Making New Things from Odd Unwanted Things

Shorter days equal project days in my household. Usually starting around November, with so much more darkness, let alone colder temperatures, it is a very real excuse to stay indoors and tackle those indoor projects. Certainly this can be a list of those practical mends, fixing a squeaky door, sewing on missing buttons and such. But it could (maybe should) be a time for making new things for yourself and your home. But what I really recommend is making new things from old, particularly no longer wanted things.

To Start

I start by making an opportunity to clean out, tackle if you will, a space that has become unruly. Usually my project shelf. Out with the old and in with the new begins with understanding what you actually have. And goodness, I can guarantee that I will have forgotten about something. Hence the desire to take everything out and see what is what, and maybe where did I get to last year.

The goal is to complete at least one, hopefully more, projects by spring. Some are little and easy projects. Quick wins done while watching a short video on YouTube. Others may require a series or audio book. It’s good to have both. Sometimes I’m too tired or not enough energy to tackle something big, so those little projects are perfect to have on hand.

What is in the Cupboard?

My project shelf starts with being a place to tuck unwanted, at least at the time, things awaiting a new life. For me, most of this is fabric orientated. I have long had a fascination for materials and all you can make and particularly re-make with them. Most likely simply because of that, because I can re-make it into something when it has reached the end of its life in its current function. In example, jeans with too many holes for decency. Odd buttons go into a jar. Bits of broken crockery into, well, something.

Once the projects are established, I tidy them into bags my mother has made for me over the years. Each bag equals a project. These projects range from knitting to quilting, rag rug to embroidery. And more, though ideally not much more as there can definitely be a sense of overwhelm. But having them in different bags means that depending on my mood, I can easily haul out what takes my fancy to work on.

I Choose Unwanted Items

A lot of what I choose to work on is working with unwanted items. You know those singular things. Like a left over ball of yarn. Of course you could give this to a charity shop for someone else’s project. Or make something yourself.

A few years ago, when I was working on a hotel barge, I wanted a simple project. Something I could do quietly and didn’t require much space. I went to a charity shops and bought a couple singular balls of mohair, one in rose, the other in burgundy tones. And very large knitting needles. I then cast on 25 stitches and knit row upon row until the ball was finished. Then did the same with the next. As I neared the end of each ball, I visited another charity shop and bought another ball of mohair until eventually I had knitted 8 long pieces, of slightly varying lengths. And all in different colours, from palest pink to black.

These were sewn side by side and then sewn to a piece of fleece. Those longer than the fleece were folded over and stitched to its other side. Et voila, I had the most amazingly unique soft lap blanket I have ever owned. All from singular unloved balls of mohair. I finished just as the colder temperatures started creeping in. And when you sleep at water line in a metal can, a fluffy real wool and fleece blanket becomes even more treasured.

Making New Things

But what I loved most about that project was taking a singular item, an unwanted item because it was on its own, and making something new out of it. Making new things has always been a passion, but making new things from something old or unwanted makes it even more special I discovered. And pushed me on a deeper dive of what could I re-purpose.

My eyes alighted on tea cups. Singular, no saucer tea cups. Again, a thing I generally really like is beautiful old fashioned china tea cups. But they are fragile, and parts breaks. So its not uncommon at all to find teacups on their own. Still beautiful, but no longer loved. I added them to my mission.

Now, whenever I am in a charity shop and find a beautiful old teacup, missing its saucer, I buy it and take it home. Then what? It goes up on my garden wall. I have an old walled medieval garden. It has seen many gardners come and go over the centuries I am sure. So there are the odd rusted hook or such sticking here and there out of the wall. This gave me an idea.

New Life from Old

As I restore my garden, e.g. dig up various bits of it and clean out found debris such as large old nails, I re-purpose these old nails into the wall as more hooks. Then I hang the teacup from the nail. This then gets filled with bird seed. Creating a bird feeder wall of beautiful teacups. I’ve since started adding the odd sugar bowl, without its lid, and even have planned a teapot, also missing its lid, to possibly become a nesting place.

It’s a slow on-going process. I have to find the nails and then the teacups. But that is definitely half the fun. I am up to about 10 teacups, but it is not nearly enough. The cups are small compared to the wall and get lost amongst it. So it is going to take at least 30, maybe much more, before I think the wall will be done. If ever. But in the meantime the birds are very happy with the few they have to choose from. And bonus, they make an almost musical tone when the bird lands and the cup tinkles its tone as it taps the stone wall.

Broken Bits

Even broken pieces can get reused. Sometimes those teacups break, in example. Birds can be very vigorous when squabbling for food. I collect any bits of ceramic, whether I break, a bird breaks or its simply found in the garden. The plan is to upcycle an old bistro table, which in fact was already upcycled by someone else. They took the iron base of an old cafe table and put a round melamine top with laminated faux marble on top. It is very nice, but I would like to use it outside. As it stands now, I don’t think it would last very long.

Another thing I have always wanted to try is making a mosaic. This came from finding so many bits of very old pottery in my gardens. Again, not wishing to throw away, the plan is to reuse as a new top on top of the laminate. The smaller pieces will be arranged in a mosaic pattern a of some sort, and grouted into place. This will hopefully make it more water resistant as well as look gorgeous. Win win and also I have the hug to myself knowledge that I made it myself.

And Yet More Repurposing

Clothing of course gets re-used. Particularly socks. I have written before about making rag rugs from old clothes. I always have one on the go. Collecting socks and odd past it clothing pieces over the year. Then I sort them into colour combinations. My first rug was a collection of all sorts of colours, so for the ones following I chose to start being more particular about which colours go in which rug. And I vary the shapes and sizes too, from oval to round, small by the bed to large in the kitchen. I love them all for keeping my feet comfy and warm, as well as knowing that I rescued something old to make new.

A few months ago I purchased an old collection of lace and linen. Multiple bags of in fact. And sorting through it was pure joy. Such fine craftsmanship, with each piece made by hand. There were everything from full embroidered bed sheets to tiny scraps of lace. Some will be easy to decide how to re-use. A few quilts are definitely on the horizon. Some may take more time to tease out the idea.

I’ve pictured re-purposing some lace doilies as flower heads on a wall mural design. The design is not yet fully formed in my head, but it’s getting there. That’s one thing I definitely do when I am working away on a project, think about the next project. And having organised my project shelf it becomes much easier to remember what I have and what I am already in the midst of. But it certainly is fun to plan what to do in the future too.