn you- while this rug was super inexpensive to make with the resource of money- it was very costly in the resource of time. And now, this is how to make your very own latch hook rug. Supplies: Latch hook canvas latch hook tool old t-shirts scissors or rotary cutting tool/mat seam binding masking tape dye (optional) All of these things should be available at your local craft store, with the exception of the old t-shirts. On to the making! Once you have all of the strips cut, it’s time to dye them if you’d like. xo elle
Buy Nothing Project | Bedroom Solutions Do you want to shift to a life with less plastic and less waste in general? Wondering where to start? Feeling overwhelmed? We’d love to help! We’ve learned a lot about how to change our own habits and perspectives over the past three years, and we’d like to offer this bit of advice: Please, don’t try to do everything at once! Remember that joy and pride are much better motivating emotions in the long run than guilt and shame. Here are our Bedroom Solutions. Kid Bedroom and Playroom: Skip the Cheap Plastic Toys to Make Room for Even More Fun © Liesl Clark If you already have plastic organizers for your kids’ toys and other belongings, keep using them! Curate Your Toys to Give Each Beloved Item Space © Liesl Clark Teach your children to curate their belongings, keeping those things that are meaningful, useful, well-made, and beautiful. Adult Bedroom: A Simple Bedroom is a Tranquil Oasis © Liesl Clark Pare your clothing down to what you truly like and wear. Like this: Like Loading...
Revamp old T-shirt into Cute Bra Strap! Yay! I saw a lot of T-shirt yarn projects in the blog land recently, So, Why not? T-shirt yarn for bracelet and necklace are some really cute projects, But I prefer something more useful that I can wear everyday! So, this is what I made them into... A cute bra strap...So, fun especially during summer time! Jojo helps me with the photo shooting session... Screen down for the tutorial... Ooops...more photos...can't help it Jojo take more than 50 shots... This is a really easy DIY, just simple 4 steps... Step one : Use 3 strand of the T-shirt yarn to create this strap Slot in the bra clip ... Cut and tidy up the end of the strap, and secure them with few stitches or run a stitch using the sewing machine Tie a knot at the other end Make two piece of these and you are done!!! Visit again later... I'm going to show you how to make another sweet easy bra strap it's only in super simple 2 steps!!! Love PC * Jojo I'm featured!!!
DIY: Nerdy Chic Book Clutch Alright, you nerds, it's time for another 'book'torial. The whole reason I created the first two 'book'torials (here and here) was so that I could create this nerdy chic book clutch. I'm completely smitten with how it turned out. Carrying a library card never looked so fashionable. ;) Wanna make your own? Stuff You'll Need: Book Matte Mod Podge Fabric Needle and Thread Clasp (This is the one I used.) Wax paper Wooden paint stirrer Wood glue Epoxy glue (I used J.B. Note: Make sure the book you choose is big enough to hold the items you'd like to carry. Method: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. And that's all there is to it. So, will you guys be sporting the nerdy chic look?
Reusing produce mesh / net bags | Eco Green Love Reuse: Net Bag from Oranges Reuse Garlic Bag as Soap Bag Reversible Dish Scrubber Using Recycled Mesh Produce Bags Mesh produce bags filled with styro packing peanuts in flowerpot before filling it with potting soil. Reusing mesh produce bags for Posh Paper Hats for a Royal Wedding Make Your Own: Repurposed Produce Mesh Bag Pot Scrubbers Trash Hacker: Last Minute Valentine From A Plastic Mesh Produce Bag Craft Project!! Deco Mesh Pumpkin Make a Mesh Sports Bag Crochet Your Own Reusable Mesh Produce Bag Upcycle a Mesh Produce Bag into a Nesting Materials Buffet for Birds Repurposed mesh produce bag Sewing projects for pre-school age using mesh produce bag Make V-Day Gift Bags Using Produce Christmas in July: Go green and make a white, Plastic Bag Christmas Wreath Reused produce packaging- this was the material my garlic and avocados came in. Use Plastic Mesh Produce Bags for Cast Iron Clean Up flower embellishment using a mesh bag! Mesh wrapped over the brayer and rolled in ink. repurposed scrubby
Flip-Flop Refashion: Part 1 (Braided Straps Summer is great. And warm. And full of outdoor activities and trips to the pool and random walks around the neighborhood. I love it. And my shoe of choice for these warmer months?? So, I saw a tutorial for this flip-flop makeover (great work Mother Huddle), floating around the web…….and the wheels started turning. I decided to just string all of the ideas together and create a whole series. First up? A quick and easy flip flop…….made with some braided knit fabric scraps, using the 5 strand braiding technique, shown here. These soft braided straps streeeeeetch the perfect amount, right around the back of my heel……..keeping the flip-flop snug and in place. I added little loops of fabric to the sides, to keep the braided straps in place. These little sandals are so light, they’re soft and stretchy, and my favorite part……..they’re inexpensive. ($2.50 to be exact) These flip-flops make me think of the beach……and make me miss GA. I guess I better find a sandy spot at the lake. And that’s it. Enjoy.
Don't Waste Your Shattered Makeup – Fix It! Don’t you just hate it when your expensive powder makeup breaks and inevitably spills out into your purse? Well, you’re in luck! Follow these simple steps by Laura Russell, the creative mind behind Make Life Lovely and our first Reuse Design Contest winner, to reduce your beauty waste and revive those broken shadows in no time. In Russell’s own words, here’s a full tutorial so you can recreate the magic for yourself. I am so excited to share this cool trick with you today! Not anymore! Photo: Laura Russell, Make Life Lovely Here’s all you’ll need: Broken powder makeup (powder, eyeshadow or blush)Rubbing alcohol (the higher the concentration, the better – I used 70)Plastic wrap (optional, but keeps your fingers cleaner) Directions: 1. 2. 3. My sad, crushed pink blush that would have gotten tossed because I (can’t blame the kids this time) dropped it is now whole and complete and ready to be used again. This is probably my favorite tip of all time, because everyone drops their makeup, right?
DIY Wall-Mounted Clothes Drying Rack The ad on Freecycle said, Wooden Baby Pen, and described some sort of a freestanding baby jail made from dozens of dowels. With visions of a garden cucumber support in my head, I said I would love to have it, and could promise reliable pick up. Before I could worry about trellising cukes, laundry room inspiration hit and baby jail was repurposed into a wall-mounted indoor diaper and small-clothes drying rack. This project was 100% free. We used two of the baby jail panels off Freecycle and four white, wall-mounted plant hooks we had on hand. Then the baby jail panels were simply hung sideways from the hook. Now, I will admit I am not exactly a line-drying guru, but I do manage to line dry my son’s cloth diapers most of the time.This is how I used to line dry my diapers. The wall mounted clothes drying racks are so much nicer: Baby clothes, socks, undies, cloth wipes etc. do well on the rack too. Do you line dry any of your clothes indoors?
A Femme’s Guide to Improvement: Make a Blouse! So I got an email from Jane last week, linking to this top: “The one I tried on was shorter and not sheer. Can you show us how to make it? It looks SO beautiful on and it's a fucking square with a hole in it, that's it. It is three hundred dollars because they say it is! Dolce and Gabbana probably charged even more when they did this a decade ago for their S/S 2002 collection, which was when, as a freshman in college, I saw it and decided I had to have it. You’ll need: A yard and a halfish of standard 45" wide fabric with nice drape. So, how much fabric to buy? Machine or hand-sew the two folded edges on both pieces of fabric before proceeding, as close to the inner folds as possible. Next, three more measurements: get the distance from the top of your shoulder to the top of the side band of your bra — this will be for your armholes, and the fancy sewing word for it is scye. Headhole: 13” Scye: 9.5” Very loose hip: 39” You’re done! Photos by Helen Pearson.
DIY Map Coasters If you’ve been around here for long you may have gathered that we have a thing for maps…and from what I can see they are popping up all over the home decor universe so I’m embracing it! I was cleaning out a drawer not too long ago and found some old maps from when my husband and I lived in Italy and thought they’d make perfect little coasters so I DIY’ed a few up. Super fast, super easy, and best of all-FREE since I had everything on hand! Maps, chipboard coasters, Mod Podge…check! I traced the coasters (which I bought literally 3 years ago for a craft project) onto the maps trying to line them up to get the “cool” spots. I brushed on one coat of Mod Podge directly to the coaster then smoothed on the map cutout. Are you hopping on the map trend?