Repurpose Crafts
Repurpose crafts are projects that take used items and turn them into something new. Almost anything can be used in a repurpose craft. The only catch is the item must be clean and rust-free. Some crafters will remove rust by sanding the item. Others like the look of rust and will cover it with an acrylic clear-coat so that the rust will not oxidize more, which deteriorates the metal, but still retains the look of rust. Once the items are clean and rust-free, they can be turned into a myriad of objects.
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Altered Books
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You can alter old or used books to be turned into a showcase of images. The first step to this craft is choosing a book. Hardback books are the sturdiest choice, though some artists prefer soft cover books because they are easier to find. You can then decorate the pages with collages, cutouts, paintings and drawings to create mini works of art.
Can Crafts
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Tin and aluminum cans are a source of free supplies for metal crafters. These common objects that usually get thrown away can be crafted into tin punch items or sculptures. To repurpose cans, cut off the top and the bottom of the can, cut a straight line down the side of the can and press the metal flat. This gives you a sheet of metal that can be turned into anything you desire.
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Soda Can Tab Crafts
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A popular repurpose craft is making items from soda can tabs. Individual tabs can be joined using jewelry-making rings or loops of wire. The tabs are joined to create sheets of metal fabric. You can use these metal sheets to make purses, dresses, hats, headbands and other items that are normally made from cloth.
Plastic Bag Crafts
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If you go to the grocery store often, you can amass a lot of plastic grocery bags. These bags can be repurposed as a replacement for yarn in fiber crafts. Cut the bags into strips, tie them together and roll the strips into a ball. Then you can knit, weave or crochet the yarn into bags, hats or any other craft that would normally be made with yarn.
Repurposed Sweater Crafts
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Old sweaters can be made into a number of crafts. Wool sweaters can be turned into felt and used for crafting mittens, hats, felt stuffed animals and scarves. Felt is made from wool sweaters by washing them in very hot water and drying them on your dryer's hottest setting. This will make the wool fibers shrink and bond to each other to be turned into felt. Other types of sweaters can be unraveled. The salvaged yarn can be used to craft a new sweater or to make other types of fiber crafts.
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References
- "Altered Curiosities: Assemblage Techniques and Projects"; Jane Ann Wynn; 2007
- "Altered Art: Techniques for Creating Altered Books, Boxes, Cards & More"; Terry Taylor; 2004
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images
