Recycled wool jewelry! Pagano DesignWorks

Just when I think I blogged everything & everyone recycled wool, another great artist emerges from a Google search! Looking for one of a kind, earth friendly jewelry? Look no further than Jenni's Etsy shop Pagano DesignWorks , or her website! Word on the street is that she will be stocking more in her shop this week... ok, ok, she told me that in an email, but "word on the street" makes it sound more fun, like I have insider information :)

... and don't forget the worms

One more fun thing for kids... worms! So I use my tiny scraps from projects for stuffing in stuffed animals, pillows, etc., but what about the felted seams? Worms! My son can't wait for me to finish my projects, so I can make him more worms. I plan to bring a basket of them to pass out to children at the fiber festival in September.

Bored kids need recycled wool crafts!

The kids are out of school, and excited about all things summer, but at some point you will inevitably hear (in a drawn out whiny voice) "Mom, i'm bored!". That is the perfect time for recycled wool crafts! Even better than the 100th scribbled on coloring book page, you can save these projects to give away as cool Christmas gifts! For all of you who do not know me yet, I will say it again... it is never too early to start on Christmas projects! Here are some uber cute & simple recycled wool projects that I have found online. Please note that any time a project calls for craft felt, you can always use recycled wool felt. It is so much more satisfying to use recycled natural materials!

A fun way to get rid of some scraps... mini wreath ornaments:


Cute retro owl:

Cute tote bag:

Adorable tree ornaments:
How about a mouse puppet to entertain the little ones?

Coasters! How easy is this for the little ones? Just trace & cut!

Easy diaper covers

Sorry for the pause between posts! The weather is so great, and there's so much to do, so we have been out as much as possible. There may be days I miss a post here and there, now that summer is here... school is out and all the parks, pools, bike rides, and garage sales call to us. Yesterday, while I was at home, I made soakers (diaper covers) for my son for the summer. Though he's been potty trained for an eternity, he's a deep sleeper, and needs them at night. He recently outgrew the rise on his current soakers, so I made him some new ones. I am not very good at sewing or using patterns, so I was shocked they turned out so well. I used 3 sweaters, a gray lambswool, short sleeved green lambswool, and an orange merino, made 4 soakers, and have tons of material left to spare... i'll have to figure out what to make with that. Anyway, I used Katrina's Sew Quick Soaker Pattern, a free online pdf pattern (thanks Katrina!), and it was incredibly easy. I tweaked a couple of things, though. For one, my son is tall & skinny, so I used the large pattern width, and the x-large rise, instead of a short waistband I made a long fold-over waistband (in case of any growth spurts I can raise the rise by unfolding it some), and I put the seams on the outside, both for comfort, plus I think it looks cute that way. I honestly don't know what I was thinking when I added the circles on the one... a little weird looking, eh? I also added an extra layer inside in the "wet zones" for extra protection.


I'm off for another fun day... garage sales, then the local park for fun with friends & lunch. I am SO lucky to have a son that loves garage sales as much as I do!

Anti-Factory

next artist has her own website, the Anti-Factory. She only sells her recycled wool & recycled cashmere sweaters in the fall/winter months, but you can email her to get notified when she adds new items. I LOVE these sweaters!

From her website:
"As an avid fashion follower, I was becoming frustrated with stories of sweatshop labor and the mass-production of cheap clothing to satisfy consumer desires. Also, being a woman born in the Philippines, it is a chilling idea that I was this close (holds her fingers an inch apart from each other) from having an alternate existence as a sweatshop sewer. As an ecologically-minded recycler, I wanted Anti-Factory to rely primarily on quality recycled fabrics in an attempt to minimize waste and consumption. Born from a concern with social issues paired with creative hands, I started sewing and designing clothing for myself and...voila!"

Crispina Ffrench

This amazing recycled wool artist, Crispina Ffrench, has a book coming out in August, "Sweater Chop Shop: One-of-a-kind Creations from Recycled Sweaters" (book cover pictured above), an Etsy shop, and website. Currently she is traveling Ireland, which you can read about on her blog. If you happen to be lucky enough to live close to the Pittsfield, MA area, you can attend one of her workshops, where you can learn to make one her "potholder" rugs, remake old sweaters into newer more fabulous ones, or just attend an open studio!

Lucykatecrafts

I couldn't come up with a good theme for the week, so I am just going to wing it. I'm just going to find some great recyclists to blog. Happy Monday!

First up for the week is super talented Amy of Etsy shop Lucykatecrafts. I'm amazed at how many different fun & funky things she can make from recycled wool! I could go on & on, but I have a busy day, so i'll let her creations speak for her :)