Recycle Week: Re-use, Recycle and Save Money

Savvy_sewing

My niece is getting married in the early summer, a hand fasting in a forest, so my daughter is making rag bunting to decorate the trees, using all the hems we shorten in the Shop. I try very hard to use everything. Although lately I have been too busy to reuse broken zips. But I am hoping to think of things that I can do with them other than flowers on bags!
Any ideas?

Katiehound

Some stunning decorative ideas here from broken zips!
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/marialuisa22/recycling-zippers/?lp=true

Some glorious birds, ladybird, a frog..........I see some of them are using the teeth only.
Quite inspiring except I am up to my eyes in making doggy duvets- made 45 since Sept!!

Savvy_sewing

Katiehound wrote: »

Some stunning decorative ideas here from broken zips!
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/marialuisa22/recycling-zippers/?lp=true

Some glorious birds, ladybird, a frog..........I see some of them are using the teeth only.
Quite inspiring except I am up to my eyes in making doggy duvets- made 45 since Sept!!

Wow!
To both the zipper ideas and to making doggy duvets.
I am not sure if I have the patience to do something so intricate as the zips there, but I think I will start keeping them to one side and seeing what can be done in my spare time at home.
Problem with me is I have horded so much stuff!
I will have to put more effort in to being creative after work. Which when you Sew for a living is difficult to do.

Katiehound

Mooloo wrote: »

Problem with me is I have horded so much stuff!
.

Erm... that's the problem if you are crafty and thrifty. Collected 2 x KS duvets this week- want at least one quartered, sewn and covered by tomorrow..(dog training class- 2 needed there) 1 + 1/2 done so far out of possible 8 :eek:

This weekend I wanted to concentrate on kennel coats.
I found 2 x plush dressing gowns dumped in bin bags on a footpath last year. No good for charity shop as marked / greying.
Then given 2 x fleeces with broken zips and this week added to the heap when zip broke on my gilet!
These are going to be taken to Romania for street dogs.
Sleeves will make a small coat
dressing gown back will make a L coat, fronts joined also make L
Don't know about fleece b&f- M?

So far:
1x L hound coat - old blanket outside + back dressing gown for liner
1x small coat (spaniel size) from fleece arm- it was 2 layers
2 more coats cut.
The only thing I have bought is the tape which ties them round the tum

Snow just started so no excuse !

Katiehound

Soon I am going to have more Bags for Life than hot dinners!
So far this week have 'rescued' 8 x BfL + 2 strong carriers from the bin beside the bottle bank. Several of them have the replacement guarantee printed on base so will use them first!
Yesterday rescued a 'baby box' dumped beside bin- full of stuff. Recyclables put in my recycling bin, one woolly hat needs the 'bobble buster' treatment, wash & then will be good for a shoebox gift. Rest of contents were scruffy clothes, odd socks etc (all clean) so they went into the rag weight charity bag.
The box? and lid, thoroughly washed. Great free storage

Good thing I like investigating other people's rubbish! Actually I enjoy seeing what I can do with things like that and try to find a useful home for everything.

Off now to sew more kennel coats...

kacie

I do try to reuse as much as possible, cutting up old clothes for face cloths, cleaning cloths or anything I can think of!

I struggle with work though, we get so much things in that could be recycled, however no one else even tries, it all just gets put in one rubbish bin

onashoestring

Whenever I remove the price ticket from new clothing ( essentials bought in the sales ) I keep the small pieces of ribbon/ threads that attached them as the are too pretty to be thrown away. It seems such a waste.

I reuse them to tie gift labels but I can't help thinking there must be something else I could do with them.

So I am turning to you experienced upcyclers for some ideas please ?

I also keep the "rope" handles from store/gift paper bags when the bag has broken.

Simple ideas please as I am not very talented when it comes to sewing etc.

I'm looking forward to your ideas.Thanking you in advance.

Katiehound

onashoestring wrote: »

I keep the small pieces of ribbon/ threads that attached them as the are too pretty to be thrown away. It seems such a waste.
.

I make cards and I use those pieces of ribbon to make bows. Sounds complicated but you make 2 loops (rabbit ears!) and then you tie them into a knot. Fiddly at first but you do get proficient in time. Best to try on a longer piece of ribbon when learning! (I then glue them onto the card)
This shows you how:
https://www.bhg.com/christmas/gift-wrapping/make-a-classic-bow-in-4-easy-steps/

That's my first thought....... will go and think!

ribbon weaving?

Katiehound

Last week I made 12 kennel coats for rescue dogs abroad- probably Romania. All made from recycled materials: tatty plush dressing gowns, fleece jackets and gilets where zips had broken. The only expense was the tape to tie round the tums!

Today I had my best ever haul at the waste bin next to the bottle bank:
5 x 5p carrier bags, 6 x bags for life and 5 x grocery bags- the ones with woven handles. How is it some folk are just SO wasteful?? All washed and hanging on the line. They will probably be thoroughly cleaned by the rain / sleet / snow coming our way!

evuka

Great to see this thread is still live!

A couple of things I do around lessening my waste and re-use or recycle:

I use washable pantyliners and sanitary pads (the same ones since 2012! I ordered them from the US but if I ever need new set, I'll try to find a local maker)

Never used kitchen rolls, we've never been "rich" enough to afford them so I still use rags/microfibre clothes in my home.

Changed tissues to hankies - best decision for my nose and my purse! (Still have some cottonball stocked up but once it's gone, I'll start using washable textiles to wipe my face - have two cotton T-shirts from charity shops that I wore for years, will cut them up and make little squares.)

Water bottle at work and I take my own cutlery and napkin with me. Travel mug.

Safety razor + epilator instead of disposable ones.

Freecycling / charity shops / second-hand purchases (furniture and electrical items, too).

Saving veg peels and chicken carcass/bones in the freezer and once have enough, I make a stock from them.

I buy cat food by the tin (as opposed to pouches and in P0und£and because they sell individual tins so I don't even have the plastic wrapping) and recycle them.

I use jars from pastes, sauces, coffee, etc to stock staples in my kitchen.

I use the library.