Christmas is a jam-packed time of year – in every sense of the world. We have to keep up with our jobs while we survive all of our Christmas shopping and parties. Plus, you have to decorate your home!
Between everything that’s happening this month, your budget may be dwindling. Or, you might want to reduce waste and go green this Christmas. Whatever the case may be, here are 13 DIY Christmas decoration ideas to repurpose old fabrics and make the cutest decorations for your home.
1. Christmas tree ornaments
Is your craft cupboard overflowing with mismatched ribbons and scraps? You can put them to good use and create one-of-a-kind tree ornaments. All you’ll need are some twigs from your yard and ribbons.
Simply cut the ribbons into different lengths, from longest to shortest. Then, tie the longest ribbons at the bottom of the ribbon to create the widest end of the tree. Then, each ribbon you tie after that should be increasingly shorter, all the way up to the tree’s point.
2. Monogrammed denim gift tags
When it comes to gift wrapping, we tend to throw away everything after the gifts are unwrapped.
So, it doesn’t always make sense to spend a lot of money on wrapping and stationery bits. Instead, dig up your old jeans and make personalized denim gift tags. Not only will you save money and recycle unwanted denim, but you’ll also give people gift tags they might actually want to keep.
3. Christmas mitten ornament
You can spend a fortune on rustic and cozy ornaments, but if you’re smart and savvy, which of course you are – you can easily make these Anthropologie-esque ornaments right at home.
All you’ll need is an old and unwanted sweater. 100 percent wool and wool blends work best for these adorable decorations.
4. Christmas star ornament
Do you have old checkered tablecloths that you’re not using anymore? What about towels, placemats or cloth napkins? You can reuse these fabrics to make nostalgic star ornaments with simple supplies, like cardboard, paper bags, and glue guns.
And if your children want to get involved, this is a fun project you can do with them.
5. Rustic bauble ornament
Did your partner outgrow some of his plaid button-up shirts? Before you throw them away or donate them to the local charity, check out this DIY to make your very own baubles for the tree.
Depending on the plaid pattern, you can have a very colorful tree or more traditional tartan décor to hang throughout your home.
6. Christmas stocking made of denim
Some people are quite adept at cross stitching and they manage to create enviable stockings depicting traditional Christmas scenes.
But if you’ve never been very good at cross stitching, don’t worry! You can still make a cool Christmas stocking using old jeans. It does require a sewing machine, but it definitely doesn’t require as much time, effort and meticulous attention to detail as other Christmas stockings!
7. Sweater ornaments
If you want your Christmas tree and mantle to look cozy and festive, it’s time to repurpose your old sweaters into ornaments. You can make stars, trees, mittens, gingerbread people, snowflakes, or whatever else that strikes your fancy.
8. Festive pillowcases with repurposed shirts
When it comes time to decorate your house, we tend to focus on adding new things to the rooms. But don’t forget about your long-standing pillows decorating your couch. You don’t have to replace them to keep your home looking festive.
All you need to do is dig up old plaid shirts and transform them into pillowcases, perfectly suited for Christmas.
9. Blue denim Christmas tree figurine
No matter what the state of your old jeans is, they can still come in handy. You can salvage them by removing all the thick seems. Then, you can glue these seam around a cone-shaped form (these are easy to find at a local crafts store).
You’ll end up with a blue Christmas tree figure, which is a nice change from the overload of green and red that typically takes over home interiors at this time of year.
10. Wreath ornaments with old fabric and mason jar rings
If you’re not really into canning and jarring, you might have a plethora of mason jars lined up in your pantry. If that’s the case, snag the lid rings and fill them in with old fabrics. Maybe there’s a red sweater you don’t wear anymore, either because it shrunk, stained or it’s just not your style anymore.
The same goes for lacy materials, scarves, graphic tees, and whatever else you might toss.
11. Vintage hoop art decorations
This DIY Christmas decoration idea is a perfect way to spend a morning or afternoon with your child. All you need to do is gather up your fabric scraps, cut them up into equally sized strips, and then tie them around the embroidery hoop. It’s an easy craft that will look sweet on your front door.
If you want a more elaborate decoration, get inspired by this crafting project that shows you how to create a beautiful vintage fabric hoop ornament.
12. Denim gingerbread man ornaments
It turns out there’s a lot you can do with old denim. In fact, you can spruce up your home with little gingerbread men (and women) using old jeans and a handful of craft supplies. Once they’re assembled, you can decorate them with old buttons, finger paints, or ribbons.
13. Advent calendar with upcycled denim jeans
Before we go, there’s room for one more denim DIY decoration. You’ll need 12 pairs of jeans. That’s because you need 24 back pockets.
With a little time and effort, you can patch these pockets together to create an upcycled advent calendar. You can then fill each pocket with your favorite piece of chocolate or other treats to enjoy the festive time leading up to Christmas day.
Making DIY Christmas decorations with old clothes is easy. Just look at your cupboards and closets to find pieces you no longer wear and use. Chances are, you can repurpose them, save money, and fill your home with handmade crafts that are homey, welcoming, and festive.
