Two Ideas for Lace and Ribbon Scraps

Using leftover sewing and craft supplies

(Warning: Guys, this post is "girly". Better luck next time!)

Lace and ribbon scraps, with buttons. Photo by rsharts)

If you sew or do crafts, you probably have some bits and pieces of lace, ribbon, etc. that are too big to throw away but too small for most projects. Here are a couple of easy ideas for using them.

Handmade ribbon and lace tassel

Keely and I saw a cute, Christmas-colored, ribbon and lace tassel in the "Homemade Christmas" ornaments at a store last December . It would be easy to make your own Christmas tassels with leftover ribbon, lace, rick-rack, other trims, yarns or yarn braids, etc.

A handmade tassel, attached to a cord or a wide ribbon or a band of fabric, would make a good curtain tie-back in a room with country or folk-art accents.

I found this blog tutorial that shows how to make a beautiful, fancy tassel. But you don't have to go to those extremes. Martha Stewart thinks tassels are a good thing, and she has a short tutorial on making ribbon tassels. Here's another tutorial with, I think, better instructions on making a simple tassel. Just substitute any of the narrower scraps of lace, ribbon, rickrack, and trim that you happen to have for the yarn that is shown in the illustrations..

Homemade "Creativity Kit"

When I was in the craft section of another store recently, I saw some quart-sized plastic jars of ribbon, lace, and rick-rack scraps being sold as creativity kits for kids. They were made by Simplicity, the company that makes sewing patterns, tools and supplies. The labels said the jars also contain buttons, pom-poms, sequins, ribbon flowers and a few other similar items.

Oh my goodness, I could probably make a few dozen little craft kits like those from my stash of leftover craft supplies!

Craft kits in little plastic containers would make nice prizes at school or Sunday School. Some people might have lots of donations if they received word that the kits were being assembled.

Maybe craft kits like these would sell at a flea market, church bazaar, or garage sale.  You could print and attach a cute, colorful label that said "Creativity Kit" in big letters. I suppose the labels should also carry some kind of warning, such as, "Not suitable for children under age 6."

What might go into the kits? "Googly eyes", glitter, buttons, pom-poms, sequins, beads, lace, ribbon, rick-rack, other trims, scraps of elastic, scraps of soft leather or velvet, felt scraps, fake-fur scraps, miniature balls of yarn, greeting card pictures, acorn caps, pretty pebbles or small rocks, small silk or ribbon flowers, florist's leaves, marbles, game pieces, Scrabble letters, face cards (King, Queen, etc.), shoelaces, pipe cleaners, and other fun, kid-friendly, crafty items.