I get sentimental about things that other people would probably not even think twice about throwing away or donating. I have old ticket stubs, concert programs, newspaper clippings – those things I can put in a scrapbook. But I’ve been known to hoard be sentimental about clothes too, and only recently have I been purging all our closets. Sometimes there’s just that one article of clothing you want to keep. See this old collegiate sweatshirt…

Julie Tiu in 2002

…Became this pillow. (I know, after 10 years, right?)

An upcycled sweatshirt made into an envelope pillow – meaning, you can slip the cover on and off. Very easy for washing. Could be a cute gift for Valentine’s Day, too.

Recycle Your Favorite Sweatshirt (I didn't even attend this school. Got the sweatshirt because it had my last name!)

And here’s how I did it.

1. Take your clean sweatshirt of choice and lay it on a table or on the floor.
2. I cut the sleeves off first. Then set aside.
3. Next cut along one of the side seams of your shirt and along the shoulder seams. This will open everything up. I did it this way to give the largest piece of continuous fabric.
4. Cut off the bottom hem and collar (cuff material) also. At this point you may need to iron the shirt (highly recommended).

   

5. You may need the sleeves for extra fabric. Cut off the cuffs and cut along either side of the seam.
   

   Sweatshirt sleeves cut open

6. For a 16 x 16 pillow, you will need three pieces of fabric: (1) 16-1/2″ x 16-1/2″ for the front, (2) 12-1/2″ x 16-1/2″ for the back. (See my fancy sketch below.) I needed to use the extra sleeve material for one of the back panels. Just piece together if you need to.
7. Try to center your focal point. I didn’t have too much choice – just went as high as I could.

   

8. Prepare the back pieces first. Fold along the length (16-1/2″) and press 1/2″, then fold 1/2″ again, pin and edgestitch. Do this to the other piece. Press both pieces. Note: I found the zig-zag stitch easier to do with the stretchy sweatshirt material.

   

9. Lay the front piece down, right side up. Next lay one of the back pieces, wrong side up, matching the raw edge with your front piece. The finished edge should be somewhere in the center area. Lay the other back piece with its raw edge along the other side of the front piece. Now the finished edges of your back pieces should be overlapping one another.
10. Stitch around the perimeter with a 1/2″ allowance. Backstitch as you start and finish. When complete, remove and clip your corners, and turn rightside out.
11. Stuff your pillowcase!

So here’s the thing – you can adjust the size of your fabric for any size pillow by just adding 1/2″ to your finished size. The back pieces take a little math.

16″ x 16″ pillow – cut 16-1/2″ x 16-1/2″ (front) and 16-1/2″ x 11-1/4″ (two pieces for the back)

14″ x 14″ – cut 14-1/2″ x 14-1/2″ (front) and 14-1/2″ x 9-1/4″ (two pieces for the back)

12″ x 16″ pillow – cut 12-1/2″ x 16-1/2(front) and 12-1/2″ x 11-1/4″ (two pieces for the back)

12″ x 12″ pillow – cut 12-1/2″ x 12-1/2(front) and 12-1/2″ x 7-1/4″ (two pieces for the back)

]]> http://www.julietiu.com/2012/02/02/sweatshirt-recycling-upcycling-project/feed/ 2 http://www.julietiu.com/2011/12/14/wordless-wednesday-our-10th-annual-cookie-exchange/ http://www.julietiu.com/2011/12/14/wordless-wednesday-our-10th-annual-cookie-exchange/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:55:01 +0000 Juliet Tiu http://www.julietiu.com/?p=4328

Recovering from twelve delicious varieties…

Loving handmade, handcrafted gifts for the kids. So, I’m sharing these links with you.

1) For the little “rock star”, wooden teething and grasping toy by littlealouette

2) How about for the superheroes in your life? A Superhero cape for your crusader by Susipants

 3) Made with Rubberwood and Organic Cotton, “I Love My Planet toys” are fun and safe for children. Check out the rubberwood Giraffe at Peaceful Parlour.

4) Cooking Time play set from Studio Wren – super cute!

5) A cute “So Handsome Tie T-shirt” by We Choose Joy

What are some of your favorite buys this season? Or are you making a lot of your gifts this year?

Here are some gift ideas for the foodie in your life, or for yourself! These food books live on our bookshelves with the exception of the children’s book and Ruhlman’s Twenty. That’s on my wish list – maybe Santa will leave it under the tree for me. Click on the images for more information. What’s on your “to-read” list?

Sometimes (more often than you might think) I run out of crafty ideas. Really. Enter Marie LeBaron, founder and managing editor at Make and Takes. Her book “Make and Takes for Kids: 50 Crafts Throughout the Year” (Wiley) arrived and I devoured it cover-to-cover.

Marie LeBaron uses her background in early childhood development and creative edge to develop kid-friendly projects. But what sets this book apart is the fact that she outlines learning objectives and skills associated with the projects. The creative process is the focus for the kids, not necessarily the final project. However, if you’re looking for inspiration to make new things to sell, this is not your book – personal use only.

The projects are organized by months with four projects per month, some have five. The colorful book is beautifully layed out.

And, like a good educator, LeBaron gives a nice overview (at the beginning of the book) of basic supplies needed, which you probably have lying around in your house or they’re easily found at a craft supply support. The “simple instructions” for seasonal and holiday creations, edible and decorative, are exactly spot-on.

We tried the Paper Spiral Christmas tree project with some supplies we have in our stockpile.

Not too shabby working on identifying shapes, cutting and fine motor skills. My kids and I can’t wait to try more!

I would love to share this fun and insightful book with a reader, and what better time as we head into the holidays. If you love spending time creating with kids, won’t you share a favorite craft or food idea that you like to do in your home? Leave a comment by December 1, 2011 (11:59 pm CST) and I’ll randomly choose a lucky reader to send a copy of “Make and Takes for Kids”! Don’t forget to include your e-mail so I can contact you if you’re chosen.

Thanks and enjoy the weekend!

**This giveaway is not affiliated with Wiley, MakeandTakes.com, or Craft Critique**