Upcycling Embellishments For Your Sewing Projects

You can use a variety of upcycled items for embellishments on bags and clothes. Here are some creative ideas:

Buttons

You can save buttons from old clothing but you can also find bags, jars or tins full of new, used and vintage buttons at thrift stores and estate sales. It’s amazing the difference a unique button can do for a bag.

You can also dye buttons using dyes made from synthetic materials so don’t overlook those simple white shirt buttons. You can then use these newly dyed buttons to create colorful patterns and details.

Embroidered Items

Look for embroidery on items like handkerchiefs, linens and clothing. Cut out interesting sections from these items and sew them onto your bags or clothes.

Lace and Doilies

Salvage lace and doilies from old linens to create delicate and feminine embellishments. Even the smallest piece of lace could have an interesting detail that you could use.

Leather Scraps

Use leather pieces from worn-out jackets or bags to create patches, fringes, or intricate designs. You could even emboss or burn in a design to make custom patches

Sequins and Beads

Remove sequins and beads from old garments and repurpose them to add sparkle and texture.

Fabric Scraps

Utilize leftover fabric scraps from previous projects to make appliqués, patchwork designs, or fabric flowers.

Ribbons and Trims

Cut off interesting trims and ribbons from old clothing or accessories to adorn your bags and clothes.

Old Jewelry

You can turn vintage jewelry into unique embellishments but it doesn’t always have to be vintage. Just look for used jewelry with an open mind. You might see an ugly necklace but you can use the beads for something else.

Zippers

Remove zippers from old garments and use them as edgy embellishments, such as zipper flowers or zipper accents.

Belt Buckles

Remove buckles from old belts to use as statement embellishments on bags or as closures for clothing items or simply recover it and make a whole new belt.

Labels or Logos

Cut out interesting logos or labels from old clothing and use them as unique embellishments.

Try to mix and match these items to create truly unique and personalized embellishments for your bags and clothes. The key is to experiment and let your creativity flow!