Sew Scrappy: Favorite Uses for Fabric Scraps

July 16, 2023July 16, 2023 aschildmeierLeave a comment

If you are anything like me then you have a never ending pile of fabric scraps! I love sewing but I don’t love the waste created with pieces too small for my normal projects but too big to just throw in the garbage (and let’s be honest….it really hurts to throw even the smallest of fabric pieces away). I have spent the last year putting my scraps to practical use and am excited to share this list of my favorite ways to use up all of that scrappy fabric waste!

Farmhouse chic scrappy fabric roses: I was looking for a unique end of year teacher gift and stumbled across these fabric flowers and instantly fell in love! I used a tutorial from SnowyBliss and vintage fabric from my stash to sew up these bouquets and can’t wait to make more for myself! I just love the shabby farmhouse feel they give off. These were super simple to make but are quite time consuming so be prepared to settle in and enjoy the process.

Dog bed: I wanted to try out using fabric scraps as “stuffing” so I decided to sew up a new bed for my pup. I also wanted to upcycle using something already in my home for the bed. I decided to use a blanket that had holes in it and simply cut around the holes bringing new life to this blanket! I stuffed this bed full of fabric scraps and added polyfil as well to help fill it out and make it softer. Please note that if you solely stuff with fabric scraps it will be a bit lumpy (and very heavy) and adding polyfil or similar really does help smooth out the lumps. Once finished, I tufted the bed for a prettier finish. The tutorial I used for this bed is no longer available but you can use your favorite tutorial or just wing it!

Fabric pouf: I found this fun FREE tutorial from HGTV for sewing up a fabric pouf. I also used my fabric scraps as “stuffing” for my pouf as I did with the dog bed. While I did buy the fabric for the pattern as I wanted it to match my homeschooling room I did stuff it with TONS of scraps. I added some polyfil as I stuffed to help shape the pouf and make it a bit softer to lounge on.

Pattern weights: I have several practical pattern weights in my sewing room made from washers but I also wanted something cute to add a little personality to my space. When I came across these adorable chickens from GlueSticksBlog I knew they were the perfect addition AND they used up tiny fabric scraps as well! The instructions were great and they were both quick and easy to whip up.

Fabric beach ball: This project was really simple and very quick! I used the pattern from Little Lizard King to create our beach ball and bought the jumbo punch balloons for inside. There are two sizes to choose from and you can make it with 6 or 8 fabric panels. I used the 6 panels and made a 12″ size; the other size option is 9″. I do suggest to not leave your ball in the pool or the chlorine will fade your fabric immensely. I loved how little fabric this used, it was a perfect project for my scrap bin!

Doll clothes: If you have little girls that play with dolls then this is the perfect scrap-buster for you! Doll (or even barbie) clothing uses up all those tiny scraps in your pile. And my girls just adore matching Dolly & Me outfits! Most of my favorite PDF pattern companies also sell doll sized patterns. A few of my favorites are from Petite Stitchery (pictured), Peekaboo Patterns, Made for Mermaids and Little Lizard King.

Snuffle mats: these are a no sew project perfect for kids! Our small dog, hedgehog and bunny all love their snuffle mats and they can be expensive to purchase but are fairly inexpensive (and fun!) to make. I used a tutorial from Dream a Little Bigger and cut my strips 1″ wide by 6.5″ wide long. While this uses a larger amount of fleece; if you don’t mind mix and matching your scraps you can make them out of simply scraps! After making one with my kids they were then able to make several on their own to sell at a chidren’s craft fair. Since these mats use a plastic base please don’t leave them in your pets enclosures unsupervised.

Fabric bunting: These are another no sew option and fun for anyone to make. I like to hang up fabric bunting for holidays and seasonal decor at my home. You can opt to use your pinking shears to cut the fabric strips for less fraying and simply knot them onto twine. You can cut your strips whatever size you prefer to use up your scraps but I typically cut mine 1.5″ wide by 20 inches long.

Braided rope dog toys: My kids participated in a children’s craft fair recently and wanted to sell dog toys. We cut up scraps of fabric and braided them into pull toys. This is a GREAT kids craft and is a sewing free project. When we made these, we used fleece and quilting cotton scraps. The fleece is preferred as the cotton frays but our dog plays with both! For the cotton ropes we doubled the strands using 6 strips instead of 3. Simply cut out your strips (you can use pinking shears for less fraying), tie a knot at one end, braid and then tie a knot at the other end! You can trim up your ends to be even and there you have a quick, easy , kid friendly craft to make together. We cut our strips 1.5 inches wide by 20 inches long but you can customize this based on your scrap size as well.

Hair bows/accessories/hats: the options here are endless!! I love making matching bows with scraps from the dress or outfit I am making. Baby hats are a perfect baby shower gift and use up those tiny pieces. A slouchy beanie or a knotted headband are fun options for scraps well. Pictured here are some of my favorite accessory patterns including the Wintergreen Beanie from Petite Stitchery (a FREE pattern) , a knotted headband (my tutorial linked here), the Evergreen Bow from Wild Seed Patterns (she has LOTS of accessorry options that are all great scrap busters) and the knotted baby beanie included in the Hello World Collection from Petite Stitchery.

Zipper pouch: There are countless free tutorials and patterns for zipper pouches available. What I love about these is they use such small scraps and are easily customizable with charms and tassels! I love making these as gifts or party favors. Pictured below are a few of my FREE favorites that I have sewn up recently: The heart from Patterns for Pirates and the pouch from Made for Mermaids that I have made for my kids.

Critter cuddle sacks: These are a favorite at my house as we have a hedgehog that loves them! I did a blog post tutorial on how to create them a few years ago, linked here for easy viewing. They use scrap sizes of fabric and are an easy beginner sewing project to do with your kids!

Car trash can: As a mom always on the go with my kids my van is a wreck. I wanted to sew up a mini trash can to help contain the mess. I found a great tutorial from Stitches by Christy that was just what I was looking for. I used scraps of outdoor fabric I had on hand from another project to make this trash holder a bit more sturdy as well.

Grocery bag dispenser: this item has been on my to do list for an embarrassingly long time. I worked on sewing projects to improve our home this Spring and finally made this bag dispenser a priority. This project will only take you 10 minutes and helps declutter the bag mess SO quickly! I used a tutorial from Smashed Peas and Carrots but used fabric instead of ribbon for my strap.

Mini embroidery hoop ornaments: these are another sewing free option for fabric scraps and make great gifts! You can easily personalize them with vinyl or paint and they would also make a fun girls craft night project. I am linking my tutorial to making these fun ornaments here for you!

I hope that you are inspired to sew up your scrappy waste and I would love to see your scrap projects and hear about how you use up all your fabric scraps and waste!

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Craft Tutorials

Easy DIY Coaster Tutorial

February 18, 2022 aschildmeierLeave a comment

I recently made some coasters for Christmas gifts and they were such a hit! Many have asked how to make them and they are SO simple that I thought I would throw together a quick tutorial for you all!

You will need the following supplies:

-Hot Glue Gun or Permanent Glue of Choice (Such as Tacky Glue, E6000, etc)

-Scrapbook Paper

-Felt

-Mod Podge & Foam Brush for Application

-Acrylic Water Resistant Sealant Spray (such as this one)

-Blank Ceramic Tiles (I like the 4×4 size such as these)

First, you will cut your scrapbook paper the correct size for your tiles being sure you have a tiny edge of tile peeking out evenly on all sides. If your paper fully covers the top of the tile without that edge the paper will not adhere nicely around the edges. I cut my paper to a 4×4 square size and made 6 coasters at a time. I also like to mix and match my paper prints instead of using all one matching print! Once your paper is cut you will spread a thin even layer of Mod Podge onto the surface of the tile. Carefully smooth your scrapbook square on top of the Mod Podge layer (working from the middle out to the edges) being sure you do not have any air bubbles. Once you are happy with the placement of your paper you will spread another thin even layer of Mod Podge on top. Be sure to go all the way to the edge and clean any drips that go over the sides before it dries. After that layer dries fully you will apply 1-2 more coats being sure they are thin even layers.

Next, after your Mod Podge is finished you will seal the coasters! Be sure you are in a WELL ventilated area ( I like to do this step outdoors). Spray the tops of each coaster being sure to use a thin even coating and apply 2-3 total coats being sure to let it fully dry between layers. It is SUPER important not to skip the water resistant sealant or your cups will stick to the coasters (ask me how I know….).

After the sealant dries you are almost finished! The final step is to put backing onto the tiles so they don’t scratch up your furniture. I have used both thin cork and felt for this step and highly prefer the felt. You will cut your felt to size like you did with your scrapbook paper. I cut my felt into 4×4 squares and then glued it onto the back of the tile. You can use your glue of choice and I have found that Tacky Glue has given the best results for my coasters but have also used hot glue. Now, go make all the coasters and have fun with it!

~Amanda~

Craft Tutorials

DIY Embroidery Hoop Ornament

December 4, 2018 aschildmeier1 Comment

I have been obsessing over embroidery hoops lately. I love them for wreaths, wall decor, just about anything! When we started decorating for Christmas this year I knew I wanted to incorporate them into our tree as ornaments. These were SO quick and easy so I put together a quick tutorial for you to add these to your Christmas tree too!

First, we need to get together our materials. You will need the following:

*Fabric, Approx 1/4 Yard: I used a buffalo plaid flannel from Joann

*3″ or 4″ Embroidery Hoops: I got a 10 pack of 3″ hoops from Amazon Here

*Heat Transfer Vinyl

*Twine or String of Your Choice

*Optional: Spray Paint, Additional Decorative Accents such as Greenery

I opted to spray paint my hoops gold to match my color theme on the tree. After the hoops are painted you will trace the hoop onto paper to make a template for cutting your fabric. Add approx 1/4″ to your circle to allow room for the fabric to be pulled taut into the ring. Once you have your template go ahead and cut your fabric. I found it easier to cut on the fold to get a more uniform circle. Cut your heat transfer vinyl designs as well. I used the same design on all 10 of my ornaments and purchased it in the Silhouette Design Store.

After you have everything cut and heat pressed you add them to the hoops. Be sure the design is centered and the fabric is pulled taut before tightening your hoops. After they are all put together I went ahead and cleaned up the backs by heat sealing the frayed threads. I also needed to add just a dab of hot glue to the tops under the screws to keep the fabric laying flat in that tiny spot. Finish them off by tying twine or other string to the tops to hang them on the tree. You can also add greenery or other decorative accents if you desire.

These ornaments look so pretty on our Christmas tree and tie the colors together so perfect! I can’t believe how fast and easy there were to make, I will be adding more of these soon. I can’t wait to see what you create for your embroidery hoop ornaments as well.

Merry Christmas!

Craft Tutorials

DIY Bow and Headband Holder

April 20, 2018 aschildmeierLeave a comment

With the arrival of our baby girl coming soon my nesting instincts have kicked into high gear. Number one priority right now is prepping all of the decor for her nursery! One item I have made for our girls room that I knew we needed in the babies room as well is a bow and headband holder. These are SO EASY to make and customize to your nursery theme that I wanted to share a quick tutorial with you!

You will need the following supplies to throw together this DIY bow and headband holder:

*Blank Canvas: I prefer the 12×24 size

*Fabric (for covering the canvas)

*Cup Hooks: I picked mine up at Home Depot but you can find them online as well

*Felt

*Grosgrain Ribbon in 1″ or 1.5″ width

*Glue Gun, Scissors, Measuring Tape or Ruler, Lighter (for heat sealing ends of ribbon)

Your first step will be to lay the canvas on top of your fabric and cut the fabric to size. It will need to be several inches larger on all 4 sides so that you have enough fabric to wrap around the back edges. Be sure your fabric design is STRAIGHT before cutting!

Next, you will wrap the top and bottom edges of fabric taut over the back of the frame and glue in place using hot glue. If your fabric is cut too large and hangs over the wooden frame trim it down before gluing. Be sure to check that the fabric is straight and taut on the canvas after gluing these two sides into place.

You will then glue the next 2 sides onto the back frame. Mine were too long and hung over the frame so I trimmed them down before gluing. You will tuck the corners in and glue first, see photos below. Again, be sure your fabric is tight and straight on the front of the canvas. After gluing down all 4 sides you can add fray check around the edges if you would like, I did not on this one but have on the ones I have gifted. These raw edges will later be covered so it isn’t necessary to fray check.

The next step is to add ribbon to the front of the frame to clip your bows onto. You will use your measuring tape to mark along the top and bottom back frame where you would like to attach the ribbons. I marked every 3 inches on mine and then chose to add only 4 ribbons instead of 6 as it covered too much of the fabric design on the front. My ribbons needed cut to 16 inches to fit this size canvas. You will then glue the ribbon down at each marking being sure to pull it taut before gluing the other end down.

After the ribbons have been added to the front of the frame I like to also add hanging ribbon to the bottom to clip additional bows onto. Being a bow maker my girls have LOADS of hair accessories and need as much storage on these holders as possible. Again, you will mark on the back of the frame using your tape measure where you would like to attach the ribbons. I spaced my hanging ribbon evenly between the ribbons on the front. I used 20 inches for my ribbon length, you will need to use your lighter to heat seal the bottom of the ribbon to prevent fraying.

Once all of your ribbon is added you will cover your back frame pieces with felt to cover the raw edges and give the back a nice finished look. **If you would like to add ribbon or twine to hang the frame from please add it BEFORE adding the felt. I chose to hang this one from the frame and not add a ribbon.** Measure the width of the wood on the back of your frame to cut your felt to size, 1.5″ width for my felt strips was perfect for this frame.

Your last step will be to add the cup hooks to hang your headbands onto! You will use your tape measure one more time to evenly space your hooks on both sides and the bottom of the frame. It is completely up to you how many hooks you would like! Since the canvas frame is wood these hooks screw right in so easily.

You are finished! Wasn’t that super easy and quick?! Now, go hang it up in your little girls room and organize all those adorable hair accessories!