Using up leftover thread

I discovered a packet full of leftover thread - primarily from old sewing projects - and wondered if there might be a use for them. Turns out bits and pieces of thread can be used to decorate a glass jar or other object - just use glue as a base and finish the project with cellophane tape or another fixer (though presumably anything too wet such as an adhesive spray, will cause the thread to become damp).

Used gift wrap and ribbon project

If you like the gift wrap and ribbon on a present you've received, there's no need to throw it away once you've opened the gift - you can use the bits and pieces for a craft project.

Here, an old jam jar was first washed and dried, then covered with a coat of mod podge. The gift wrap and ribbon was cut into smaller pieces and stuck onto the jar. A final coat of mod podge holds everything together.

Coffee jar deco

This time, it's a Nescafe bottle....washed and dried, with the labels removed (by soaking the jar in water overnight).

The middle part is wrapping paper, and the material forming the top and bottom border is actually a piece of the strap that used to be part of a straw bag. The strap snapped, so I cut it into pieces and put it aside to use in a craft project. The wrapping paper was cello-taped to the coffee jar and the straw borders are stuck on with double-sided tape.

Xmas Jam Jar

Over Christmas 2012, I tried to figure out a way to use up excess odd-shaped pieces of christmas wrapping paper. Turned out that they were perfect for punching out shapes! Having collected a decent number of sun-shaped cut-outs, I decided to use them to decorate a used jam jar.

The jar was washed out and soaked overnight in water to make removing the labels easier. Once dried, I covered it in gold glitter and stuck on the cut-outs using glue dots to stick them onto the jar.

Upcycling - Shoebox and Mooncake Tin

When Mooncake season rolls around, here's something to do with the rather nice tin they are sometimes packaged in! The same goes for the shoebox that your new shoes come in, provided that the box is sturdy, made of sufficiently thick cardboard, and in good condition.

Most crafsters have scrap paper, old cards, ribbon, cut-outs, scrap cloth and other odds and ends saved for projects such as these. Now's the time to bring them all out!

Once you've decided which materials you want to use on your project, glue, cello-tape or otherwise secure them onto the surface of the box/tin in the desired arrangement. Here, the shoebox is covered with scraps of cloth and the tin is covered with the remnants of birthday and other cards from years gone by. To create a finish, I just cello-taped the surfaces - but any form of fixing would work.

I use the box and tin for...what else...storing craft supplies! :-)