I love doing these refashion roundups – there is so much innovation out there … here is more innovation and inspiration to help you turn old into new again. [thanks wardrobe refashion - take the pledge]

dollar store pj’s to super cute ruffle shirt [see pic above]
80’s jumpsuit to jumpdress – I love this transformation
make wool soaker baby pants from felted sweaters

t-shirt memory scarf
cheaters guide for a very cute fancy dress for a toddler
layered circle skirt for toddlers from a barbie curtain
jewel t-shirt
sweater houndstooth pillow
lovely layered shirt dress
maternity shirt

there are a lot of eco yarns available these days – organic cotton, bamboo, etc but what about trying out all the upcycled / recycled and just plain alternative yarns that are currently available. While browsing the gorgeous yarn shops on etsy recently I came across so many variations. Deconstructed t-shirt yarn, unraveled sweater yarn, spun rag yarn and plarn (plastic yarn). Check out these etsy stores for some alternative eco friendly yarns.

1. Reclaimed bed linen yarn from retro revisited

2. unraveled recycled sweater yarn from RoseBloom

3. Hand-dyed recycled yarn from dyeTyarn

4. T-shirt yarn and plastic yarn from Bella Flower

5. tie-dye upcycled t-shirt yarn from DevilMakesWork

6. Plarn from copabanana

7. hand dyed recycled wool from cosymakes

8. Hand dyed, recycled, respun yarn from Soulfulhues

9. Handspun plarn from Jesspins

10. Handspun upcycled fabric yarn from Wild hare

11. Handspun upcycled newspaper yarn from mathilda’s threads

12. Handspun yarn made from all sort of stuff from inhope

Plush you: Fiber Arctic opened 12 June, Schmancy’s Arctic fiber artists – with an environmental theme – fiber and plush artists (using the delicate art of embroidery and needle felting) look at the effects waste in our society has had on the Arctic.

Artists include Jenny Hart, Vivienne Strauss, Coco Howard, Moxie, Heidi Kenney, Nicole Licht, and Becky Stern – and more [images from Nicole Licht (right) and Heidi Kenney (left)]

Host an ‘Exchange for Change’ party. Exchange for Change runs 1-30 September 2009. It is a new fundraising event which asks women to host clothes swap parties to raise money for those less fortunate. Women get together anytime or anywhere across Australia throughout September to swap clothing items that are no longer loved, wanted or worn. Voluntary donations from the events will go directly to Oxfam Australia’s invaluable work both in Australia and overseas.

Eco Craft: Recycle Recraft Restyle by Susan Wasinger. Lark Books (March 3, 2009).

Eco craft, refashioning, upcycling, recycling – this is the really exciting thing about crafting – you have a chance to re-use materials and not waste a thing – “one man’s rubbish is another man’s raw materials”…

This book shows us some ingenious and unusual methods and projects – how to transform trash into useful household objects.

Projects include a recycled sweater rug – knitted using sweaters that have been cut into inch wide strips. Using a six-pack plastic holder to make a screen (just a bit of ironing to shape and flatten the plastic) – it is surprisingly pretty! Papier mache bowls, wood mosaic planter and a CD case towel rack.

I quite liked the coffee bag and duct tape tote for something really quite cool and original. The bamboo trays are also very cool – sustainable bamboo is a eco friendly product and easily purchased from most gardening shops if you don’t happen to have some growing nearby.

There are lots of projects and lots of ingenious uses for these materials – inner tyres, plastic takeaway containers, plastic shopping bags – ironed into fabric which can then be sewn into all sorts of things, tin cans and jars and even paper bags get turned into lighting – but two of my favourite projects are – first a suitcase ottoman and second a wood and knitted clothes hanger.

There is so much in this book for the recycling fiend – lots of fun – not all the projects are exactly practical – but so many good ideas.

love this baby gown refashioned from a rock t-shirt. Tutorial here.

Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed & Organic Materials

Betz White has arrived at whipup on her blog tour to promote her new book. She is here giving us some tips on applique – there are a few projects in her new book that use this technique. And Melanie Falick books are giving away one copy of sewing green to a lucky reader – so be in the running by leaving a comment in the next 48 hours – and let us know your favourite repurposing crafty material. thank you for entering – winner will be contacted shortly.

Applique Tips, Tricks, and Techniques by Betz White

Appliques are one of my favorite ways to revamp any garment or accessory. Simply put, applique is a sewing technique in which a cutout decoration is attached to a larger piece of material. It’s an easy way to make something unique and personalized for yourself, your family or to give as a gift.

{project from sewing green}

Sometimes a favorite T-shirt or skirt gets stained or torn. A decorative applique can be applied to hide the damage. This works great for kids clothes. And speaking of kids, appliques come in handy for hand-me-downs, too. A boy’s T-shirt or jacket can be “girl-i-fied” by adding a sweet appliqued motif that can be used to cover up an existing screen printed graphic. I use this trick for hiding unappealing logos on an otherwise perfect thrift store find.

To applique a fabric design element to another piece of fabric, I rely on double sided fusible webbing. This is not the same as fusible interfacing. Fusible webbing is kind of like an iron-on glue sheet that gets sandwiched between layers of fabric. It can be purchased by the sheet or by the roll. The webbing has paper on one side that is removed after the webbing is fused to a piece of fabric. I like the brands Steam-a-Seam and Heat-n-Bond but there are many other options available.

To create an applique using fusible webbing, simply draw your desired shape onto the paper backing with a pencil. Be sure to reverse the image first if it is not symmetrical. Cut out the webbing around the drawn shape, just outside the pencil lines, NOT on the lines. Place the drawn shape, webbing side down, onto the wrong side of the fabric you wish to use as your applique, such as a piece of felt. Following the manufacturer’s heat setting instructions, iron on the paper backing to fuse it to the fabric. When cool, trim out the shape by cutting on the pencil lines. Peel away the paper backing to expose the webbing. Now you may place your cut fabric shape, webbing side down, onto the fabric or garment you wish to decorate. Cover with a press cloth and fuse the shape in place. For some visual explanation, you can refer to my caterpillar eyeglass case tutorial on my blog.

There are many ways to sew your now-fused applique shape. You can machine stitch around the perimeter using a straight stitch or a zigzag. You could hand stitch with yarn using a blanket stitch, as I did for the Penny Rug Trivet and Coasters (see photo below left).

For a more deconstructed or casual appearance, you might like to try an applique with a frayed edge. You can see an example of this on the Denim Shopper (see photo above right). Follow the above technique applying the webbing to the back of the applique fabric, but make the webbing the exact size of the shape you’d like. I used large floral motifs from a print fabric. Cut out your fused motif about 1/4″ beyond the edges of the webbing. Peel the paper backing away and fuse the motif to your base fabric or project. Stitch around the motif letting the extra 1/4″ extend beyond the stitch line. Now for the fun part! Dampen the edge of the extended fabric with water using a spray bottle. Take a soft brush (an old toothbrush is perfect) and scrub the loose fabric until it frays.

Thank you Betz for the fabulous tips – to catch the rest of the tour check the itinerary – thank you to Melanie Falick books for giving away one copy of sewing green to a lucky whipup reader – thank you for entering – winner will be contacted shortly. congratulations to Hilary.

dollar store crafts has a great tutorial on making baby pants from a dish towel.

Julie discusses designing using recycled textiles

About the designer: Julie is a freelance designer and writer. She has a two year old daughter and works out of her home studio. Julie has a passion for finding new uses for old, loved things, and will sew anything: sweaters, shirts, jeans, pants. Nothing is safe if it fits under her presser foot! blog and etsy site: her Christina denim bag is a a finalist in Crafty Nation’s Craft Off – vote.

When I first started making bags out of recycled textiles, I never thought they would all look so different. After almost two years of trying to come up with a “signature” pattern, I have come to realize that they have a mind of their own. Every shirt, sweater and pair of pants is different, and if you listen closely, they will speak to you.

Sometimes it’s a pleat or some snazzy buttons that want attention. Other times it’s a detail like a flower or an embroidered pocket that insists on being the center of attention. When working with sweaters, it’s usually the ribbing or cables that dictate how the bag should be designed.

Often times it’s easy to hear what the original piece is telling you. When I found this shirt, I was actually looking for plain gray sweaters. It shouted to me from across the room. “Look at me! Check out my pretty flower and funky beaded tassels!” I couldn’t ignore it, so it came home with me.

So, how does this translate into a pattern? I wanted to keep the tassels at the bottom, so I decided not to box the corners. I also wanted the bag to be as large as possible. Luckily the flower was just tacked on with thread and I could move it down. Using simple, solid fabric for the straps and lining allows the flower and tassels to really shine.

Working with recycled textiles helps you develop your creativity. Designing within constraints pushes you to think harder about a solution rather than beginning with a blank canvas.

I encourage you to look at your old shirts, sweaters and pants (or shop for some at your local thrift store) and listen to what they are telling you. Then go create something that’s one of a kind!

Great reuse-recycle idea. Link.