Following on from my Recycled Fabric Bunting, I wanted to create another type of decoration to use up fabric offcuts that involved less sewing.
The concept of tying fabric onto string to create a garland is not a new idea however, I wondered if I could alter the pattern slightly so that every element of it, including the string, was made from recycled materials…
So how did I make my own decorative string? Well, I started by gathering all the hems cut off from various textiles. Fabrics with less stretch such as bed linens, shirts and flannel Pjs I found worked best.
I then sewed the ends of these hems together on the sewing machine to make the base string of the garland.
The next step is cutting up all the fabric ready to be tied onto the string! I chose to use serrated scissors on any fresh cuts to minimise fraying and give a decorative edge.
I used any fabrics I had lying around regardless of their blends: old t-shirts, bedding, shirts, curtains, you name it I probably included it!
I chopped the fabric into strips measuring approximately 5cm by 28cm. They do not need to be identical as it is a chance to use up all different sizes of scraps.
The final step is to take each strip one by one and tie them onto the base string. I wanted the fabric ends to all face in the same direction so tied them on accordingly. I spaced them out evenly along the string leaving a space of approximately 1.5cm between each piece.
Keep adding fabric strips onto the string until it reached your desired garland length.
And just like that you have a beautiful, vibrant garland made using scrap fabric!
I love how this garland turned out and think it sits perfectly next to the Scrap Fabric Bunting!
All these decorations are going to be used for decoration at my upcoming stall at the Derbyshire Makes Festival in Chesterfield where 40 artists will be demonstrating their craft live for you to watch and explore!
So head down on Saturday the 18th of April to Chesterfield Market for a day of workshops and live events! It’s gonna be a fun one!
x
The Craft Cycle 
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