Crocheting a Pair of Fingerless Gloves
Instructions by Fatima.
Author Archives: EcoResearcher
Weaving Windmill Loops to Create Surfaces with Varying Curvature
A workshop exploring Weaving Windmill Loops and how to turn corners – Bridges 2021: Mathematics, Art, Music, Architecture, Culture
Workshop Papers
Collection: Cigarette packet frames
A collection of frames made from cigarette packets – one doubles as a calendar.
Postcard Teapot stand
This modular design made from postcards, appears in a book by Isao Honda, published in 1959. Recorded in David Mitchell’s Public Paperfolding History Project.
Woven mat from postcards
Instructions for a woven made of postcards from ‘The world of origami’ by Isao Honda (1965) available from Internet Archive.
Hot Plate Holder from postcards
Instructions for a stand made of postcards from ‘The world of origami’ by Isao Honda (1965) available from Internet Archive.
Book: The World of Origami
‘The World of Origami’ by Isao Honda published in English in the USA in 1965. It is the largest of Isao Honda’s books.
Eco-Friendly Recycled Candy Wrapper Handbags & Accessories
The company Ecoist ran from 2004 until 2016, best known for candy wrapper handbags, made by artisans in Mexico and Peru.
Decorative Belt
Instructions from 1946, Popular Mechanics Magazine.
To plait paper for hats
Instructions for a South African plaiting technique used to make hats from maize husks. Margaret W. Campbell (1937).
Plaited Belt
The first known printed instructions for this technique using leather to make a belt. Margaret W. Campbell (1937).
Book: Paper Toy Making
Described as a ‘pioneer-folder’ Margaret Campbell’s book of 1937 was highly influential.
Bracelet
Excerpt from an origami book from 1989 by Paul Jackson and possible lead into the history of Windmill Loop.
Collection: Folded 8 page booklet instructions
Many examples of instructions of how to make these books – (appear in random order).
Tetragami – ilVespaio and Tetra Pak
Origami tableware from juice cartons. Each product is a Tetra Pak sheet which can be easily assembled by the user with no need of glue nor tools. By ilVespaio, a network of free-lance designers, Italy.
Collection: Origami & recycling
Materials upcycled with various origami designs – mix of images – always looking for useful things made with origami.
Origami with recycled materials
Giuliano Salvado of Ecogami worked with a variety of waste materials.
Green Origami Project
Recycling can be done by everyone and this is to educate and explore how to reduce waste of papers and how to reuse papers into functional items and recycle them. Training program offered by Mr. Lee Thiam Seng (Paul).
Global Warming through Hand Embroidery
Project symbolising how the temperature is spiraling out of control. By Juby Aleyas Koll from Sarah’s Hand Embroidery.
Sashiko: the Stitched Geometry of Rural Japan
A paper by Barbara Setsu Pickett that explains some Sashiko patterns.
What is Sashiko?
This is a compilation of QUILTNET postings about Sashiko.
Collection: Sashiko repaired denim
A collection of ideas of patterns for fixing jeans.
Womble characters
Info and galleries on the first 8 main characters we read about in the books.
Wombles story books
Children’s novels by Elisabeth Beresford. There were five novels and a short story collection. Notes on illustrators and styles.
Garment shapes
So many possibliities with a simple shape. Page from the site Woolly Thoughts by Mathekniticians Pat Ashforth and Steve Plummer,
Body logic
Anne Sayre Wiseman describes how she came to learn the term ‘body logic’. From ‘The Best of Making Things’ (2005).
Increasing the Sustainability Literacy of Designers
An open access article sets out what designers learn, how they learn and where they learn, in a course that seeks to increase their sustainability literacy. A paper by Paul Micklethwaite, Kings College, London, Sustainable Design Masters.
Upcycling-as-reuse
Excerpts about Creative Reuse / Upcycling in relation to the Waste Hierarchy and Sustainability Design from the book Beyond Recycling by Paul Micklethwaite.
Snapology icosahedron instructions
Handout from a snapology workshop by Faye Goldman to learn the basic technique and use it to make an icosahedron.
Geometric Origami
Snapology constructions – Some project instructions from a book by Faye Goldman. Heinz Strobl, the creator of Snapology, the technique of folding used in this book, has labeled her “the ambassador of Snapology.”
The History of Creative Reuse
Every culture, from the beginning of time, has practised reuse. A talk by Garth Johnson.
The Good Life Goals
The Good Life Goals are personal actions that eeryone around the world can take to help support the Sustainable Development Goals. There are 85 ways anyone can contribute.
The Sustainable Development Goals
What are the 17 SDGs?
Nations United: Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times
Nations United is a special, first of its kind film, created by the United Nations on its 75th Anniversary and to mark five years since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. In the midst of a pandemic radically transforming our world, Nations United tells the story of the world as it is, as it was, and as it could be. It focuses on the solutions and action we need to tackle poverty, inequality, injustice and climate change.
Gum Wrapper Sculpture
Vintage 1965 “How to Create Gum Wrapper Sculpture” by the Clark Gum Co. 8 page booklet featuring the Gum Wrapper Art of 13 year old Robin Halprin.
The world’s longest gum wrapper chain
As of 2022, Gary’s chain is more than 100,000 feet long or 19 miles long (that would be about 30 kilometres).
Envelope Books
An easy-to-make project that has a variety of uses from pocket poetry to creative research presentations. By Joy Suarez from Materials for the Arts.
Pookalam (Flower Rangoli)
How to make a Pookalam (Flower Rangoli) By Monisha Dhanaraj. Plus more examples of Pookalam.
Flower Carpet, Brussels
The Flower Carpet is a biennial event in Brussels in which volunteers from around Belgium convene at the Grand Place, to make a carpet-like tapestry out of colorful begonias
Everyday objects and materials site-specific art installations
“We Make Carpets” is a Dutch collective that transforms everyday objects into beautiful carpets for art installations.
What is art?
As I keep coming back to the question of ‘What is art?’ Cosmosicula’s description of an Artistic Spirit rang true with me.
Copyright, Copyleft and the Creative anti-commons
TeTraTrik Design
TeTra-Trik has designed a range of products using tetrapak waste, from clocks to rotating lamps to toothbrush holders.
Residualism Manifesto
RESIDUALISM: *Creation from waste without generating more waste∗. A manifesto by Marta Sanmamed.
Etla Lamps
Etla lamps made of recycled tetrapak by Chimi Gutierrez, Hierbamala, Mexico. They are assembled using a type of origami without glue, in the Tepepán prison. All materials and processes are local.
TetraBox Lamp
Tetralamp by Ed Chew. No glue!
Snapology by Heinz Strobl
The work of Heinz Strobl. I Snapology, strips are folded into polygonal prisms (the units or modules) that are joined using a second set of strips that snap them together, creating geometric forms.
Packaging Lights by Anke Weiss
A series of lights from used food and drink packaging by Anke Weiss who traced the patterns and text on the packaging with hundreds of pin-pricks, which allow the light to shine through.
Tutorial: Make Christmas stars
Make a 3D poinsettia/ Christmas star out of wrapping paper. Video by Lotti.
Ruti’s Roots Creates Intricate Hand-Folded Sculptures from Discarded Tea Bag Wrappers
Ruti Ben Dror uses various reclaimed papers to make bowls, boxes and pots. Article by by Helen Morgan.
Trash Origami: 25 Exciting Paper Models You Can Make with Recycled Trash
Don’t throw it out – fold it up! Make fun and functional origami out of your spare paper with this easy origami book. A book of 25 projects by Michael G. LaFosse and Richard L. Alexander, includes DVD.
Origami Garland from Holiday Catalogs
Instructions by Diana Durkes, referring to folding instructions by papercrafty.
Giving Yourself Permission To Innovate Wildly
Article by Kay Bisaillon
Permissions
An excerpt from The Best of Making Things – A Hand Book of Creative Discovery by Anne Sayre Wiseman.
Book: The Best of Making Things
This classic educational and creative text features 125 projects, carefully selected by the author to “develop natural curiosity and self-esteem,” and to demonstrate “simple and important concepts that have shaped the cultures of the world.” by Anne Sayre-Wiseman (2005) (Best of ‘Making Things’ Volume 1 & 2 published in the 70’s)
From scratch
We need to remember that we are craftsmen and women, designers and artists, and scientists gifted with imagination and foresight. In a full world that means making anything at all is a responsibility.
Excerpt from ‘Visionary rather than practical’: craft, art and material efficiency by Tanya Harrod.
Streets of invention
There is something troubling about a design situation where the poor of the globe become source material for high-end design rather than designers devoting time to designing low-cost products for the poor.
Excerpt from ‘Visionary rather than practical’: craft, art and material efficiency by Tanya Harrod.
The taxonomy of the dump
Many of us feel that the production of goods is out of our control. The current tendency for artists, designers and craftspeople to make work through recycling is symptomatic of this reaction against passive consumerism.
Excerpt from ‘Visionary rather than practical’: craft, art and material efficiency by Tanya Harrod.
Corkers
Kits of pushpins that can bring every bottle cork to life. Designed by Reddish Studio, Israel, sold by Monkey Business, USA.
Hands: The Tools of the Mind
The hands are the tools that make our intelligence and our inner thoughts visible to the rest of the world. An article by Christine Carrillo from Go-Montessori.
Anthropologie’s Earth Day Cork Project
Innovative and sculptural ideas on how to use old corks in window display of Anthropologie stores.
Cork Production
Cork has been used as flooring for a very long time because of its natural beauty, durability and renewability. Learn more about the process of creating cork flooring, Video by RealCorkFloors
Where does cork come from?
The cork oak (Quercus suber) is the primary source of most cork products in the world, These trees primarily grow in countries that run along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea including Portugal, Algeria, Spain, Morocco, France, Italy and Tunisia. Read more…
Cork Harvesting
Although we all recognize a cork – how many of us actually know where it comes from? Here´s a clip to fill in that blank…
Cork Chair
Corks glued over wooden base by Aaron Kramer.
Makedo Cardboard Construction System
Makedo is a set of self-connectors which allow you to easily join cardboard, plastic and fabric to form new objects and structures. Play objects, kid’s costumes, furniture and decorations for the home can all be made from the stuff around you and after use, easily dismantled and reused over and over again.
The Story of Plastic (animated short)
This animated documentary short investigates the state of the plastics industry and gives a brief overview of the entire manufacturing process.
Example of Footprint mapping
Part of a project to map carbon use in the creative sector – to understand the process from the perspective of its environmental impact. Catriona made her own paints and paper to create five artworks to illustrate a qualitative approach to mapping the carbon footprint of the project.
Sun-melted jewellery
Tawny Reynollds from Sundrop Jewelry sun-melts glass jewelry by melting recycled bottles and stained glass into elegant droplets using a giant magnifying glass.
Six Point Checklist For Makers’ Materials
A list to help you to assess how sustainable your materials are and suggest alternatives: By Craft Scotland.
Collective buying sustainable materials
An excert from an article about being more sustainable in your craft.
Buyerarchy of Needs
An illustration by Sarah Lazarovic. ‘The Buyerarchy of Needs’ is the Canadian illustrators reimagined version of the ‘Hierarchy of needs’, a theory in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow.
How to make a Robot Transformer with type 5 bottle caps
A video by EcoArte – Jairo e Margarete
Robots from plastic caps
Robots by Juan Cabrera Sánchez from Planeta Tapon
Bo-tito, robot toys made with post consumer plastic
Bo-tito comes assembled and as a kit. The pieces are connected to each other by an elastic multifilament cord for textile use. They Also don’t carry weapons. The average life of it is 400 years, which takes plastic to degrade.
Collection: Plastic cap figures
Image search – various makers
Collection: Plastic bottle body robots
Image search – various makers. Robots with bottles for bodies.
Furniture made with caps
Garden furniture made with made with plastic caps by Isa Digue.
How to make your own Lidman
Cheryl shares her method of making lidmen.
Pouf and bag from recycled bottle caps
Designer Athanassios Babalis created a shopping bag and stool from recycled bottle caps by threading them together. Instructions in Greek, with diagrams.
Endless Columns
Columns made from recycled plastic cartons and lids by Mary Ellen Croteau.
Bottle Caps – Mary Ellen Croteau
“Close” is a huge self portrait made from plastic caps. On her website, she says, “I noticed the smaller caps tended to nest inside one another, and the color combinations reminded me of… painted portraits.” Her self-portrait contains more than 7,000 plastic caps. She also gives her method of how to make a bottle cap mural.
Bottlecap art
Michelle Stitzlein has written two books of projects made from plastic caps. If you are a teacher who wants to try plastic caps in your classroom, she has all the tips on how to do that.
Fynbos series
Gallery of found object sculptures created by Michelle Stitzlein. Inspired by proteas, common house plants and succulents.
Lichen series
Large scale lichens from found objects by Michelle Stitzlein.
Moth series
Creative reuse inspired nature by Michelle Stitzlein. Inspired by “myriad varieties of beautiful, exotic moths in my own backyard.”
The craftivism manifesto
As the manifesto says, “Your craft is your voice. Use it well.” So, go, use your craft well. And make your own manifesto if you see fit!
A manifesto by Betsy Greer.
A Craftivist’s Manifesto
Craft as a powerful tool to create slow, quiet, thoughtful and compassionate activism as a catalyst for long term positive change in our world and in ourselves. A manifesto by Sarah Corbett.
Our future is in the making – an education manifesto for craft and making
Craft Education nurtures the 21st Century skills of collaboration, communication, creativity, problem solving and resilience
A Green Crafting Manifesto
A Green Crafting Manifesto by Julie finn.
1000 Words: A Manifesto for Sustainability in Design
1000 Words: A Manifesto for Sustainability in Design – By Allan Chochinov
10 Lessons the Arts Teach
The late Elliot Eisner identified 10 lessons which are clarified through the study of art in schools, but the points apply to art ed in general. From NAEA Publications
Rainbow Trash-to-Treasure Kits
Thought this was a lovely idea that could easily be recreated. By Art Explorium, Hawaii.
Reuse Explorations Guide
An overview of reuse programs in America with lots of examples. NERC 2016
Paper Rods, no tape, no glue
How to make paper rods which can be used for all sorts of building projects- video by Paula Beardell Krieg
Scissor Skills Crash Course
Abridged article about scissor skills by Colleen from The OT Toolbox
Plastic bottle windmills
Darcy’s son Ewan made a film about how to make a plastic bottle windmill – balancing design. Cool calm competency from a kid.
Edging jig for aluminium
The edges of aluminium discs are made safe using this simple edging jig. By Darcy Turner.
Using cable ties to join sticks
Darcy shows a couple of methods of fixing cable ties together and how to use a cable tension gun.
Newspaper Stixx sculpture
Darcy Turner shows how the Newspaper Rolling Machine can make solid sticks out of 5 sheets of newspaper and wallpaper paste. They can be cable tied together to make chairs strong enough to sit/stand on, other furniture and sculptures. The machines are available to buy or rent in London. Also – how he makes a chair out of the sticks.