Turn Upcycled Used Clothing Into Handmade Father’s Day Gifts
Father’s Day is on June 21st this year, which gives you a full month to come up with something great for the Dads in your life. No pressure, but it should be something cool, fun, and original. Something that says “I appreciate you and also know that you will never, ever wear all of those ties.” Upcycling used clothing into DIY gifts is a great way to get that message across, and the internet is full of incredible projects for every father. Best of all, they’ll know that you took the time to do something just for them.
Making Gifts with Ties
Ties are an incredible source of used clothing DIY materials, because the fabrics are so nice and there’s so much color variation. Looking for ties to use for these DIY projects? The Arc Store has hundreds to choose from and they are very inexpensive – many are even designer brands.
Does your father have a favorite comfy chair? Spruce it up, with this throw pillow made out of ties:
[Photo courtesy of: Better Homes and Gardens]
If your Dad is a photography buff, try this necktie made of an upcycled tie:
[Photo courtesy of: ecouterre]
Turn T-shirts into Treasure
T-shirts are another great used clothing resource. They’re easy to work with, easy to find, and usually inexpensive. Show him you were listening all those times he told you about the value of a dollar and dive right in.
Help him save the world (you always knew he could) with this reusable shopping bag made out of a t-shirt:
[Photo courtesy of: instructables]
Turn Button-up Shirts into Cozy Keepsakes
Men’s button up shirts make incredible used clothing Father’s Day gift materials. They’re often cotton, easy to sew and cut apart, and they come in a staggering array of patterns. Is he a plaid man or does he love the feel of linen? Either way you can make something he’ll love.
If you want to wrap Dad up in your love and appreciation this year, you can make this quilt out of men’s shirts:
[Photo courtesy of: Free Quilt Patterns]
If you’re still learning to sew and don’t feel completely comfortable behind a machine yet, give yourself some extra time, and make sure to buy extra materials. With the help of the internet you can still sew him something amazing. Tutorials for everything are just a web search away.You’ll find a lot of basic tutorials for sewing at the sites below.
Take Upcycling to the Next Level with Knitting
Alternately, if June nights are cool in your area, knitting is always an option. Many sweaters can be unraveled to provide high quality, inexpensive yarn. And you’ll earn bonus points for being environmentally friendly, since you’re re-using an underappreciated resource.
Handspun Art Yarn has a great tutorial for unraveling a sweater and turning it into yarn.
At a loss for patterns, but looking for something free?
Knitty, the online knitting magazine, is full of free patterns for all the Dads you know.
Another pattern resource is Ravelry, the online community of knitters and crocheters. There, you’ll find instructions, patterns (some free, some for purchase) and support for your fiber addiction.
Whatever gift you choose to make with used clothing, the important thing is that it shows Dad that you know and appreciate what a wonderful person he is. Come in to the Arc, or a thrift store near you, and get crafting!
