Reusable Items

Create sustainable, eco-friendly projects with our step-by-step guides for sewing reusable items. This category covers making practical, everyday essentials like reusable bags, food wraps, cloth pads, and more, with tips on fabric choice, durability, and easy care. Perfect for sewists looking to reduce waste, embrace sustainable living, and craft functional, stylish, and long-lasting handmade items.

Finished waterproof mattress protector corner with fixed elastic, securely holding mattress in place and preventing slipping sheets

How to Fix Loose Elastic on a Waterproof Mattress Protector (Easy DIY Repair)

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In this beginner-friendly sewing tutorial, you’ll learn how to fix loose elastic on a waterproof mattress protector instead of replacing it. This quick repair keeps the corners tight, stops sheets from slipping, and extends the life of your waterproof mattress protector with minimal materials. I have a waterproof mattress protector on my mattress! This does […]

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Finished handmade hair scrunchie sewn with low-waste sewing method

How to Sew a Hair Scrunchie: 4 Easy Methods Using Less Fabric (Beginner-Friendly)

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In this beginner-friendly hair scrunchie sewing tutorial, you’ll learn four easy ways to sew a scrunchie using less fabric, including low-waste cutting methods and clean finishing techniques. This guide is ideal for beginners and anyone interested in sustainable sewing projects. This beginner-friendly guide covers measurements, fabric choices, elastic length, and multiple construction techniques. Oh, and my intended

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Household tools for attaching metal snap buttons without pliers, including a flat-head screwdriver and ceramic coaster.

How to Attach Metal Snap Buttons Without a Tool (No Pliers, No Press)

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Why You Should Skip Snap Pliers and Press Tools In my sewing career, it is surprising that I have not used metal snap buttons very often. When I finally tried to attach metal snap buttons using the pliers that came with the kit, the result was disappointing. The baby dungarees I made ended up with

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Finished handmade baby drool bib with absorbent fabric layers and snap closure

How to Sew a Baby Drool Bib (Easy Step-by-Step Sewing Tutorial)

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In this step-by-step baby drool bib sewing tutorial, I will show you how to sew a baby drool bib using a drafted pattern. This tutorial follows directly from my post on how to draft a baby drool bib pattern, where you can create a custom-fit pattern before sewing. You can customise the handmade baby teething bib to be

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Drafted baby drool bib pattern showing extended shoulder and chest coverage for teething babies

How to Draft a Baby Drool Bib Pattern for Teething Babies

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In this blog post, you’ll learn how to draft a baby drool bib pattern designed for heavy drooling and teething. This bib shape covers the key wet areas around the neck, chest, and shoulders, helping to keep baby’s clothes dry underneath. In a separate follow-up post, I’ll show you how to sew the drool bib step by

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Heart shaped fabric coaster sewn from muted pink and patterned fabric scraps

How to Sew a Heart Shaped Fabric Coaster from Scraps – Easy Valentine’s Day DIY

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In this tutorial I will show how to sew a heart shaped fabric coaster from fabric scraps as a practical DIY Valentine’s Day gift. Valentine’s Day gifts are the ones I struggle the most. I like to gift practical presents that will not age on the next day or be forgotten or never used. Considering

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KAM snaps

Uncover unique and creative fastener materials for reusable pads

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In the final instalment on materials for reusable pads I will delve into some predictable and some creative options for closure materials for reusable pads. Some options will include what you already might have in your fabric and notions stash. If you wanted to catch up in the previous posts in the series, here is

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Stack of top layer fabrics

Ultimate Guide: Tested Top Layer Materials for Reusable Pads

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In the first post of the series on the materials for reusable pads I explored the backing layers of the reusable pads. The second post was dedicated to the very important absorbent layers. In this post I will delve into the various options of the top layer materials for reusable pads, sharing with my experience

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Stack of absorbent fabrics

The most reliable absorbent materials for reusable pads

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Welcome to the second part of the four parties serious on best materials for reusable pads. In this post I will go through the most popular and reliable options, highlighting the pros and cons of each and explaining where and how I would use either material to achieve the required customisation to create sanitary, maternity

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