Here’s how to upcycle last year’s unappreciated ties (or socks) into utterly loveable gifts.
You will need:
Tie, scarf or bandana (the wider and louder the better)
Felt
Sharp scissors
Seam ripper
Sewing machine and thread
Iron and board
Chopstick or similar
Tape measure
Lanyard
Keyring
Needle and thread
Snaps or velcro to close
Starting at the fat end, open up tie about halfway using your seam ripper and cut away the lining from the pointed end. Iron and lay face up.
Cut out a piece of felt 360mm long and 115mm wide. This will fit a Classic iPod (70x110x10mm). If you own a different model, adjust the size of the case by adding 45mm to the width of your device, multiplying the length by 3 and adding 30mm. Use the corner of a book or CD case to ensure all sides are at right angles. With the right side of the tie facing up, place the felt on top and pin the two fabrics together. Cut the tie fabric out using the felt as a template.
Measure 70mm from the top edge of the felt and draw a half circle below it, about 25mm in diameter. Draw around a coin to get the curve. Do the same on the other side. Cut through felt and tie.
Leaving a 4cm opening at the top for turning, sew around all four edges including semi-circles. Cut off extra corner fabric. Make little snips into the fabric inside the semi-circles, almost to the stitching. Turn right-side-out through the opening in the top. Be gentle and you will get there. Tuck the raw edges in at the opening and pin. Iron flat.
Fold the bottom edge up to create a pocket about 12cm deep, and pin together. The felt should be on the inside. Trim the canvas strip of your lanyard to about 30mm and tuck it into the side of the pocket about 40mm down on the left. (If you haven’t got a lanyard lying around from a conference or gig, you can buy them from most hardware and stationery stores.) Sew around the outside edge of the pouch to create the pocket, backstitching at the lanyard and at the top edges of the pocket. Continue around the flap, closing the opening you left for turning.
Hand-sew snaps or velcro to the top of the pocket and flap. Hand-sew the key ring to the top edge of the pocket above the lanyard. By attaching the lanyard to the key ring you can attach the pouch to jeans and backpacks.
Sarah Bird
Add your comment
Anonymous comments are queued before publishing and it may take some time before they appear. Please consider creating an account and your comment will appear automatically. If you already have an account, please log in.
The Dargaville Girl Guides are trying to break the world record for the longest chain of bras, and in doing so raise awareness of breast cancer. To top it off, all the high quality bras will be sent overseas to women in Africa, the Pacific Islands, and Haiti.
We might have trouble with sheds, but the slow food movement is alive and well in Central Auckland. This weekend's Grey Lynn farmers market has food, live music and bicycle repair—and the chance to win $5,000.
A Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Te Arawa Lakes Trust initiative is working with schools and the community to construct floating wetlands on Rotorua lakes. They hope to provide new habitat for fish and birds, and hopefully remove some harmful nutrients from the lakes' waters.
Get smart! The winter issue of Good takes a look at the trends and tech that'll change our lives for the better over the next few years. Plus: Seal those draughty gaps at home, stay healthy and happy at work, and throw kids' parties without breaking the bank—or the bin!
Good Fortnightly: Sustainable living ideas in your inbox every other Thursday
Packed with tips, ideas and actions—plus the chance to win great prizes and free product samples.
Follow us
Latest comments
Sarah Heeringa on For the love of bees: Hi Megan, Thanks for reading my feature and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm not aware of the Australian doco you mention. How curious! My sourc
…
Megan on For the love of bees: While this is a good article and I read it avidly, it is almost word-for-word identical to half of a documentary that played on Australian T
…
Ana Lenard on The end of the supermarket-free era: Reading this I thought WOW imagine growing your own veggies and eating nothing but that for six months! Impossible for someone like me who l
…
Rod on Love thy neighbour: Thanks for the write-up on Jayride! This week we launched Jayride Australia - bringing our kiwi cheap and green carpool and rideshare ingenu
…
Lynne on The end of the supermarket-free era: I think the key words are - "it can be done" - Awesome family, you have shown us all it can be done. I admire your commitment an
…