How To Make A Fabric Scrap Garland In 5 Easy Steps

Transform Clutter Into Christmas Decorations

Christmas garlands are the perfect fabric scrap busting project when you have more scraps then you know what to do with and can't bear to simply throw them out

Step 1

Tip all your scraps out into a big pile. 

Step 2

Cut or tear the scraps into strips about an inch wide and are all approximately the same length.

Because I was going for that organic, shabby look I tore my strips for the unravelled edge effect. After I tried a few out I found I liked the look of about 12 inches (30cm), the finished length is a bit less then half the cut length.

Step 3 

Take a piece of string or rope the length you want your garland to be and start tying your strips to it.

I used 3mm (approx, 3/8") cord. 

How to tie the strips

 Fold your strip in half and push the loop end under your rope.

Hold the loop end open with one hand and hold the ends in the other. 

Push the ends through the loop.

Pull on the ends to tighten.

Step 4

Decide you don't like the colour combination and start over. Push the strips off the end of your rope and they will magically come undone.

Go and make a cup of tea. Come back to discover you have a helper.

A helper that has fallen asleep on the job. Finish your cup of tea then dig your project out from under your lazy bones helper that refuses to move.

Once you've got the colour combination working for you it all goes pretty quickly and you can have a couple of meters finished in an hour or so. By then you might want a snack and another cup of tea.

You can skip this step if your colour combination is working for you, your helper is actually helpful and you don't want a cup of tea.

Step 5

Wonder where to hang it up, tie a couple of loops in either end of your rope for this purpose and bravely stick some pushpin hooks into your wall.

Voila! You're all done. Stand back and admire your beautiful bespoke garland.

Take a moment to realise (and enjoy) that you have:

1. upcycled clutter into something useful
2. reduced waste that would go to landfill
3. created a decoration that will always remind of you the projects and memories associated with those fabrics (for me that includes a wedding, family and friends)
4. saved money.

Add some fairy lights for that extra Christmasy touch. My fairy lights are multicolour icicle indoor ones.