Falling for Creative Reuse
This last week has been, well, awesome. A new friend asked me to help with his estate sale, and I got to set up, run the sale, and help clean up. And wow! What a dream for someone like me who loves sorting through old things. As for the shoppers, it's amazing to see what people get excited about, and what they leave behind.
After a well-shopped weekend, there was still so much good, usable stuff in that house, including old arts and crafts supplies I know our community would love. It reminded me why I started Peo Vee, and why I was so excited to launch Remnants as its companion. There are just so many great materials out there waiting to be found and shared — sitting in closets, art rooms, and, in this case, attics.
Here's to pulling out the stash, and helping others access it.
All that sorting and rediscovering has me thinking about what’s waiting in your stash this season. Our October Project Challenge theme is simply: 🍂 Fall. However you interpret it, I can’t wait to see what you make.
PS. Check out these adorable statues I found that inspired this week's project ideas!
🐿️ Project Inspiration: Squirrel it Away
✨Project One: Scrappy Squirrel
As someone who’s turning “waste materials” into art with vision and whimsy at thriftdesign.co.uk, Lucy mines ordinary bits and pieces such as discarded paper, fabric, painted board, and layers, stitches, and molds them into form. This time around, she’s channeled that magic into squirrels: a quirky, charming take on upcycling that reminds us how little is truly useless.
✨ Project Two: Squirrel Wobblers
Have you ever seen those little knitted creatures that wobble back upright no matter how you nudge them? That’s the charm of this Squirrel Wobblers Pattern by Cindy Pilon, adorable, tactile, and full of personality.
We can’t help but wonder: could you make your own version using old socks (or other fabric scraps) instead of yarn? Imagine a sock-bodied squirrel, weighted at the base, with hand-stitched features and maybe a wire or stuffing tail. A soft, scrappy reinterpretation of a classic knit toy, and totally in the spirit of reuse.
🆕New (to Us) Arrivals
Our latest arrivals are giving serious “where have you been all my life?” energy. Explore high-quality fabrics, vintage notions, and creative supplies ready for their next chapter.
👉 Browse the entire collection on craftremnants.com
Events
We had a great time at our Supply Swap & Craft Cafe. Save the date for the next one now!
Here's a little art I made at our last event
Caught our👀
👖 Denim cities.
☕ A great way to use old coffee bags.
🤧 A use for handkerchiefs we haven't seen.
🎽 Finally, an apron that has enough pockets.
📝 New in the Blog
Flower Looming: Is this Retro Craft Blooming Again?
I recently listed a small collection of flower loom pamphlets, brightly illustrated booklets from the 1960s and ’70s by Studio Twelve, filled with instructions for making yarn blossoms. Within a day, they were gone. Clearly, this old-school craft still has fans—and maybe even a few new ones discovering it for the first time.
Fall feels even better when we’re crafting together. Keep your coffee hot, your scissors handy, and your scraps close. Can’t wait to see what you make next.
☕Molly
We're mission-driven to gather a community of upcyclers dedicated to reducing waste, sharing resources, sparking ideas, and bringing reuse to the forefront of our daily lives. But we can’t do it alone.