Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Win a copy of Sweater Surgery: How to Make New Things from Old Sweaters

by

You get to benefit from a tiny bit of self promotion! Yup, this is my book. And my publisher, the wonderful Quayside Publishing Group has offered a copy to you my loving Recycled Crafts at Craft Gossip readers. All you need to do is leave a comment in today’s post by Midnight Wed 26th, 2010 and you are entered to win. Here is a bit about it and want to see more projects made with recycled sweaters pop on over to these posts at Craftside and these posts at Sweater Surgery.

Sweater Surgery:
How to Make New Things from Old Sweaters

By yours truly,

Stefanie Girard

“Contemporary crafters are thriving on personalizing, modifying, and altering fashion as not only hobbies but as a lifestyle.

Why repurpose your sweaters? Because you can’t buy sweater fabric by the yard. Sweaters get damaged or go out of style but we still love the prints, colors, and textures. You don’t have time to knit it from scratch. It’s ecologically correct. And most of all–it’s fun!

Sweater Surgery shows you how to upcycle all your slightly worn, slightly damaged, or plain old out-of-style sweaters into fabulous new items for your wardrobe and your home. Readers learn how to choose, cut, restitch, felt, and embellish old sweater fabric, transforming it into beautiful handbags, mittens, scarves, hats, hoodies, skirts, jewelry, soft toys, pillows, and more!

Complete instructions for 27 projects, plus a huge gallery of exciting ideas for further inspiration.”

[tags] Sweater Surgery by Stefanie Girard[/tags]

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Comments

  1. I have seen this book on a few blogs and want it bad!
    Please pick me!!!
    I would love to play like you.

  4. my mother was a “home taylor”, I cut paper with scissors and take care of stray cats and dogs, and my daughter just discovered creativity with grandmother’s sewing machine… the world is hopefully full of women busy with life…?

  5. Set my intention on finding perfection today and look where it landed me! Thanks for the opportunity and good luck with your book. Amy

  7. What a great idea for a book. I have done some felting from old wool sweaters and would love more ideas.

  8. I have loads of sweaters and fabric and need more inspiration to create functional pieces from them. I love the idea of re-using garments and adding pieces to make them fabulous. I’d love to have this book as inspiration! Nancy

  9. I’ve recently returned to sewing from a long hiatus and am extremely interested in recycling/upcycling/repurposing/reinventing old clothing for my family. I could sooooooo use this book! Thanks for the chance to win a copy!

  10. I move a lot and am constantly cleaning out my closets and drawers, giving clothes and other things away. I would love to recycle my sweaters and other unused items into new handmade gifts.

  11. Ooooooh! My husband ruins so many clothes, including sweaters, that I hate to discard. Looks like some very cute creations!!

  14. What a fabulous book! It’s so good that — if I don’t win it — I’ll have to go out and buy it. So many creative ideas…glad I saw Stefanie at Maker Faire!!!

  17. Being the pack rat that I am, I’ve been holding on to a couple (okay, well, an entire box) of sweaters. It would be fabulous to re-purpose them for a fun and/or functional use!

  20. I love to make purse with wool sweaters. I would love to win a copy of your book.

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.