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
This page contains the following solutions.
These DREAM alphas were made from an old shirt I liked the print too well to toss it into the "rag bag".
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.
Don't throw out those small pieces of fabric that are leftover from other projects. Save them for new projects, such as this cute pencil holder made from a tin can.
Here is a fabric bird lined with a dryer sheet and fringed with beads. The photo shows the craft clockwise from start to finish.
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.
When I submitted my wrapped bed frame, a kind lady said she wanted to do it to her bed, but it was flat. I promised her I would submit a sample of wrapped flat wood.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
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.
How old are you daughters? Yes, you can make lot of things for small girls with scraps. I made mine some tops in the shape of almost 3 corners with a draw string at the top & strings to tie in the back, also some shorts.
You can make scrunchies. Sew a tube about 10 inches long with the fabric inside out, then turn it, pull elastic through it pretty tight, then sew the ends. You could also make throw quilts, with a large piece of fleece or soft material as the back. We have lots of these snugglies around our house.
Thank you for all the tips :) my girls are 10 years old and 8 years old :) I love creating things for them but I'm still fairly new at machine sewing lol. I love it so far. I can hand sew a little but love learning on the machine :)
I love the idea of quilts I've always wanted to try that. is it difficult to do? especially for a beginner?
*recycleable gift bags
*make appliques by ironing onto fusible web and cutting out then fusing on to clothing etc.
*napkins
*make strips and sew together to make fabric "yarn" for knitting or weave for pillow covers.
One of my favorites is making pot holders with scraps. You can purchace a special material to go in the center that is heat resistant but I use old thick wash cloths and towels instead. I have also made dog toys with them.
Apron, very easy to make, can be made for birthday present too. With tiny scraps, fill-up cushion with them; perfect for yoga and exercises.
These are all wonderful ideas. I love making napkins that are colorful and setting the table which makes the meal seem special. I even have fun making napkin rings from leftover junk.
Also there is a group called the Linus group and they make quilts for Aids babies. Contact a local quilt store and see if they know of someone in your area that is from that group. Always good to give to those folks who protect our little ones.
I have a lot of scraps, too, and have been learning to crazy quilt. You can find instructions at There's www.caron-net.com/classes/classmayfiles/clasmay1.html and www.loopylace.com/crazyquiltstudio/lessons/gettingstart.htm There are lots of sites; these are my favorite so far. I'm uploading a picture from the loopylace site.
6" or 7 " squares pinned and sewn together (4 for each side) can become a nice project for your daughters to also learn how to make their own patch quilt pillow. Loose stuffing to be packed with their help will also help them appreciate crafting too. I taught my ganddaughters at 9 and 10 to first hand stitch, then gradually they learned how to make their own fleece pants on (slow speed for them) on the sewing machine.
Wow thank you all so much! Ha, ha I love the pet scrunchie idea too we have a chiuahua lol would be so cute. :) and love the idea of getting my girls involved in the sewing. my grandmother taught me a little when I was young, but we never had much time for her to teach me. So I just got the basics, she passed away three months ago at the age of 93 so she never got the chance to finish teaching me. Now it's up to me to learn and to pass it on to my girls :) Thanks so much everyone for the ideas! I so appreciate it :)
Hey I love scraps, you can make anything: Barbie clothes, Barbie beds, etc. for the girls. Sew a bunch of scraps together any old way then cut in squares and flip them around to make a new design. Sew them into pillows, bags, Christmas presents. Go to the library (I learn better when I can see how it is done in a book), there are tons of books about what to do with scraps. Don't give up sewing! I'm just back to it after 35 years and really love it. Good luck!
PS: some people make quilt-like greeting cards out of scraps!
Sounds like everyone is like me and has lots of scraps, maybe we aren't using our scraps because we are tired of them, after all we worked with them once. Do we need to trade some of our fabrics around, I for one would be willing to discuss ideas on a fabric exchange.
Perhaps we could make small panels of those scraps a certain size and trade if your scraps are really small. It might give someone without a machine a chance to make patchwork projects in exchange for some fabric they have or something.
Something to think about, might get some interaction going in communities.
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.
A friend of mine told me that she's made her own appliques by using a cookie cutter as a pattern. Also you can make your own patterns by using a child's coloring book. My friend also advised me not to use the iron-on adhesive since it doesn't hold up with frequent washings.
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 use fusible webbing which is a paper-backed stuff you iron on the reverse side of the fabric. Once it is cool, you peel away the paper and it leaves you with an iron-on fabric which is also stablized for sewing.
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 1 Make homemade potpourri or buy a package. Wrap a bunch in a small piece of fabric and tie it with a ribbon for a sweet-smelling sachet. Toss them in your drawers or linen closets to freshen your clothing, towels and bedding.
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!
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. My grandma took my great grandma's house coats and cut them up into squares and made a beautiful quilt from it! Now it's a treasured heirloom for me because I have something made by my grandmother and it reminds me of my great grandma.
I have been weaving a lot of scrap & fabric cut from old clothes. I cut it the same as I would to braid it or crochet it.
You could get rocks or buy the polished stones at the dollar type store & cover them- either hand-stitch it on or glue it. Place in pots or in garden.
Cover some regular common ink pens with it - either sew it on or sew a tube to fit it in or glue it on.
Try pinterest dot com for scrap fabric usage ideas.
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.
