4 Personal Holiday Projects Made With Fabrics from a Second Hand Store
Thanksgiving and Christmas are fast approaching. Do you use the same tablecloth, dishes and centerpieces year after year? Yes, the holidays are about tradition, but why not add a few handmade items to the carefully stored traditional ones? Holiday projects made by you for your family to enjoy year after year will be treasured with the other traditions they will remember with fondness.
Utilizing used clothing, linens and blankets from your closet or a local second hand store you can tap into the inner craftiness, you never knew you had. These four holiday projects are all simple and easy, sure to make you proud and please the family and guests you welcome into your home.
1. Thanksgiving tablecloth that gives thanks
When everyone sits down for that traditional turkey with all the trimmings dinner, family and guests will all be reminded that it is truly a day to give thanks as they read all the messages on the tablecloth. Take a white or light colored sheet, depending on the size of your table (twin to king size), write messages of thanks in large letters, covering the upcycled sheet from seam to seam. For ideas on how to shape the sayings and messages click here.
[Photo Courtesy of Blue Cricket Design]
2. Bringing the fall season inside
Another great way to accentuate the fall season and for use throughout the Thanksgiving holiday is to use a woolen blanket from second hand stores as a table topper for a side table or the dining table. Drape it diagonally and also decorate a glass candleholder with thin leafless branches which will bring the outdoors inside. Click here to learn what other accessories can fit right in with this theme.
3. Whimsical Christmas Topiary
A little whimsy can go a long way when creating a Christmas topiary that is anything but traditional. At your local second hand store, you can often find clothing for as low as $1. Don’t be picky about the fabric unless you want them all a particular color. Cut the buttons off or cut a circle around the sew-on buttons, attach to a Styrofoam topiary form and voila you’ve got a new one-of-a-kind decoration. Beam with pride as you respond to all the oohs and aahs you’ll hear about this one when you announce that you made it yourself. This and more holiday projects can be found on Pinterest here.
4. Hang them on the chimney with care
One last creative idea to create a personalized holiday project for a special friend, grandchild or the whole family is finding used jeans that have seen better days, or find several pair at the local second hand store if making more than one stocking. Once you cut out the jeans, see how it looks here. Find the fabric that suits you or the person(s) you are making it for and really personalize it by embroidering their name on it. Hang it on the mantel or give as a Christmas gift for hanging next year. It will be loved and cared for because it was made by you.
Don’t sell yourself short and think you’re not very creative because honestly these are projects that you can easily do and that will give you the confidence to try more DIY projects.
These projects require used clothing, linens or blankets. If there aren’t any to spare in your household they can be found at your local second hand store. You will save a bundle by buying these project pieces used.
