Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Book Review, Hand-Me-Ups: Recrafting Kid’s Clothes with Easy Techniques and Fun Designs By Lorine Mason

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Hand Me-Ups: Recrafting Kid’s Clothes with Easy Techniques and Fun Designs

By Lorine Mason
 
What I liked about this book was the use of really good sewing techniques to make very nice looking projects. Often times when you are working with recycled cloths the techniques can be lost and you are just doing the basics. Krause books are known for their really good step out photos and this book really explains techniques such as how to make prairie points and then use them to re-style a little jacket. A fun idea using something from the quilt world and bringing it into fashion. I think lots of the projects are very transferable into adult clothing as well  and easy to take an idea in the book and change it’s theme to your favorite.
You can see one of the projects that I tried with recycled wool felted sweaters here.
 

More about the book from the publisher Krause Publications:

“Hand-Me-Ups features 25+ exciting projects, all based on recycled items you can take from the closet or purchase second hand. By reworking the materials and then jazzing up the pieces with trendy embellishments and simple techniques, you can create fashion forward looks for today’s kids. Includes a variety of projects such as clothing, belts, jewelry, shoes, bags and totes.


Lorine Mason is a crafting projects designer, utilising a variety of mediums. She has authored articles on home decor, the principles of designing projects for children and cross erchandising. She is the author of two other books by Krause Publications – Fashion Sweatshirts and Fashion Sweatshirts: Tots to Tweens.”

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Have you read?

Time Flies — And Sometimes It Has Wings Made of Vintage Paper and Buttons

Have you ever been to the cuckoo clock shop at Tamborine Mountain? It’s like stepping into another world — a charming, ticking wonderland filled with thousands (yes, literally thousands) of clocks. Some are grand and ornate, others tiny and tucked away like secrets waiting to be discovered. I remember walking through the shop with my kids, completely enchanted by the whirring gears, dancing figurines, and the joyful chorus of chimes. It was one of those places where time feels like it both stops and flies.

That same feeling came flooding back when I stumbled across this adorable craft project from Teawagon Tales called Time Flies. In true vintage style, it’s a whimsical little DIY that combines scraps of fabric, old paper, buttons, and clock faces into sweet butterfly-like creations — a beautiful mashup of memory, imagination, and just plain cuteness.

It reminded me that crafting is a little like walking through that clock shop. Each piece holds a story, a tick of nostalgia, and the joy of noticing small details. You don’t need much — just some leftover fabric, maybe an old book page or two, and a few bits from your button tin. And suddenly you’re creating something that feels like it fluttered out of a fairytale.

So if you’ve got a stash of pretty paper or vintage bits and bobs you’ve been saving for “something special,” this might be the perfect project to give them new life.

Take a look at the full tutorial and soak up some serious inspiration:
Time Flies – Teawagon Tales

And if you ever find yourself near Tamborine Mountain, do yourself a favour — pop into that cuckoo clock shop. It’s pure magic for anyone who knows that time isn’t just measured in minutes, but in memories.