Any keen crafter has a box of scrap materials that are likely not quite the right shape or size to use on their own. However, you don’t need to throw them away but rather than making the most of them and thinking about some projects that can utilise each piece of leftover fabric.
Not sure where to start? Grab your crafting supplies, read on and consider one of these fab, funky fabric-based projects to spark your creativity.
Bunting
Used as a cute decoration for celebrations or to jazz up a room, bunting is one of the best things you can make from fabric scraps. They’re typically mismatched anyway, so you can use up a number of different types of leftover materials.
Start by tearing the strips into different widths from one to three inches before folding them in half and cutting them into a length you like. It’s up to you if you want to keep them all the same or if you’d prefer to stick with mismatched lengths.
Hang the pieces over some ribbon or twill tape depending on your desired look and pin them on securely. Remember to leave a few inches free either side so you can hang it up without having to tuck some of the pieces away.
Finally, sew the fabric scraps onto your chosen piece ribbon or twill tape, ensuring they are even before doing so. The results should be a charming piece of bunting that looks particularly adorable in a child’s bedroom or a study.
Hair scrunchies
It’s undeniable: 90’s inspired fashion is back in style. With this comes an influx of baggy Mom jeans, Doc Martens and hair scrunchies.
Make your own hair scrunchies using your old fabric scraps using the tutorial by Martha Stewart; start by cutting the fabric into 3-1/2-by-22-inch strips with fabric scissors.
After this, fold it lengthwise so that it now appears inside-out, ensuring to pin it in place securely down the centre. Sew a straight line across the lengthways edge so that they are now connected then remove the pins.
Following this process, it should look like a tube. Pull the fabric so that it is now the right side out. You can do this by putting a safety pin at one end of the tube and weaving it through until you can pull it out of the opposite end.
Then, cut nine inches of elastic and attach a safety pin to one end before threading it through the tube. Remove the pin and tie the string of elastic into a knot, trimming it if it seems too long. Finally, fold both sides of the tube so that it hides the knot, pin it in place and sew together.
Fabric lampshade
Cute and quirky, fabric lampshades are surprisingly easy to make. Start with a lampshade – you can pick a cheap one up from most charity shops. Use a crafting knife, cut the material from the lampshade so that only the base frame is left.
Feel free to paint the base any colour you wish if you don’t like the original, which is typically silver. After this has dried, cut strips of fabric around 1.5 x 4.5 inches and tie them around the top ring of the frame until most of it is hidden.
Next, cut the fabric so that it is three inches longer than your lampshade to have enough room to tie them together. Cut each end of the strips down the middle so they are split into two. Tie one end to the very top and the other at the bottom of the lampshade frame, continuing until the lampshade is covered.
Next time you find your bag of scraps overflowing, why not try one of the above? Not only is it an eco-friendly way of reusing pieces you may have thrown away, but you’ll end up with an adorable new piece.
