Category: Textiles

pcycled tie necklaces with DIY tutorial by Aletha Israels from Artstar.

Tutorial for shair with woven tie seat by Mag Ruffman.

Ronnie Ryno’s tie designs include Prom and Wedding dresses, ballgowns, cocktail/party dresses, corsets, skirts, halters, vests, totes and belts.

Instructions by Diane Gilleland, CraftyPod.

Instructions and video – by Tiffany Threadgould.

Instructions using a simple nail loom from the 1976 book ‘Treasures from Throwaways’.

Instructions by Jane Mencsh-Mutshnik in volume 11 (UK version) of The Family Creative Workshop (1975).

Finding ideas for woven ties.

A collection of skirts made from ties.

Different styles of dresses made from old ties.

There are a great variety of styles of top that can be made from ties.

Many styles of bags all made from ties.

Many ways to stitch ties together to create quilts, rugs, hangings and more.

A simple nad sweet design. Michael Fulkerson designed and created the birds and mobile for the Spool Sewing website.

The idea is that as the child knits, little presents appear and fall out of the ball of wool. Instructions in The Children’s year by Stephanie Cooper, Christine Fynes-Clinton, Marije Rowling (1986).

Different ways to make a coat or jacket from old ties.

Tutorial by Laura Kluvo from Rick Rack Ruby that appeared in Craftster (2005).

Laura Kluvo from Rick Rack Ruby made a range of bag styles from neckties.

A collection of ideas of patterns for fixing jeans.

Alice sews umbrellas together t o make floor cushions.

Leslie from Faith in fear passes along her method for making t-shirt quilts, combining several tutorials she found online.

A series about stashbusting by Yoel from Yoelknits. Part 1 is about how to get started, part 2 iss how to deal with huge bundles of yarn, part 3 is how to deal with little bits of yarn, and part 4 is how to avoid running into the horror of running out of yarn mid-project.

Carla from Trashmagination gives a detailed insight into how she sources, washes and processes ties to craft with.

A student project at SCRAP Humboldt to find a way to add value to carpet samples. Features 3D printing.
I was also interested in looking at the criteria used to define the project.

Quick, simple, washable and endlesslly reusable. What’s not to like?
Blog post by Kara from The Practical Frog Blog

Fabulous mats and cushions made from recycled socks – by Perry

Examples by Pat Ashforth and Steve Plummer.
These cubes could be used as baubles or gift wrap.

Folding and unfolding hexaflexagons and hexaflexacubes – crocheted and knitted versions.
Examples by Pat Ashforth and Steve Plummer

Tutorial by Guillaume Riesen showing how to make a flexagon out of fabric. Comforting and addictive fiddling – geometry in motion! Includes another set of instructions by a quilter,

History of American woven potholders – originally made from waste from the sock manufacturing industry – and can still be made by recycling your old socks.

Tutorial by Kimbo
Jeans apron design with one piece for the neck strap and fastening tape. Includes video.

Tutorial by Jackie Currie from Happy Hooligans
Make 2 aprons from 1 pair of jeans.

Really good overview of Visible Mending by Constance Eyre. She identifies 7 types; Boro/Sashiko Darning, Iron patch & Blanket stitch, Portholes with an Eyelet stitch, Crochet mend, Darning/Needleweaving, Swiss Darning/Duplicate stitch and Embroidery.

by Isla from Confounded Crafter
2 of the most basic knots for Scoubidou. Use them to make a simple bracelet, keyring, USB tag or zip pull.

Houndstooth pattern also known as Pinwheel. Rachel recommends 100% cotton loops for potholders rather than blend or jersey loops – to stop fingers getting burnt.

Great video showing how to make a woven seat and the tools you need to do it.
By Repairs 101

I simply love the rich colours and patterns in these rugs. I see how the shapes of the fabric lend themselves to being placed symmetrically.

Ideal for toes and heels.
Article from GRIT magazine.

The ladder stitch darn is similar to the running stitch darn. These instructions aren’t the clearest but you can work it out by studying the photos.
Article by Caitlin Wilson, GRIT magazine

Another instruction for basic darning of socks, with background info and ideas for making darning eggs from dried, shellacked gourds, or a river rock.
By Caitlin Wilson, GRIT magazine

Good clear instructions by Maddy from Custom Woolen Mills. If you don’t have a darning mushroom or a darning egg… use a lightbulb!

About Visible Mending. Kate gives a good introduction and I include examples of her favourite underpatch and sashiko method.

“Wear your heart on your sleeve.”
Can be used to repair wearing out elbows, too.
By Erica Chan Coffman

Heleens trials showed that needlefelting denim didn’t really work, but she did come up with a great fix for a loose woven denim.

Invisible mend for elbows that are wearing thin. Real wool.
By Heleen Klopper, Woolfiller.

Instructions – How to mend a large hole using a piece of old jumper as reinforcement.
By Heleen Klopper, Woolfiller.

Is this the future for sustainable clothing and textiles?
By Heleen Klopper, Made to Mend.

The Gansey Jumper – great design and interesting history.
From Heleen Klopper, Made to mend.

Fix holes in your favourite jumper with felted wool.
By Heleen Klopper, Woolfiller.

Fix a woollen sock by needlefelting.
Tutorial by Heleen Klopper, Woolfiller.

How to make an eco-dish cloth out of socks or scrap fabric. I like the temporary loom made out of pegs.
Video in French by by Imprimerie Villière.

Video highlighting the problems with synthetic fibres.
The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard

Use old socks to weave a Dish Sponge [Slightly updated instructions]. Includes video.
By Permacrafters