While traditional forms of fiber craft (such as weaving and embroidery) have made a comeback over the past few years, modern makers are exploring new and unusual applications of weaving, stitching, and other forms of fiber craft. And since I love to tinker around with different fiber crafts and creating with yarn, twine, and string, I gathered these fun upcycled fiber crafts to spark some new ideas.
Pizza Pan Weaving
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
This woven wall hanging started out as a pizza pan on a thrift store shelf, believe it or not. But, the results are contemporary and surprisingly stylish for a Boho or eclectically-styled home.
Embellished Pillow
Image credit: Scratch and Stitch.
I absolutely love a scrap yarn project and this embellished pillow cover is a great example of one. And if you didn’t tell me this was handmade, I would have guessed it came from a popular home decor store!
Coastal Fiber Craft
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Here’s a fun fiber craft for all my fellow coastal decor lovers. Transforming thrift store bottles (or something from your recycling bin) into coastal bottles like these involves twine and simple macrame.
Cross Stitch My Heart
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
If traditional cross stitch intimidates you or your eyesight can’t handle those dainty stitches, then this is the perfect solution. Oversized cross stitch on pressed cane is easy to do AND easy on the eyes- and a heart shape for Valentine’s Day is a great beginner’s project to try out.
Yarn Wall Hanging
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
As much as I love macramé wall hangings, I have no idea who to create all those curious knots. And to be honest, I’m not sure I have the patience right now to figure out. However…a more free-flowing wall hanging like this is DEFINITELY a fiber craft that I- and anyone else- can do!
Stitched Route
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Paper road maps aren’t as common as they used to, but road trips are no less popular! And if you can get your hands on a vintage map like this, stitching your road trip route is a fun and unexpected way to commemorate your trip.
Cross Stitch on Metal Mesh
Image credit: House of Hawthornes.
The metal mesh on screens and kitchen strainers is an unusual but ideal surface for cross stitch like this. Plus, using a strainer gives your fiber craft dimension and an unexpected frame that is easy to hang.
Ribbon Weaving as a Fiber Craft
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Silver plate bread baskets used to be a staple on dinner tables, but most of us just aren’t that formal anymore. So they end up in cupboards and thrift stores, looking for an upcycler who can put them to good reuse. Spray paint (to prevent tarnishing) and the simplest form of weaving with ribbon makes quite the transformation on an outdated piece.
Tennis Racket Cross Stitch
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
No one plays with wooden tennis rackets anymore, which means they are ideal for upcycling projects. And the large, rigid grid formed by the racket strings is just begging for jumbo cross stitch like this. Which goes a LOT faster and is easier on the eyes than traditional cross stitch, which is tiny!
Off-Loom Weaving
Image credit: Hearth and Vine.
Of all the different fiber crafts in this collection, these examples of off-loom weaving have me the most curious to try myself. I LOVE abstract art and bright bold colors, so I’m more than mildly obsessed with how these projects turned out…
Screen Window Stitching
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
An old screened window might not be the first thing when you think of a stitchable surface, but I assure it works delightfully! Plus, you can stitch other fiber and fabric pieces to the screen to make a one-of-a-kind piece of fiber craft art.
Fiber Craft on a Colander
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Not all colanders are created equal. Some have straining holes in decorative shapes, like stars. Which means they can be easily embroidered and turned into a festive centerpiece like this!
Embroidered Baskets
Image credit: Beyond the Picket Fence.
Sometimes large, flat baskets have an open weave- and when they do, some basic stitching with yarn is an easy way to embellish them! Whether seasonal or just decorative, this is a fiber craft that even the most beginner can master.
Printed Fabric Embroidery
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Printed fabric like vintage bed sheets is a great canvas for practicing embroidery. Following along the lines of the printed graphics is as easy as it gets- and the end result is dimensional, colorful, and ready to be hung on the wall.
String Art
Image credit: Ambient Wares.
I’ve never tried string art before, but I’ve always admired this upcycled version of it- so maybe there will be a string art project in my future after all. Either way, I LOVE that these used thrifted wooden hearts and the string art is in the form of a heartbeat line from an EKG. Isn’t that just the coolest thing ever?
Standing Loom
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Once upon a time, glass casserole dishes came with wooden racks that made them easy to carry from the kitchen to the table for family style dinners. But those wooden racks are mostly obsolete in today’s home, so why not turn one into a standing loom for a modern weaving project like this?
Cane Furniture Cross Stitch
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
There are a LOT of vintage cane furniture pieces out there, some of which aren’t in great condition. But if the pressed cane is intact (which is surprising, given where I found this table), it is a fantastic canvas for jumbo cross stitch projects with yarn.
Easy Macrame Vase Cover
Image credit: My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia.
Here’s a fresh way to jazz up a relatively plain vase: macrame! If you’ve been wanting to try your hand at a beginner level project, this is definitely perfect for that.
From Basket to Bowl
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
An open weave basket (i.e., one with gaps between the woven fibers) is an ideal candidate for this upcycling idea. Weaving colorful ribbon through the gaps and open spaces gives it a completely new look, painted or not.
Stitched Steamer Basket
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
A steamer basket that comes in your pasta or soup pot is usually reserved for cooking food. But it also has those strainer holes that are just begging for some embroidery floss– at least for crafters like me.
Upcycled Simple Looms
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
If you want to have a go at weaving without dropping money on a small loom, then making your own is a great place to start. And things like embroidery hoops, flat cardboard, and picture frames are perfect candidates for transforming into DIY looms
Quirky Fiber Craft Ideas
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
So, now that you’ve seen this unexpected and curious fiber craft ideas, think you’ll try one out? Or perhaps these have inspired your own idea for quirky weaving, embroidery, cross stitch, and more. Either way, there are some really enjoyable ways to expand the definitions of these traditional fiber crafts and I hope you have fun with whatever you try!
Craft on!
S
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Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Sarah Ramberg is the owner of Sadie Seasongoods, a website that celebrates all things secondhand. From upcycling ideas and thrifted decor to vintage-centric travel itineraries, Sadie Seasongoods is a one-stop shop for anyone who loves thrifting and approachable repurposing ideas. Sarah is also the author of “Crafting with Flannel” and has been featured in numerous media outlets and magazines.
I love these quirky stitchery ideas! Great post!
Thank you so much, Jeanne!