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X Give old clothing
new life by stitching
a pretty design
onto it like stitcher
Chaya Hillekens did
S Join the Craftivist Collective
and find out how your stitching
can make a real difference
T Keep your spare threads in a
jar, like Dawn Knuth’s below, to
use for stuffing and decorations
X Search charity and second-
hand shops for pre-loved
frames like this one, found
by stitcher Kelsey Stone!
http://www.gathered.how/CSC 63
SpecialFeature
a little friendlier to the environment,
but when you do buy new, there are still
ways to carry on this practice. Opting for
longer-lasting, higher-quality products
where possible ensures you won’t need to
replace them as many times. For instance,
it’s not uncommon for a well-loved needle
to suddenly snap, or for a stitcher to toss
a needle at the end of a project because
the plating has worn off – it happens! But,
making the switch to a sturdier needle, such
as a nickel- or gold-plated one, means you
won’t have to replace your needle as often.
And keep the needles that come with your
kits! If you save them, you won’t just keep
them out of the rubbish bin – you’ll also
have a handy stash of spare needles.
Getting creative with waste
Another way to make your stitching more
eco-friendly is to save, save, save those
scraps! Many stitchers keep an ORT jar,
which is a jar used to store the threads that
you snip off while stitching. They’re usually
lengths of thread that are too short to stitch
with or the last of a skein. Lots of stitchers
refer to them as ‘odd random threads’ jars,
but the word ort actually does mean scrap
or remainder. And saving your old threads
throughout the year is a great way to build
up an alternative stuffing to fill 3 D makes.
“I use my spare threads to stuff
pincushions and scissor fobs – nothing’s
wasted,” says Cassie Ruth on Facebook.
“I start a new ORT jar every January.”
Other stitchers use their threads for more
than stuffing, though! Emma Stevens
shared her odds-and-ends coasters with
us online – she displays her thread ends
in clear plastic coasters to create colourful
accessories for her home. You can also stick
your threads onto cards to add a sprinkling
of colour! If you’re feeling inspired to start
your own ORT jar, you can use Fuzzy Fox
Designs’ Personalised ORT Jar Label chart to
make your jar unique. Download the chart
for £1.97 at http://www.fuzzyfoxdesigns.etsy.com
and raid your stash to stitch your label.
And it’s not just thread ends you can
keep and reuse! Save scraps of fabric,
card and paper to use when making small
decorations and cards. Our Gift Ideas
section, on page 20 , is a great resource for
small charts that you can stitch on random
patches of aida from your stash.
Sharing is caring
Looking after our planet isn’t a solo task,
though – though making small changes to
our stitching habits is a great start! Sharing
your materials and resources with other
I use my spare threads
to stuff pincushions
and fobs – nothing’s wasted!
stitchers is a great way to reduce waste.
Consider joining a nearby stitching group
by visiting your local community centre or
library. Or, get online and find a group near
you, or a digital club – you can still swap
threads and kits with other stitchers you
meet online. Also, make sure you donate
your unwanted stitching tools and kits to
charity shops instead of throwing them in
the bin. And don’t forget to check whether
the packaging that your kits and tools came
in can be recycled – DMC’s thread bands
can be recycled, for example. If you’re
feeling inspired and want to do even more
with your stitching, visit http://www.craftivist-
collective.com to find out how to use craft
as a form of gentle protest. Happy eco-
friendly stitching, everyone!
Find out more about Earth Day and how you
can get involved at http://www.earthday.org ●