My Favourite Upcycled/Repurposed Projects

My fave upcycled or repurposed projects... 

A while back, I was looking at my list of labels on the sidebar and realized that the "repurposing & upcycling" tag is one of the larger ones on the list. (The larger font size is determined by the number of posts that are tagged as such.)

I did a count of the number of posts that are so categorized and was amazed to come up with over seventy-five of them. There are degrees of relevance, of course; but as early as December 2013 – i.e., just a month into my blogging – I was already writing about making use of what we have to make something else.

It's not surprising, because when I returned to sewing after decades away, I had little else apart from my sewing machine and some basic notions. There was no fabric stash and I had almost no knowledge of where to get fabric.

Without access to "real" fabric, it quickly occurred to me to use other textiles in lieu of... bedsheets and pillowcases, drapery panels, and tea towels were among my earliest sources of material for sewing projects.

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Today's post is a return to the archives to highlight projects that were made either by repurposing unwanted things or using their raw materials as fabric. There have been many, but these are my faves.

Denim Wreath

Hubby gave me a whole bunch of damaged jeans to make a boat tote, but what I found most gratifying about that project is what I ended up making out of the denim remnants.

Notice the new additions to the wreath?

This hangs inside our house and hardly a week goes by without me looking at it and thinking, "I love this wreath!" I particularly love that in no way does it remind me of old jeans.

If you remember this project from 2023, you may notice in the above pic that I eventually added a few more pipe cleaners to create some spiral centers for the bows.

 

Shupatto Bag

It seemed that my readers were no more aware of the shupatto bag than I was when I made this back in 2022. It's a Japanese origami inspired design that creates a self-folding shopping bag that – depending on material used – can fit into small spaces for emergencies.

A once beloved skirt becomes a trendy shopping bag...

My version was made out of a 1990s midi skirt that I had been holding onto because of its sentimental value. I know that it's a bit scary to cut into clothes to remake into something else, but if you consider that you're no longer wearing that item of clothing, it's really no big deal to give yourself permission to snip away!

In this case, instead of a skirt hanging at the back of a closet, I now have a stylish bag that is both useful and meaningful.

Sock Hand Warmers

Everyone has socks with holes. If you're not the sort to take up darning, or crafting little sock animals, what do you do?

Part of my indoor "winter wardrobe"...

Well, I turned these two pairs into hand warmers. During the colder months, one pair sits at my computer station and the other is downstairs with my tablet. (I've been wearing these since early October.) They are quite simply one of the handiest things that I've ever made!

Jackets to Duffle

Prior to making the shupatto bag out of an old skirt, I took two jackets and turned them into a duffle. By far the most complex of my repurposing projects, this one is a favourite for good reason. It was a sewing accomplishment and the result is very usable and useful.

My most complex upcycling effort...

I wish I'd had the inspiration to do this earlier, because – and I may have expressed this before – the timing of the project closely coincided with the sale of our vacation property. I only really use a duffle like this for short trips, with the unfortunate result that I've had very little opportunity to use it since it was made.

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The Art of Refashioning

To paraphrase the advice that I gave above, if you're not wearing an item of clothing because it's not to your taste, it makes sense to be brave and take your scissors to it, to change it, and make it to your taste. This is what happened to a long duster style vest that I had never worn.

This still hangs on the back of my chair...

Pieces of it were transformed into a neck cowl and lining for mittens, but the main body of it became this super sporty vest. In short, something that was not wanted became a favourite. How can you not like that?

Modified Taylor Unisex Bag

Does the pandemic seem like a long time ago to you? To me, it's a weird combination of "it's just like yesterday" and "it was eons ago" at the same time. (Or perhaps more accurately, it's today because both Mom and I have been masking up when grocery shopping since early November. Trying to protect against the rise of everything during these cold months.)

Mom's pandemic purse...

During the actual height of it, however, she and I pared down our needs and decided to use smaller purses. After I made myself the Crossbody Sling Bag, Mom handed over a bag that hubby and I had brought back from Puerto Vallarta for her years ago and asked if I could turn it into something more usable. This slightly modified Taylor Unisex Bag was the result, and it served her well for a couple of years.

About six months ago, I swapped my Crossbody Sling Bag 2.0 for my Eggsy backpack, but Mom retired her Taylor two years ago. It remains, however, an excellent example of remaking something to suit one's needs.

CD Coasters

A blast from the 2017 past, these CD mug rugs are still on my dining table; I use them twice a day. (And yes, for all those who have asked, they have been washed. I do them with the dishes and just let them air dry.)

A great way to recycle unwanted CDs...

With a bunch of CDs that couldn't be recycled via our city's waste management system, I looked high and low for a way to reuse them. This was my first project; I subsequently made baskets out of others.

Note that this project is also an ideal opportunity to recycle kitchen textiles like tea towels or table cloths that are no longer in favour. 

Tote Bags to Seat Cushions

This project became an even bigger favourite with me this year. At the start of spring, I took a Christmas themed cushion and shoved it inside one of these remade tote bags.

These have yet another use!

I figured it would be a perfect way to have a weather proof pillow for the love seat on our back deck. There it stayed all summer, with the poly vinyl material providing excellent coverage against the outdoor elements. (And it was also a handy way to use an otherwise out of season item at a different time of year.)

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MyTie

Last but definitely not least, a list like this has to include my little "turn a tie into a purse" project. In terms of repurposing something, how much more transformational does it get?

My most memorable upcycling achievement...

This year marks the eleventh anniversary of this project/pattern release. It remains my best selling PDF, and the design I'm most proud of having created.

As the years go by, I've become more committed to using what I (already) have to make what I want. It feels good not only to reduce waste, but to turn unwanted things into unique and beautiful items. I hope this post – as much as it's been a clip show post 😜 – gives you inspiration to attempt the same.

On another note, as I don't anticipate making another "appearance" here until January, all the best of the season to whoever's still reading!

'Til 2026... 🇨🇦🍁

A Blissful Idea Realized in 60 Minutes

I striking bag made more so by the fabric...

When Christine of ChrisW Designs released her Boxed Bliss handbag pattern in July, I must admit that the first thing I admired was the fabric that she chose for the bag.

Turns out that I wasn't the only one.

Apparently she had several inquiries about the fabric's origins from her customers, who likely wanted to purchase it to replicate the look. The unfortunate part was that she no longer had the information as to where it came from or who had released it.

A tiny voice in the back of my mind suggested that it wouldn't be hard to reproduce, given that it's just stripes.

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But it wasn't until early August that the idea was put into motion. (More on that later.) And to prove that the process is not difficult in the least, let me say that I accomplished this between trips to the kitchen to put dinner together. It probably took me about an hour in real time.

The hardest part is to approximate the form and scale of the pattern. Without seeing the fabric in person, I could only guess, but once you make a guess, the rest of it falls into proportion based on that initial assumption.

Establishing the pattern and the repeat...

Anyway, I zoomed in on the bag's strap for guidance on this, because parts of the bag body are hidden by black webbing. (Yes, those pure black stripes you see are not on the fabric.)

What I did here was jot down some notes as to the number and size of stripes in the repeat. In the above picture, you can easily see that at the far right, the pattern of thin gray and white stripes is the same as the thin gray and white stripes that I've circled in red. So that establishes the range of the pattern repeat.

By my calculations, there are seventeen distinct areas to account for, from single stripes of varying widths to three different sets of thin stripes, also of varying widths.

My estimates of colour and size...

Of course, I used Paint Shop Pro for this; it provided me with approximate colours and I was able to create stripes of desired widths.

When all was said and done, I thought it was a decent looking facsimile. A simple upload to Spoonflower followed by a quick proofing gave me this:

A comparison (fabric image courtesy of Spoonflower)...

Both are images on a computer, so matching is near impossible; but then, this wasn't an attempt to create a pixel by pixel copy of the original. Per the name of the design (Homage to the Boxed Bliss Stripes), this is an homage. It's meant to capture the essence of the original's appeal.

To emphasize: because it's just stripes, anyone with access and ability to use a graphics program can do this. It may take more than an hour, but it's definitely doable. (And I speak of Spoonflower as the producer of the end product because I've had an account there for over a decade, but other companies do exist.)

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Spoonflower fabric is not inexpensive – an unfortunate characteristic of all "print on demand" fabric – but when you find (or create) a design that you truly love, it's an affordable luxury. (I assume that's why my Pride & Prejudice fabric continues to sell.) They also offer sales on a regular basis – and of course, Black Friday is coming up – which means that you'll likely be able to get a deal of some kind without waiting too long. Personally, I think that if you're making something that's meant to be special and perhaps one of a kind, it's totally worth it.

Table cloth option (image courtesy of Spoonflower)...

I will also say, the fact that you have many, many (thirty at time of writing) different fabrics from which to choose, ensures that your project will look its absolute finest. Let's face it, we often have to "make do" with our fabric. We may adore the print, but the material itself may be woefully thin, so we have to reinforce with layers of interfacing. (Or conversely, we may love a heavy duty upholstery material but are limited in how it can be used, due to the constraints of our sewing machines.) With Spoonflower, you can choose the exact type of fabric that fits your needs and your project.

For those who aren't familiar with the range of fabrics available, here is a closeup of their most basic selection, Petal Signature Cotton (a basic quilting weight cotton in a 42" width):

Spoonflower's most affordable fabric (image courtesy of Spoonflower)...

And here is a closeup of one of their more expensive options, Cypress Cotton Canvas (a decidedly heavier, textured fabric in a 56" width):

A higher end option (image courtesy of Spoonflower)...

My favourite Spoonflower fabric for home decor and bag making is their Lightweight Cotton Twill. It's middle of the road in terms of price and has delivered great results for me.

Okay, back to why I decided to do this. Christine was having a supremely awful day and I thought this might boost her mood... which it did. So if you liked her Boxed Bliss test bag and want to make a similar one for yourself, go on over to Spoonflower, order this homage fabric and inject some bliss into Chris' day!

For Black Friday this year, Spoonflower is offering up to 25% off on fabrics and home decor and 30% off on wallpaper. The promo runs through December 2.

As a bonus, I promised to forward any commissions made on this design to Christine... there's already money in that bucket, but maybe let's make it worthwhile for us to do an actual transaction (given the fees involved with international money transfers) by making some more sales.

Oh, and if you've been eyeing some CWD patterns but haven't yet purchased, go on over to her site and check out what Black Friday discounts she's got going. You can save up to 40%!

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

Upcycling Jeans with Ute Jensen [Pt 1]

Old jeans turned into a whale of a pencil case!

Are you having a pleasant fall (spring) season where you are? We have managed not to see any snow yet, which is always a plus this far north. But it's clear that daylight hours are dwindling as we approach the "shorter" days of late autumn, especially with the switch back to standard time later tonight.

Gotta be honest: not a fan of this time of year. But I digress...

Approximately six months before it closed down, Makerist held another of its unfathomable $2 sales. I picked up a couple of patterns by a German designer named Ute Jensen. She specializes in projects that involve upcycling old jeans, and she does it in a rather effective manner. Not satisfied with merely using denim, she quite craftily identifies elements from a basic pair of jeans that can be featured in various ways to create personality in her patterns.

Check out this whale shaped pencil case. (It can be put to myriad other uses apart from holding pencils, of course.)

Reverse view...

Notice the clever positioning of an upside down front pocket with its requisite rivet to create the top of the head for this (blue? sperm?) whale. I mean, perhaps many people can sit down and think of a way to create a pouch in the shape of a whale, but to do it with old jeans and have it be so representative takes a certain talent, don't you think?

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The project isn't exactly easy, however, given the contortions that you have to go through when working with potentially heavyweight denim. My other half's old jeans all appear to be made out of thick denim with a weave that seems to defy cutting. (God knows how he managed to get holes in them!) Whether with scissors or rotary cutter, cutting was just difficult.

Here's the template for the front pocket that forms the head of the whale...

Causing an additional problem for me was the requirement to adhere to a non-traditional seam allowance of 0.3" (or 0.76 cm). In the PDF, she refers to this as the width of her presser foot but that's obviously not a universal thing; at least, none of mine are sized like that.

In most cases, if you're consistent with using a fixed seam allowance when sewing something, you shouldn't run into issues. In this case, however, my use of a 1/4" seam allowance on the fins caused them to turn out wider than called for, which made it essentially impossible to sew the front head piece to the back piece with a regular seam (where you see the green pin in the picture below).

Not following the unconventional seam allowance made the fins too big... 

Rather than redo the fins, I opted to overlap and zigzag stitch the two pieces together, leaving an exposed raw edge. Given the overall look of this, I didn't feel as though having a couple of frayed areas would detract from the finished project.

Turning out this tail is not for the faint of heart!

The tail gave me fits, even before the sewing and turning. Again, cutting was a challenge, given the precise angles of the template and its relatively small size. Of course, the seam allowance on this piece was scant (i.e., definitely not 0.3"), meaning that turning and poking out the ends had to done extremely carefully lest you poke right through. As it was, my hemostat created a hole in the fabric just from its grip and my pulling. You may or may not be able to see the mishap in the photo above; I eventually quilted the whole thing to hide the issue.

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The zipper installation went pretty much as expected. If you have experience with zippers, this one won't cause you any concerns. Let me say here that while the instructions are a bit odd in some sections due to language translation, the whole pattern is very well documented with photos. (Also – if you don't have a pair of old jeans to sacrifice and you still want to make this – there are instructions for making it with "regular" fabric.)

View of underbelly...

Notice how the designer makes use of both sides of the denim to create contrast. (Confusingly, I recall the English translation uses the term "left side" when describing the wrong side of the fabric.) Oddly enough, some of hubby's discarded jeans are of the light wash variety: both sides look pretty much the same in terms of offering up a lighter shade of blue.

In use as a pencil case...

The pouch is capable of holding many writing instruments, if that is your desired function for the finished item. (I don't need any more pouches myself, so this is going to be a gift for a lucky little someone who might actually use it for its intended purpose.)

The lining fabric that you see was gifted to me ten years ago. In keeping with the upcycling theme, however, an old shirt that's no longer in favour might be something to consider for a lining.

All in all, a cute way to repurpose old jeans...

Unlike most other sewing projects that I've taken on in the past, this one was started, set aside, picked up, re-started, and then finished leisurely. None of the pacing was intentional; that's just how it turned out. I'm thinking that this might be the way of most of my future sewing... slow, with no defined schedule for completion. It's not like I have a lot of projects waiting in a queue; not much of what I see these days "calls" to me.

One last addition to highlight: after I took all of the photos, it occurred to me to use the zipper remnant as a zipper pull extension.

I saw this idea on a wine bottle cozy many years ago in a book that I borrowed from the library. Since I don't have any actual extra zipper pulls to put onto small remnants of #3 zippers that get chopped in projects like these, any other use that I can put them to is a plus.

While Makerist is no more, you can find Ute Jensen's patterns by searching Etsy for her shop, Jotdotshop. (Maybe you can take a look through and guess which of her other projects will be featured here in part two.)

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

A Slew of Sling Bag Styles

How would you design a sling bag?

After making Miko Craft's Eggsy Shoulder Bag as a birthday present for hubby, I was intrigued by what other styles of sling bags are currently out there, in terms of sewing patterns. If you were to make a bag for the men in your life, what would they want?

Of particular interest to me are thinner designs (to be worn closer against the body) that might appeal more to guys not used to carrying such an item.

Let's establish what exactly I'm talking about. A sling bag to me is something that can be slung over your shoulder and worn as a handsfree bag.

A single strap mini backpack qualifies in this discussion, as do those absolutely horrible – my personal opinion only; you may love them and more power to you if that's the case – "bum bags" or "hip packs" that people have stopped carrying around their waist and instead are draping them unattractively – again, my personal opinion only – against their chest.

Perhaps we should call these "boob bags."

Shown here is an example. By no means am I critiquing this designer's (AllSewPetite) creation. It looks to be a perfectly well constructed item – albeit rather large – but as I am just not a fan of the style or how they're commonly being "worn," I shall not cover similar bags in this discussion.

(By the way, unless indicated otherwise, all of the images shown here were taken from listings on Etsy. I've endeavoured to include the information for the designers in the screen grabs, so if you're interested in the patterns, you can go search for them.)

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Before I start, let me clarify that I have no experience with the work of any of these designers except for the last one. The patterns I'm featuring here are not endorsements; they just happen to have drawn my attention for the purposes of writing up this blog post.

Four for Da Dudes

These first few bags have a distinct masculine vibe. They vary quite a bit in size, however, and while I can't speak for all guys, I know my guy prefers a more compact "murse" — ha, ha!

This canvas one (by ProperFit) appears to be the biggest (at 19.5" x 11"). It sports two smallish pockets on the front, one that closes with snaps and the other with a zipper (that pocket actually has an opening behind it that can hold something, but it wouldn't be very secure). The larger zipper facilitates access into the main compartment, which has a slip pocket inside to store a tablet or something similar.

There is a YouTube video accompanying this pattern that can be freely accessed.

While this bag certainly looks sporty, I'm not sure those two pockets on top would be the most useful for hubby.  And of course, he'd like the whole thing to be way smaller.

These next two designs are by HeavyBoyPattern; the designer is Russian. (The brand doesn't really show up on a basic Google search, so if you're interested, you should go directly to Etsy and look it up there.) The pattern consists simply of the templates and a YouTube video. I was able to view the video for free, so if the designs appeal to you, you can evaluate the sewing process before buying, which is certainly advantageous.

The first one here is a leather sling, with a zippered 3D pocket on top. (Is there an actual name for this type of pocket that I don't know about? Enlighten me, please.) Two other zippers provide access to the main compartment and to a flat pocket on the front panel.

It's not as big as the first one, but still not small. I personally love the oval shape. Speaking of shape...

This vinyl bag by the same designer is an upside down oval. (And truth be told, it looks somewhat odd to me; I'd want to orient it the other way.) From what I gathered on the video, it seems to have just one big central cavity (with a slip pocket inside) accessed through the zipper. I don't think the front seam area (the black panel) is an open slip pocket, despite its appearance.

I believe this one is smaller than previous one by the same designer.

Fourth up on the list is this leather sling by Goatro. (As with the other patterns, a freely accessible YouTube video is the only source of instructions available.)

I want to highlight this one specifically because it has that "tab" detailing on the front. While I think the secured tab was unique when it first appeared and is still stylish as a design feature, in actual use, it would aggravate me to no end. (Again, my personal opinion only.) To have to snap, unbuckle, twist or undo that closure to get to that part of the bag – which includes not just the open section, but also the zippered pocket – is a huge inconvenience that I wouldn't want to deal with.

I would strongly recommend, before choosing to make a sling bag that incorporates this feature, to consider whether the end user is a "style" person or a "practical" person.

Four Thin Ones for Anyone

These next sling bags all have an intriguing style element that would be handy for travel: they're all fairly flat. Unisex by design, these can be worn underneath jackets for the utmost in security. And as for wearing a bag across the chest, at least with these versions, they're thinner and will not create as much additional bulk.

This rectangular sling is a compact choice. At 11.5" x 6.5", it will allow someone to carry just the essentials in two compartments. The pocket on the front is limited to holding flat items, but the main pocket looks to be somewhat "gusseted" to store more. (Both are zippered.)

The strap attachment along the bottom of the bag can be clipped to either corner, making it easy to switch for lefties or righties. Made up in appropriate fabrics, this would work well for all ages and sexes.

Oh, and like the others, this pattern is templates and video instruction only. (Am I seeing a pattern here??)

Let me freely admit that the rectangular shape of the last bag isn't my fave.

This next one is definitely not a rectangle, but the item itself is categorized as a embroidery machine pattern. I'm including it here to show the creative possibilities. For those among us who are capable of drafting our own patterns for something simple like this, cutting fabric into a stylized triangle is not a big deal. 

This particular design appears to have two storage areas: a zippered main compartment and a flapped pocket on the front. (Unfortunately, the listing's main photo here was a poor choice to showcase the design; due to the busy fabric, you really can't see the flapped pocket.)

Design number three is working for me: it's got an asymmetrical, angular, yet rounded shape. (It's meant to conjure up a bottle.) It looks to be thin enough to be worn against the body – front or back – without creating undesirable bulk.

This one has three pockets: the zippered one that you see on the front, the open, sloped slip pocket above it and another zippered one on the back. Finished size is 6" x 14".

Ideal for tucking valuables away under a jacket when traveling, or just for everyday use for folks who may not otherwise have pockets for their phones and credit cards. The D-ring along the side is meant for clipping keys. (I would suggest that my lanyard-like wallet would be a good add-on there, so it can be tossed inside the open pocket and kept more securely.)

Unlike the others, this pattern provides written instructions (with photos) only.

Sling bag number four in this category is another "made for traveling" candidate. It appears also to fit underneath jackets discreetly without being bulky. It finishes at 9" x 12.75" and can be carried in various ways, including as a traditional shoulder bag.

From what I can see, it has three pockets. Two are accessible from the front: the one with a snap tab closure is designed for a phone. A zipper along the side on the back provides access to the main central compartment.

Pattern includes instructions and templates only. While she doesn't have an accompanying video, she makes mention of a YouTube video done by someone else that could be helpful.

Personally, I would love to see a small sling bag that combines the added storage capacity of the first (the rectangular one that has a gusseted main compartment) with a more intriguing shape like the others. Three pockets – one accessed from the front, one main and one against the back – would be ideal.

Wait... am I looking for something similar to my own crossbody sling bag??

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Many years ago, I made the Summit Pack sling bag that was quite a popular pattern. Don't know if anyone made it for the men in their lives (my hubby said it was too big), but here's a similar one that caught my eye while I was putting together the above list.

This is a newer pattern from Sara at Sew Sweetness, (whose free Oriole bag I made back in 2019). At 7" x 15" – with varying depth depending on how you make it – it's still probably on the "too big" side, but it looks fantastic and has the minimal three pockets that I'd like in a sling bag. (There is one on the back.)

One last opinion that I must express... this is an example of a test bag that's been made with the "right" fabric. I know we all have different tastes when it comes to fabric, but there are times when I wonder what the thought process was, when I see samples made out of – seemingly – bargain basement materials. It's one thing if the project is an upcycling effort, but designers with an actual intention to sell patterns should always showcase their work with the best fabrics available.

Before I go, I want to acknowledge that everything I've featured so far are paid patterns. Can't just ignore the other side, so here are some freebie sling bag projects that you can find on YouTube.

images courtesy of YouTube...

The above projects are from the following channels respectively: Shooka Leather, Tendersmile Handmade and SewingTimes. That first one provides a full set of templates, so it's a great opportunity to use them to make your own fabric version if you're so inclined.

To end this post on the same note as it began, one other sling that I want to single out is the Wakasa from Miko Craft. It's described as a men's crossbody, but with appropriate fabrics, it's very much unisex in design. As usual, he provides all required templates and his instructions are great.

image courtesy of YouTube (Miko Craft)...

I hope you enjoyed seeing the variety of sling bags in this post. If you have any strong opinions about them – or if you have design thoughts of your own and want to throw out suggestions – let me know!

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁