Showing posts with label
Textiles
Holy transformation bat-girl! Don't know about you... but I think Taryn took these from "gosh, no thanks" to "ummmm, where can I get a pair?!!" I know some people who have treasure troves of upholstery samples .... what a great way to use them! Full tutorial at Design, Dining and Diapers.
My friend Lisa (of PoldaPop designs) is a big fan of old zippers and makes amazing things with them. This post is inspired by her zippy creativity (!) and by these beautiful tutorials I found. (Note: this could have been a HUGE roundup but I made the very unusual decision to avoid the rabbit hole, stop looking and publish! Zipper pile image above via Flickr)
The heat is on in Chicago this year! And yes, I have summer clothes. But not enough of them (!) and... I kinda, sorta, hate most of what I have. So I've been thinking of ways to upcycle old skirts, stained tank tops, too-big-for me shorts.
This means I've been looking around and now I'm really inspired! The DIY empire-waste dress above is from TripOverJoy. She added fresh fabric to an old tank. Not sure I'm the right shape to pull of a little dress like this, but her finished product looks awesome on her! Read on for another 20 ideas for how to upcycle tank tops, skirs and shirts.
The clever marketing folks at Hermes are offering another free printable... this time, a DIY Jigé clutch. Visit this page, let it load up, and click on the "I want it, I'll have it" thumbnail. Choose from six different patterns, download ... and what? They want you to print, cut, glue, and enjoy! Because this is a pretty promotional idea ...and a waste of paper. And the link will go away.
But, if you save the PDF to your desktop before you "print" you'll have it for future use. And if you print this off onto fabric transfer paper, you could actually make a little fabric clutch. I love love the bird! (Via OhTheLovelyThings)
Most shoe re-do's or "upcycles" I see involve very high heels, glitter, jewels and dipping in neon paint. It will probably not surprise you to hear that I don't wear a lot of glitter-dipped, bejeweled stilettos. I enjoy heels on very specific occasions. But my current favorite shoes are blood red Dansko mary-janes that I got at a thrift store for $15. I "upcycled" them with a little shoe polish - wonderful substance! Anyway, I am intrigued by the idea of shoe re-do's ... and shoe repurposing. And once in a while, a project stands out. Here goes!
First, head over to A Little Tipsy and learn how to use an old t-shirt to turn flip flops into espadrilles (pictured above)!
I think that burlap is something you either love or loathe. Either way, it's a much more interesting fiber than you'd think. And it can contemporary... not just country! It's "green" because it's made from jute, a very low-impact plant to grow. So it's renewable. Even compostable! Also, it’s pretty easy to get second-hand/used burlap, if you know where to look. Local coffee shops, especially ones that roast their own beans, tend to be rich with big, empty burlap sacks. For other ideas on how to find the stuff (and to read more about why burlap is awesome) visit Crafting a Green World. Once you get your hands on some, make these pretty things (25+ projects for you):
How many trends can you cram into one little project? It's retro, it's (almost) neon, it's embellished with pom-poms ... and it's eco-friendly (would be a great way to use t-shirt yarn). Loving everything about Scissors and Steam. Go get the instructions.
Two awesome tutorials to step you through upcycling those ratty old cargo pants. The version above is from Noodlehead. The version below is from Bludor
Chicago is so warm and sunny right now ... it's summer in March! I want to string a hammock under a tree and drift through the days. It will probably snow in April, but for now I'm staring at all the dull, grey/black/teal things in my closet. Blagh! So ... the hunt for (re) fresh, floral ideas begins.
I recently featured Mielie, a South African company creating amazing woven art, objects and acessories using old t-shirts and knit-fabric overruns. The post got a huge response, so here are a few more fun ways to repurpose old t-shirts! First, the hip chevron mat from The House that Lars Built.
"Mielie" is, officially, the Afrikaans word for corn/maize. But it's also the word all South Africans use for corn (and its by-products), no matter what language they happen to speak. Now, "Mielie" is a small business after my own heart. Employing over 50 artists the mission is "to design and produce innovative, export-quality hand-crafted products using reclaimed materials - with the aim of creating employment and restoring dignity and financial independence to South Africans". The Mielie Peeps work out of their homes, sell across the planet, share a community garden and create the most amazing things using strips of t-shirt fabric!!
The items pictured here are the tip of the Mielie-berg. I cannot begin to capture the variety and creativity of these folks. Wanna learn to weave like a Mielie Peep? Follow the links to the two free tutorials... after the jump.
Retro Mama rocks. If you're going to make your own ornaments, it doesn't get much cuter than this.
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These lovely felt brooches are care of Bugs and Fishes by Lupin. Here's the pattern for the owl pins. Find the butterfly pattern here.