3 Fun DIYS Made From Thrifted Knitwear
DIY holiday gifts can be thrifty gifts! We’ve got three ideas for you today that will turn out tons of cozy holiday presents for just about anyone on your list! As an entrepreneurial leader, environmental pioneer and social innovator in sustainability, Goodwill® is all about extending the life of your used goods.
We love to see shoppers work on DIY holiday gifts like the ones we’ll share today which showcase a few of the many possible outcomes of repurposed knitwear. If you need to make a little bit go a long way this holiday season, this is the post for you.
Image via tarynwhiteaker.com
DIY Thrifted Stockings
Those who celebrate Christmas know that the stocking is an important piece of décor and tradition. Every season those celebrating Christmas hang their stockings by the chimney with care, so at some point it will be time for new ones.
That’s where these stunningly simple drop cloth and sweater stockings from Taryn Whiteaker come into play. With such inexpensive supplies, she must have been able to stitch up this whole set for only a matter of dollars. Even if you can’t think of anyone who needs a new stocking, wouldn’t this be a beautiful substitute for a front door wreath if it were stuffed with greenery? It could also be the perfect topper for a gift or a napkin and silverware holder on a Christmas table setting. Just think about the people on your shopping list this year and how this DIY holiday gift could work for them.
Image via etsy.com
DIY Thrifted Ornaments
For a slightly more neutral holiday gift, we have these sweater ornaments shared by Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio, Inc. (Toledo) on its Goodwill Christmas Pinterest board.
They would look incredible on a green Christmas tree but could also bring whimsy to a less “Christmas-y” display. We can see them piled high in a large hurricane jar for a wintery centerpiece or scattered across a frosty-looking entryway table to mimic snowballs. They still have a snug holiday feel to them without appearing over-the-top.
We bet in one weekend afternoon you could whip out a bunch of these! Just cover up any thrifted ornament and secure in place with glue. If you’re worried that your sweater will unravel when cut, you can draw the pieces you’ll need on the sweater first then use a zig-zag stitch all around those markings before you slice into it. This should keep the weave together so you can get its placement just right on the ornament before the glue sets.
Image via bo-bedre.no
DIY Mug Cozies
Here’s one last way to repurpose an old sweater: mug cozies! Even someone who doesn’t celebrate any holidays (but still made it on your gift list) would be able to use one of these. You could knit your own from thrifted yarn like the cozies in this picture shared by Goodwill Industries of South Central Wisconsin, Inc. (Madison) on its All Things Holiday Pinterest board. Or you could use more sweater scraps to make them.
If your knit isn’t felted, employ that same zig-zag stitch trick from above and fold ribbon or bias tape around the edges to further secure it. You could even add buttons to accommodate different-sized mugs if you feel like getting fancy!
Create Your Own DIY Holiday Gifts
So, basically, it IS possible for you to create custom DIY holiday gifts for everyone on your list from a knitted sweater or scarf! While you’re at it, any leftover threads of yarn could become great tassels for the stockings or accessories for your ornaments. Let your imagination run wild, and feel great that because your gifts are crafted from second-hand supplies. That means these DIY holiday gifts are making a positive impact on the Earth this season. Find your closest Goodwill, and get thrifting!
