As most of you know, yesterday was Earth Day, and was celebrated across the country with nature hikes, planting parties, blog hops, and a sweet Google doodle. I love the planet as much as the next person, so I was happy to jump on the green-friendly fun. But the day got me thinking, what more can I be doing? Our friends at the FaveCrafts blog are hosting Earth Week, complete with green crafting tutorials and prizes. Knitters and yarn lovers don’t have to be left out of this celebration of environmentally friendly crafts. We too can help save the world with our incredibly skilled fingers and ideas.
Knitting is almost by nature an environmentally friendly craft. Our go-to fibers are almost all made from renewable resources: wool, cotton, silk, bamboo, blends. Fiber fans are the original green crafters (I may be a bit biased on this count, so don’t quote me). So why stop now? In recent years, some incredibly crafty and intelligent people have come up with ways to upcycle the things that plague our modern society. Do you have a cupboard or cabinet somewhere in your house that you’re afraid to open lest an avalanche of plastic bags overwhelms you? Piles of t-shirts? Or even a general interest in knitting green? We’ve gathered 5 upcycled knits that will make you into the ultimate green crafter.
5 Upcycled Knits for the Green Crafter
1. Buying yarn made with recycled materials is one way to stay green. With this Chi Recycled Silk Ribbon Kimono you can make something new out of a gorgeous and colorful yarn. Wear your green spirit with pride!
2. Knit your own Reusable Duster and skip a trip to the store. You can throw this duster into the washing machine when it gets dirty and then use it all over again. Use homemade T-Shirt yarn to maximize your savings and green power.
3. Got plastic bags stuffed into every available nook and cranny in your kitchen? Reuse them to make this Plarn (plastic yarn) Tote Bag and bust those bags out of your kitchen. You can use this handy tote to hold groceries, your latest project, or as a beach bag.
4. Save some money and make your own T-Shirt and Recycled Silk Case. This handy pouch can be used to hold everything from phones or glasses to business cards.
5. The virtues of T-Shirt yarn can be viewed across the internet. Make Your Own T-Shirt Yarn with an easy to follow tutorial and create a project that really makes your fingers itch.
What’s your favorite way to craft green?
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Reuse buttons, ribbons, .I add these to some of my knitting.
I was once given these knitted squares that I used to wash and scrub dishes. After they’d been used a lot I threw them in the washing machine and they were good as new. I wish I knew how to make them, or what kind of yarn was used–those knitted washcloths were the most eco-friendly thing I had in my kitchen.