Eco conscious craft projects

With COP26 due to take place in Glasgow, we can all be creative and environmentally more aware…

The COP26 summit – taking place from 31 October to 12 November 2021 – will unite the world to tackle climate change. From protecting and restoring ecosystems to accelerating the phase-out of coal, COP26 can only rise to the challenges of the climate crisis by working together.

Helping to save the planet one make at a time, LoveCrafts have put together a round-up of their top upcycle craft ideas and sustainable makes.

“A desire to live a more sustainable lifestyle is prompting people to get out their sewing machines or pick up their needles. We’re seeing many sewists look at creative ways to fix up and repurpose old clothes and fabrics, rather than buying new. The magic of sewing is that you can give old clothes a new lease of life.”

“At LoveCrafts, we’re here to help the nation unleash their inner maker, so our tutorials, free patterns, yarns and tools gives Brits the means to craft their fashion favourites.”- Merion Willis, Craft Editor at LoveCrafts

Greta Thunberg

Knit your own Greta Thunberg! The Greta Thunberg doll by Amanda Berry is part of ‘Today’s Inspiring Women’ – an exclusive LoveCrafts’ pattern collection. The collection celebrates the women you’ve chosen to be the voices, the activists, the role models, the movers and the shakers, shaping a better world.

Sustainability starts with your stash

Making things that make our home life more natural and plastic-free is a great step towards living more sustainably; but it also means making the most of what we’ve already got in our stash! While it’s tempting to stockpile new yarns when there are so many irresistible choices, a neat way to be more sustainable is to dig deep and see what you’ve got hiding in your stash and work out what you can do with it!

Eco-friendly tote bags

Say no to single-use plastic at the supermarket! Instead, take along a collection of handmade tote bags. Not only will you be making a step towards living more sustainably, you’ll also look super stylish while you shop!

Amazing upcycling

Just because you don’t use something anymore, it doesn’t mean it’s reached the end of its life! From old items of clothing to unused household accessories, there are heaps of upcycling projects out there to help you give garments a new lease of life.

Sustainable face scrubbies

Wave goodbye to your single-use cotton pads or face wipes, and say hello to handmade, reusable scrubbies! Crochet scrubbies make a brilliant beginner crochet project; and they also make an ideal gift for any beauty fanatic.

Eco-friendly yarns

It’s not just what you make, but what you make it with! Paintbox’s super eco-friendly yarns are made from materials that would otherwise go to waste, but are instead gathered and spun into sumptuous yarns. LoveCrafts recommends Paintbox Yarns Recycled t-shirt yarn, perfect for macrame and other simple crochet makes like these.

Find out how to make these and more at LoveCrafts