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Craft Recycled: 5 Ways to Alter and Repair Your Jeans share

I love shopping for jeans at the thrift store. Some of my favorite pairs of jeans have come from the thrift store and cost me less than $5. The thing that can be frustrating is when you find a pair of jeans that would be perfect except for one little detail. Maybe they have a small tear, are a bit too long, or fit great in the hips but have a cheesy bell bottom thing happening. Never fear! Whip out that sewing machine, crafty friends, because you can easily fix these problems and turn those thrifted jeans into your favorite pair.

1. Hemming

Hemming is probably the most basic repair you can do, and there are a couple of ways to go about it. The easiest is to cut off the pants, fold them to the length you want, and sew the seam, but you can also hem your jeans and keep the original hem, if you like the look of it. Here are tutes for both methods:

2. Lengthening

Shortening jeans is very Sewing 101, and it's not that hard to add a little length to jeans that are a little too short. Julie over at Crafting a Green World shows you a simple way to lengthen too-short jeans.

3. Patching

Confession: I love a patch! Sometimes I add patches to things that aren't even torn, just to up the cute factor. Whether you want to add a splash of color or cover up a tear or stain, check out this tutorial on how to sew a patch. Easy peasy!

4. Reverse Applique

Reverse applique might sound daunting and fancy, but it's really not much harder than sewing a patch. Get more deets on reverse applique and how to use this method to repair torn jeans here!

5. DIY Skinny Jeans

Ever tried on a pair of pants at the thrift store that are super cute until you get to the knees, where they balloon out into bell bottoms? Fear not! You can turn those outdated duds into skinny jeans that fit like a glove. I love this skinny jeans tutorial from Cut Out + Keep for taking in those pant legs!

Have you done any creative repairs or alterations on old jeans from your closet or from the thrift store? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments!

Image Credit: Thrift Store Jeans photo via Bigstock

Posted: | Categories: Clothes+Accessories, Craft Recycled, denim crafts, DIY, how to alter jeans, how to repair jeans, Living, mending, repair, repair old jeans

Feb

Spotted: Repair Torn Jeans with Lace share

Did your favorite pair of jeans get an unsightly rip? You can repair torn jeans by adding a sassy lace detail!

We are all about mending instead of replacing around here, and one of my favorite things about mending is that you can make your repair into the centerpiece of the garment. That could mean using contrasting thread, a cute patch, or - like Sophie at The Forge - a super cute lace reverse applique!

What is reverse applique?

For these purposes, you can think of applique as basically a fancy word for patch, and a reverse applique is a patch sewn behind the hole or tear, rather than on top. So, instead of sewing a piece of lace on top of the hole in your jeans, you sew it in on the inside of the garment, so the lace peeks out from behind the tear.

I love the depth that reverse applique can give a project. Some designers use it intentionally on original garments and accessories, and using it for repair adds some interest while fixing a problem at the same time. How cool is that?

Using this method for a repair is easy as pie. If you don't have lace handy, you could really reverse applique with anything! Choose a cute fabric scrap from your stash, for example. With jeans, the only caveat I'd give is to choose something that's not too flimsy, because you want your repair to stand up to wear and tear.

All you need to repair your torn jeans are:

the jeans in question
sand paper
scissors
iron-on transfer paper
lace or scrap fabric
iron
a sewing machine
thread that matches the color of the jeans you're mending

Ready to get mending? Get the tutorial here!

Posted: | Categories: Clothes+Accessories, denim crafts, DIY, how to repair jeans, Living, mending clothing, repair torn jeans, reverse applique, sewing

Feb

Spotted: Upcycled Pinhole Camera share

Aren't pinhole cameras fun? There's something magical about taking photos with a camera that you made yourself!

I still remember making pinhole cameras in science class. They're really pretty simple: just a box with a hole in it. The tiny hole lets you allow how and when light hits the film inside, which is how you take your picture. They operate kind of like old-timey cameras: it takes a much longer time to expose the film in a pinhole camera, so you're best off photographing things that aren't going anywhere.

Pinhole cameras aren't just a simple design; they're also easy to make from reclaimed materials! If you have a small cardboard box - like one left over from making pudding - you're on your way to having a pinhole camera. Over at Lil Blue Boo, Ashley has a great tutorial for making a super professional-looking version of that 6th grade science project! Here's what you need to make your own:

small, reclaimed cardboard box
roll of 35mm film
scissors
X-acto knife (optional, but it makes it much easier!)
old soda can
sand paper
miniature clothespin (you could also use
matte black spray paint
hole punch
electrical tape

Ready to make your own? Get the tutorial here!

h/t: Dollar Store Crafts

Posted: | Categories: DIY, DIY pinhole camera, how to make a pinhole camera, pinhole camera, pinhole camera tutorial

Jan

Spotted: Upcycled Packing Peanut Garland share

Aren't packing peanuts just the worst? They're made of toxic Styrofoam, intended for a single use, and they get everywhere when you open a box that's full of those suckers. Reader Hester Burch of Fun in the Making shared a beautiful, seasonal way to reuse those nasty little peanuts, so at least they're not landfill-bound after you unpack a boxful of them: snow swag!

Hester says:

Create a winter wonderland. Foam peanut snow swags would also be cool décor for a winter wonderland prom theme. -bonus that the materials wouldn’t cost anything!

All that you need to make your own are:

packing peanuts
embroidery needle
white string or embroidery thread

If you need more details, check out the full description of how she made these on Hester's blog! I love how they look all strung up on her chandelier, and I think they'd look lovely strung up in a window or layered up on the mantle.

Have you guys found any fun ways to reuse packing peanuts? Share your ideas in the comments!

Posted: | Categories: crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, Home+Decor, how to reuse packing peanuts, Living, packing peanut crafts, packing peanuts, reader tip, reuse, upcycling

Jan

Craft Recycled: 5 Upcycled Valentine’s Day Crafts share

Valentine's day is is coming up fast! Check out these cute DIY decor ideas!

Sure, you could hit the big box store for made-in-China decorations and the huge carbon footprint that comes along with them, but that hardly screams "love!" This year, why not take a little time and pour your heart into some DIY decorations for Valentine's day instead?

Whether you're throwing a party or planning a quiet evening, some cute decorations can help set the mood. Here are 5 projects to get you started!

1. Heart Garland - I love this sweet heart garland made from old book pages. It's a cute, upcycled decoration that's not too over the top.

2. Chocolate Box Wall Art - Do you have an empty chocolate box left from last year's Valentine's Day? Turn it into super cute wall art!

3. Heart Luminaries - Grab a reclaimed glass jar and decoupage yourself a romantic luminary for the tabletop!

4. Origami Hearts - These origami heart Valentines would look really cute scattered on a tabletop. Each one is sealed with a kiss! If you want to make this a really green project, choose reclaimed paper - like junk mail or magazine pages - to make your hearts, and go for fair trade chocolate instead of Hershey's.

5. Painted Twig Heart - Wouldn't this cute, rustic heart look sweet hanging on a door or over the mantle?

Do you have any cute Valentine's day crafts in the works? Tell us what you're making in the comments!

Posted: | Categories: Craft Recycled, DIY, DIY Valentine's day decoration, Valentine's day crafts, Valentine's day decorations, valentines day

Jan

Spottted: Upcycled Valentine’s Day Luminaries share

Need a DIY Valentine's day decoration? These heart luminaries are just the thing!

Valentine's day is just a few weeks away! That might seem like a long time, but if you're planning to make any DIY decorations, it's probably time to get moving. These cute, DIY luminaries would be so cute on the table for a romantic Valentine's day meal.

Amy at Sitting at Our Kitchen Table shares a sweet, simple tutorial for turning an old glass jar into a beautiful table decoration for Valentine's day! All that you need to make your own are:

clean, empty glass jars
pink tissue paper - you could also use book pages
Mod Podge and a paint brush
heart-shaped punch or scissors
small candle

So simple, right? If you're ready to make your own luminaries, you can get the tutorial here!

Posted: | Categories: DIY, DIY Valentine's day decoration, Valentine's day crafts, Valentine's day decorations, valentines day

Jan

Spotted: Egg Carton DIY Sewing Kit share

Got an old egg carton laying around? Turn it into a DIY sewing kit to keep all of your notions organized!

Have you ever been in the middle of a sewing project only to realize that you need a safety pin or your measuring tape, and they are....somewhere? It's so frustrating to hunt around for those tools, especially when you've really hit the flow during your sewing project. Sure, you could hit the big box store for an organizer, but those are often made from plastic in far-off factories. Instead, you can save some money and reduce your impact with this super cute project from Country Living!

I love how well-planned this is. It's got a spot for those little embroidery scissors and for stashing a few safety pins. Every time I do a project that uses elastic, I end up having to stop in the middle to hunt for some safety pins to feed it through the casing, so this would be the biggest time-saver for me. They use the egg spaces for your pin cushion, thread, buttons, and measuring tape. I think this would be a great way to get yourself organized before you start a project - gather all of your notions into your carton, so they're at your fingertips!

All you need to make your own egg carton sewing kit are:

An old egg carton - they used a 6-egg carton, but a 12-egg one would work just as well.
Scrap fabric
Pinking shears and scissors
Hot glue gun and glue
Scrap piece of elastic
Pin cushion or more scrap fabric and batting to make your own

You can probably sort out how to make this kit from the photo, but if you'd like extra instructions, you can get the tutorial here!

Posted: | Categories: crafts, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, DIY sewing kit, egg carton crafts, reuse, sewing kit, upcyling

Jan

Need a crosswalk? Make your own! share

Let's face it: not every town is pedestrian-friendly. If you're driving, going a block or so out of your way feels like no big deal, but on foot it can be pretty frustrating to have to pass your destination just to cross the street at a crosswalk.

"Urban hacktivist" Florian Riviere made his renegade crosswalk to make everywhere he went more walkable. It's made from a reclaimed piece of carpet, and the artist says he was inspired by video games to reinvent his landscape.

This would be a super easy project to make, if you wanted to create your own pop up crosswalk. All you'd need are:

An old piece of carpet
White paint
Black paint, if your carpet's not dark enough
Masking tape

Just measure and tape off your stripes, paint them white, and you're set! If you need to use the black paint, just tape again when the white paint is fully dry, so you have clean lines on your finished crosswalk.

Of course, there is a question of safety here, right? Would motorists in your town stop for pedestrians on a makeshift crosswalk? Here in Atlanta, most drivers won't stop for me at proper crosswalks, even when there are signs that say "Stop for Pedestrians: It's the Law." But Atlanta drivers might be in a special category. How do you think this would go over in your town?

Posted: | Categories: Art, Cars+Tranportation, Concept+Design, craftivism, crosswalk, DIY, DIY crosswalk, hacktivism, Innovation, pedestrian-friendly, pedestrians, renegade crosswalk

Jan

Craft Recycled: 5 Ways to Reuse Old Crayons share

Got a stash of broken crayons that you can't bear to part with? Check out these fun, crafty ways to reuse old crayons!

Coloring isn't the only way that you can get crafty with crayons. Instead of throwing away those pieces of crayon that are too small to use for coloring, stash them in a box! Before long, you'll have a nice stash of colorful, waxy bits that are perfect for all kinds of craft projects.

1. Crayon Valentines

Use those old pieces of crayon and a heart-shaped mold to make cute Valentines for your kid's class.

2. Broken Crayon Monograms

Broken crayons are a bummer, but collect enough of them, and you can create very cute mongram-style art! Wouldn't this make a cute end-of-year gift for a special teacher?

3. Make New Crayons

Yep! You can use those old crayons to make new ones! All you need are a few common kitchen supplies, and you're ready to rock.

4. Crayon Drip Art

Crayon drip tutorials usually call for using new crayons, but that seems like such a waste! Just follow the same instructions, but use those tiny crayon pieces instead!

5. Crayon Shaving Hearts

Can you tell I have Valentine's Day on the brain? How cute are these colorful hearts made from wax paper and tiny pieces of crayon?

Have you done any crafts with your old crayons? Tell us about them in the comments!

Posted: | Categories: Craft Recycled, crafty reuse, crayon crafts, creative reuse, DIY, how to reuse crayons, reuse, upcycled crayons, upcycling

Jan

Spotted: Upcycled Crayons share

Crayons are pretty much a fact of life if you've got kids around. Whether you go for conventional or much-more-eco-friendly soy crayons, the other fact of life when it comes to crayons is that you end up with lots of...let's call them "crayon nubbins."

You know what I mean, right? Those little leftover pieces of crayon that are too small to color with but too big to toss? I bet you have a box of them somewhere making you feel guilty. Well, guilt no more, my crafty friends!

Because crayons are made from wax, they are super easy to melt down, and you can make those old crayons new again by just popping them in your oven and letting the bits melt together into new crayons! Of course, if you just stick the crayons on a cookie sheet, you'll end up with a flat, waxy mess. A beautiful mess, but not good for coloring. You also want to make sure you choose the right baking time and temperature. That's where this upcycled crayon tutorial from Hands On As They Grow comes in!

Your kids will love watching through the oven door as those crayon nubbins form new, usable crayons, and I bet that they will treasure the crayons they made a lot more than the ones that come out of the box.

Ready to refresh your crayon stash? Click here for thetutorial!

Posted: | Categories: crafting with kids, crayon crafts, DIY, kid crafts, reuse, upcycled crayons

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