What should I do with fabric scraps so they don't end up in landfills?

You've come to the right place.

When it comes to using leftover fabric for DIY sewing projects, the possibilities are truly endless.

Whether you have large pieces of material, small fabric remnants, tiny scraps, or random bits of fabric, there's no shortage of craft ideas you can try and ways to upcycle what's left.

From hair accessories and home decor to tote bags and fabric coasters, you can make almost anything with leftover fabric scraps, a Brother sewing machine, or some needle and thread.

Find a rundown of our favorite craft ideas for upcycled fabric remnants below.

Hair ties, headbands, and scrunchies

Some of the best craft projects for fabric scraps involve making hair accessories.

With a few fabric strips and some elastic, you can sew your hair ties, headbands, and scrunchies. Instead of relying on elastic materials, you can make headbands from wire or cardboard.

Velvet and chiffon are ideal for hair accessories, but you can use almost any material for this project. Plus, there are endless templates online if you're unsure where to start.

Fabric flowers

DIY fabric flowers make great gifts. It's a perfect project for beginners, and all you need is a sewing machine, some thread, a needle, a few pieces of fabric, and a simple flower pattern.

Cable and wire management

You can recycle small pieces of fabric and turn them into cord keepers. You can stitch hems onto your leftover bits of fabric, then attach Velcro or a button and hole.

Genuine or vegan leather pieces can also work in place of fabric. This will give you something to wrap around your cords and secure, so they don't unravel when you store them at home or pack them for a trip.

Fabric coasters

Fabric coasters are another easy sewing project for beginner quilters. Just cut your fabric scraps into squares, then place batting between two squares of equal size. Stitch the perimeter and finish with additional quilt patterns through the middle.

Potholders and hot pads

Looking for scrap fabric projects you can use around the home?

Using a three-layer quilting technique, you can sew small pieces of cloth into potholders and hot pads. Hot pads are simple to create, usually squares or rectangles.

However, you can find templates online for guidance on making a potholder.

Baby bibs and teethers

You can make your bibs with cotton fabric pieces! Cut your pattern, hem the edges, then attach velcro or a button-and-hole where it fastens around the neck. You can also use tiny bits of fabric to make baby teethers. You don't necessarily need to hem them or do any sewing, as babies like chewing on little pieces of cloth. Remember to ensure they're not so small that they present a choking hazard.

Cloth storage bins

You can make soft fabric storage bins with structured bases.

These are perfect for stashing sewing supplies, writing utensils, toiletries, loose change, and knickknacks from around your home.

Fabric bowls

Make decorative bowls using a paper-mâché technique, but instead of paper, you can use small pieces of fabric.

You'll need scissors to cut the fabric into strips, paste, and a bowl to use as your mold.

Fabric-wrapped bangles

You can wrap extra fabric pieces around old wooden bangle bracelets to add a pop of color or a fun pattern.

Using a paintbrush or sponge, coat your fabric layers with Mod Podge or homemade papier-mâché paste.

Tote bags and sachets

You can turn those leftover fabric scraps into tote bags and zipper pouches.

This project is more complex than others here, so you may want to look at sewing patterns before starting.

Reusable cotton pads

Small round or square pieces of cotton fabric can be sewn into reusable cosmetic pads—the kind you use to remove makeup, wash your face, exfoliate, or remove nail polish.

You can wash and reuse them, too, so they're more eco-friendly than the disposable variety!

Fabric brush roll

Another option is to sew fabric into a rollable brush storage solution, complete with pockets for separating brushes by size or type.

You can use this fun tip to store paintbrushes, makeup brushes, and pretty much any writing or coloring utensil.

Bookmarks

Using fabric strips to make bookmarks is super easy.

You can make a single-layer design by sewing the edges or create a quilt-style bookmark with three layers (a batting sandwiched between two pieces of fabric).

Keychains

You can turn fabric scraps into keychains.

All you need is a small strip of cloth and a metal keychain ring.

Sew the edges of the fabric to create a hem, then make a loop on the end that feeds into the metal ring. This fantastic gift idea costs almost nothing and allows you to show off your creativity.

Fabric tape for gift wrapping

Another way to reuse cloth strips is to turn them into fabric tape.

Just attach double-sided tape or adhesive strips to the bottom of the fabric, then use the decorative strips to embellish wrapped presents or envelopes.

Pincushions

Leftover fabric is perfect for DIY pincushions. As for the stuffing, you can use sand, tiny beads, steel wool, ground walnut shells, or even additional fabric scraps.

Not sure how to get the shape right? There are many online video tutorials with step-by-step instructions for making a pincushion.

Floor pouf or throw pillow stuffing

If you have lots of extra fabric, you can use it to fill a floor pouf. Leather Moroccan poufs are often sold as just a shell, meaning you must stuff them yourself.

Another option is to stuff your throw pillows after sewing a few zippered covers.

Make the most of what you already have with these amazing creations

These ideas should inspire you to use every scrap of fabric leftover from your sewing projects. If you're in the market for a new sewing machine, Brother has exactly what you need.

Our selection includes innovative devices with digital patterns and advanced threading systems, basic machines with built-in stitches and buttonholes, and affordable refurbished models.