T-Shirt Necklaces, Bracelets and Scarves - LFPL How to Festival

On Saturday, May 11, the Louisville Free Public Library will host the How To Festival at it's main branch from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. I will be there from 1-3 p.m. demonstrating how to make a t-shirt necklace, bracelet and scarf. Here's the instructions so you can do it at home if you can't make it to the festival.

Supplies

• Clean t-shirt (most stains won't show up), One with stripes or a colorful one will work best. Almost any recycled fabric will work.
• Scissors
• Masking tape or heavy object

Starting from the bottom of the t-shirt, cut 1" strips across it (this will form rings). (Also if you are using another type of fabric you can cut a snip into the fabric, then tear to give the finished product a funky frayed look.)

If you want to make a necklace or bracelet, you can cut the rings in half.

If you want to make the scarf, you will keep the rings in tact.

Necklace/bracelet:

• Choose 2- 3 strips of fabric, tying a knot at the top to hold the pieces together.  You can choose different fabrics, or all the same, whatever you like.
• Begin braiding or twisting the fabric strips.  Placing a book or other heavy object on the knotted end or using masking tape to tape it to a table will help hold the necklace in place as you braid.
• When twist/braid is complete, finish by knotting.
• Take the two knotted ends and tie a third knot to make a loop, pulling very tightly.
• Cut the excess fabric and original end knots off, leaving only the finishing knot.
• Try layering necklaces of various sizes and colors for an easy summer look.

Scarf:

• You will need as many circled strips as you wish for the length of the scarf, usually about 10-15. You will get about 15-16 from one t-shirt.
• Stretch out each ring and wrap around your hand three to four times. The more times you wrap around the shorter and thicker you scarf will be.
• You will need some smaller strips, approx. 2", to tie the scarf together. These can be cut from the sleeves of the t-shirt. They should be cut about 1/2" wide.
• Once you get the ring strips ready, you will link the loops made on your hand with the smaller strips by tying it around two loops. You can either leave it open so you have one long scarf or you can tie the two ends together to make a round scarf.

AND THE WINNER'S ARE....

Congratulations to Jennifer Elizabeth Dulles and Brian McMahan! Though it wasn't announced I also want to congratulate our 200th Facebook fan... Virginia Poole Parks!!!! 

I have decided to give each of you a choice of the five t-shirt grocery bags or a vinyl LP clock.  For the bags, if any of you happen to be a Kentucky Wildcat fan, I have received a donation of quite a few t-shirts and can make all your bags supporting your Cats, otherwise you will receive a random variety of bags. The clock if that is your choice, are made from some old albums and clock mechanisims and numbers from the Habitat for Humanity Reuse Store. Please message me or email me at Lynn.GoodGarbage@gmail.com with your preferences and your address so I can be sure to get your gifts to you in the next week.

Thank you for your support!

Good Garbage Gab - Creative Wrapping

One week until Christmas!!!!! I'm so excited!!!! How about you? Are you ready? This coming week I will be busy finishing up some handmade gifts, picking up the last few stocking stuffers, baking and  wrapping gifts!

There is nothing more fun to me than watching kids and adults ripping into a beautifully wrapped present. That is a big part of the fun for me! I really hate buying Christmas paper. Spend a fortune for it to last all of a minute before it's tossed in the trash. So, what alternatives are there? Just look around! You can use newspaper, comics, brown paper bags, and book and magazine pages. Add special touches by making your own bows from the same papers or scrap fabric. And if you are just dead set on bags... Then make your own from newspaper!!!

If you are making goodies like muffins, cookies, or candy, use some of these fun containers: aluminum box wrapped for muffins, Pringles cans wrapped for cookies and a toilet paper roll for candy! 

For instructions and more ideas, check out our Pinterest page. There you will find some great ideas for all kinds of repurposing! 

Please send us pictures of all your wonderful repurposed holiday crafts! We would love to share them on our blog and Facebook page! And if you use store bought wrapping paper (and don't fret, I am too, as I have paper I have purchased over the last 10 years I'm trying to use up), be sure to save the cardboard tubes. We will be using these for some wonderful gardening ideas and future crafts after the first of the year!

Anne and I want to wish you and yours a very, very Merry Christmas!!!! 

Good Garbage Gab - From Trash to Gifts 12/5/12

Today I'm hoping to inspire you to not only handcraft some wonderful Christmas gifts, but repurpose things you my have around your house to do so. Saving you money and of course, stuff from the landfill!!! 

Crayon Initial artwork

Do your kids or you have a lot of crayons that are broken? No, I'm not going to tell you to melt them into new mixed colored crayons... Take a piece of poster board, cardboard or construction paper, just as long as it is strong enough to hold the glued on crayons, an old frame (don't need a shadow box, just remove the glass from the frame), the broken crayons and some glue and make the initial of the gift recipient. You can write the name like here in the picture, or decorate any way you would like. These are great gifts for babies, families and babysitters.  

T-Shirt Scarves

Oh man... Did I ever get into a frenzy making all kinds of these last winter. I have so many different ones!!! They are awesome gifts this time of year and can be sewn or not. The one pictured here is actually unsewn and embellished with odd buttons and such that can be glued on. How? Just lay your t-shirt on a flat surface and cut a strip from the bottom (after you cut the hem off),  that is 4-6" wide. I usually do 4" just because that is the width of my straight edge. Take the circle piece and cut along one of the seams to make a long rectangle piece.  Cut the fringe and add the embellishments if you wish. Voila! Done!  

Jean Slippers

Who couldn't use a new pair of funky slippers???? This one I haven't done yet, but it is on my to do list for someone this Christmas!!! To see how to make these, come on over to our Repurposed Gift Pinterest page. Recycled Lovelies has a great tutorial. The blog is filled with wonderful ideas, but unfortunately she no longer updates it. Hopefully it will stay up for a good while! 

Come follow our Pinterest page and find lots of wonderful repurpose/recycle/reuse gifts as well as other great ideas. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.