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Friday 21 September 2012

Pillowcase Upcycle - Junk Modelling Sack

I thought it was about time I set another upcycling challenge.

We've done jeans and we've done jumpers.  This time it's all about pillow cases...

What ingenious new uses can you find for them?

I've taken one of the many pillowcases I pick up second-hand, and made a solution to a major problem in our house.

Yes, it's great that Ruby loves to craft, but it seems I've created a monster.  She's forever in the recycling bin pulling things out, refusing to let me throw them away because she could make something from it, or do junk modelling with it.  And so, we are forever stepping over random cereal boxes, loo roll tubes and shampoo bottles that are stuck in a kind of refuse limbo...


So, the junk modelling sack was born.


You will need:

1 old pillowcase
Wide ribbon 2 x the width of the pillowcase
Cord 2.5 x the width of the pillowcase
Bondaweb
Fabric scraps
Sewing machine or needle and thread

Begin by pinning your ribbon near the top edge of your case (open end).  Start by folding the end and tucking it under for a neat edge.


Continue in one length around both the front and the back, again tucking the end under.


Straight stitch along both top and bottom edge of the ribbon to create a channel with two open ends.


Thread your cord through.  Pin one end to a safety pin if it helps to feed it through.  Tie the ends together to make your drawstring.

Then design your motif and lettering.  It's nice to do a simple image of something you'd make while junk modelling, like a castle, a rocket or a robot.  Draw your images onto the bondaweb (smooth side) and remember if you're adding letters or numbers you'll need to reverse them.  It would be nice to make personalised ones with names on.


Roughly cut out the images from the bondaweb and place rough side down onto the wrong side of your fabric. Hold a hot iron on for 10-20 seconds.  When cool, cut neatly round your outline.



Play about with the positioning until you're happy, then peel off the paper layer and iron down to secure.


Brilliant!  It saves mess around the kitchen, Ruby takes ownership of what she wants to keep to craft with, and when it's full, we know it's time to make a model!

I think if you added some crafting materials like glue, scissors, pipe cleaners and googly eyes, these would make a great gift for a crafty child.

Now for your challenge...

I'd like you to link up a blog post featuring something you've made with a pillowcase, or a pillowcase you've decorated or improved some how.  You can add as many posts as you like, but please link back here so others can find out about the challenge.

Closing date is Sunday 14th October at 5pm.  After that time I'll pick one entry at random to win the queen of craft's book - Kirstie Allsopp Craft.  This hardback book retails at £20 and is crammed with crafty goodness.



UK entries only I'm afraid as I'm covering postage.



20 comments:

  1. Love it! I must get a sewing machine......adds to my NEEDS/WANTS list.

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    1. Thank you! Yes, I love my machine - me and he have made friends now!

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  2. Need a sewing machine first :0( Would love this book

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    1. You can do this by hand Adele, it's only the ribbon that needs sewing. Or you can make something totally different and enter the challenge. Doesn't need to involve sewing x

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  3. Ooh lovely, I was thinking "laundry" bag would work too!?

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    1. Yes absolutely, I'm going to make one for the guest room and one for Ruby's room (might encourage her to pick up after herself!)

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  4. That's a great idea, we also have a collection of junk modelling bits spilling out of a plastic box, your bag is much prettier!

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    1. Thanks Jennifer. We had a box but the dog kept taking bits out of it and chewing them up!

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  5. fab challenge!!! You need some makedo have you tried it ...perfect for junk modelling

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    1. I'd never heard of Makedo but I've googled it - how fab, I need some!

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  6. That is fantastic! You should sell them :-)

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  7. Gaah, junk modelling is the bane of my life! (well, one of them, as you know - I have many banes). That sack is very cute though. I take all our stuff down to school - nursery and reception are always after it. More problematic than the bags of recycling though are the models themselves - what to DO with them all? AND our school apparently no longer wants egg boxes (allergies??) or loo rolls (hygiene one assumes, but this is 4/5 year olds we're talking about, they're filthy little oiks generally)

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    1. Ahh yes, I used to think I was very smart taking all our boxes to nursery - but she just came home with HUGE models!

      I find giving them to grandparents is a good ploy...

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  8. I've got to ask a very cheeky question, before I blog this (though I will do anyway at some point for MM, if nowt else). Can I cheekily enter a pillowcase upcycle created for La Squeak by a very talented friend of mine? If I promise to give her the prize?

    Otherwise, you'll get what I normally do with old pillowcases, which is use them as dusters & shoe polish cloths. Hardly photogenic.

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    1. Course Squeakymom, that's fine. What I'm hoping for is a reference of lots of different ideas, so as long as you can show the finished result and maybe a little detail about how it's done that would be fab. x

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  9. Glad my daughter isn't the only one collecting stuff from the recycling bin!! We call her the recycling monster! lol! Luckily, we have 2 large craft armoires and she is allowed to fill one large drawer with all of her recycling finds. But love this bag, as it is portable! :)

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  10. Oh that's brilliant! Maybe my mum will make me one.

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