Most people usually throw their
clothes out once they tear, become old or unattractive. These people do not
know that they can use old and torn cloths in a much more efficient way that is
by making cloth crafts. This
activity is usually fun filled and is an excellent activity to involve your children
in. whether you are a parent or a teacher, the process of making cloth crafts using recycled cloth materials will help in the bonding process as
well as teach the children a little about crafts making and responsibility.
This way they will learn the
importance of recycling old material and using the recycled stuff in the
production of other useful items. Being able to recycle material that we do not
use anymore is an important lesson that we need to instill in the younger
generations especially because of the growing environmental degradation and its
concerns. The younger generation will be the hardest hit by the effects of
environmental degradation and as such they need to be given tools in order to
survive the hazards that come with environmental pollution.
If you happen to have outgrown
your favorite pair of pants or your child has, it might be difficult to just
throw it away because of how attached you are to the pair of jeans. For many
years artists have been using their worn out favorite pair of jeans to make
beautiful art work. However, this knowledge of artistry or crafts making is not
only limited to the professed artists but also to the common folk like you and
me.
The recycling revolution has
sparked the growth of using recycled clothes to make unique items all over the
world. These items have seen the spread of a niche market that deals with
artifacts and recycled items. The rise in the recycling of old clothes to make
other useful or artistic items has led to the spurring of new advocacy groups
that are intent on seeing the recycling projects through.
On an individual level, we are
all facing the financial hardships of these tough economic times. Thereby most
of us cannot afford to buy expensive items of clothing such as purses or even
nicely decorated pillows. Luckily, with the making of cloth crafts you can be
able to save a few dollars and still end up with a nice purse or a beautiful
pillow. There will be no need to spend $100 on a fancy pillow or even higher
that amount on a Gucci purse which might not even be original.
The best part about making your
own purses and other accessories from your recycled clothes is when people ask
you where you bought it or what brand or design it is. You get the chance to
blow your own horn and tell everyone that you made it yourself. You never know
some big shot fashion designer might like your merchandise and offer to pay you
for you to make more for him.
Making
a pillow from recycled pants
Pillows are a popular craft
that are created from recycled pants in many Western nations. Most people tend
to believe that quality pillows can only be gotten from the store but this is
not really the case. You can make your own exquisite pillow in the comfort of
your home using the favorite pair of pants that you have behind your closet
that you do not wear anymore. You do not really need to be an expert in making
simple square shaped pillows.
The materials required are
quite simple and you can literally get them anywhere. Most of these items are
even found readily in your home. The basic materials that you require in
turning your old pair of pants into a pillow include the pants that you wish to
use, a good pair of scissors, a sewing machine, matching thread and some
polyester fiber. If you do not happen to get a hold of the polyester fiber you
can always use some chopped foam. Just go the nearest tailor shop and you will
be able to get some at a low price.
Once you have all the required materials
ready the next step is to decide how big you want your pillow to be. Once you
have done so you can begin by cutting two even squares off the pair of pants.
The size of the squares is up to you but you need to ensure that they have
equal measurements. You also need to ensure that you have left a half inch or
about 1.3 cm for the seams of the pillow.
Next, put the squares of fabric
on top of one another making sure that the sides of the squares that you want
to be seeing once the pillow is completed are facing one another. Be careful to
use the half inch seam allowance to seam the three edges of the squares
together. The seam allowance is the allowed space between the seam and the edge
of the fabric.
You should only sew half of the
fourth side as this is where the hole of the pillow will be. This hole is used
to turn the pillow the right side up in order to stuff it. After sewing half of
the fourth side then you need to turn the pillow out and begin the stuffing
process. The stuffing is a delicate process and requires a little bit of
gentleness. Do not overstuff the pillow at once as this might break out the
seams and you would have to start the process all over again. Instead stuff the
pillow with small clumps at a time and blend it well in the pillow foam.
The more stuffing you are
capable of inserting into the pillow, the thicker the pillow will be. Who does
not like a sturdy pillow that will offer firm support of the head and the neck
and ensure a good night rest? Once you are through with the stuffing, you can
hand stitch the rest of the pillow and tie a tough knot at the end. Ensure this
knot is tight enough so that it does not come undone after a few sessions. And
there you have it, your own self designed recycled pants pillow!
Writer - Rakesh Sharma
