Reusable makeup pads
Reusable make-up pads are a good way to recycle old towels and use up fabric scraps. \ Catherine Carton
To try and be more sustainable when it comes to my beauty routine, I swapped single-use cotton pads for reusable ones. It’s a good way to recycle old towels and use up fabric scraps, and you will save money by striking cotton pads off your shopping list. You can easily create a batch of these in whatever size suits you, and you just pop them in the washing machine (in a mesh laundry bag, if you have one) whenever they need a clean.
What you need
Tape measure, paper, pencil and scissors for template Fabric scissors Fabric marker Old towels Cotton or poly-cotton fabric Pins Sewing machine Thread Method
1 I make my circular makeup pads slightly larger than the ones you get in the shops, as I like a nice wide pad when cleansing my skin. To create a circular template, you can trace around the base of a tin can or a cup, depending on the size you would like. Allow ¼ inch for your seam. 2 Using your fabric scissors, cut one piece of towel fabric and one piece of cotton fabric.3 Place the right sides of the fabric together and pin. Stitch around the circle but leave a gap large enough to pull the fabric through. Remember to backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitching to prevent it from unravelling. 4 Before pulling the fabric through, you can clip the curves, as this will give it more of a circular shape when you pull the fabric the right way. 5 Using the gap, pull the fabric through so that the right side of the material is facing outwards. 6 To close the opening, tuck the raw seams in and topstitch around the circular pad. Super-quick scrunchie
To help turn the fabric the right way out, use a safety pin and pin it to the bottom of the fabric. Pull the safety pin through the tunnel, and the material will be the right way out. \ Catherine Carton
You might remember having a wrist full of scrunchies back in the 1990s, or maybe that was just me! Well, the scrunchie is truly back in fashion, and for a sewing enthusiast, it’s a great way to use up scrap fabric. Like most of the projects in my book, you can take my measurements and tweak them to your liking. By expanding the width and length of the fabric, you can make an extra sassy chunky scrunchie. Cotton and poly-cotton fabrics are the easiest to use, as they don’t have much stretch, but you can also use silk to create dainty silk scrunchies. If you use silk or satin, try to use clips instead of pins to avoid marking the material.
What you need
Fabric of your choice Ruler and fabric marker Fabric scissors Elastic Sewing pins Sewing machine Thread A safety pin Method
1 Measure and cut a piece of fabric. As a guide, mine was 22in (56cm) long and 3.5in (9cm) wide. My piece of elastic was 6in (15cm) long. I have a smaller wrist, so you can measure the elastic around your wrist and adjust the length to fit. 2 Fold the fabric over lengthwise, with the right sides facing each other, and pin. Take this to the machine and do a straight stitch down the side of the material. You will have created a little tunnel. 3 To help turn the fabric the right way out, use a safety pin and pin it to the bottom of the fabric. Pull the safety pin through the tunnel, and the material will be the right way out. 4 Next, pin the safety pin to the tip of the elastic, then thread it through the tunnel. You will notice the fabric start to scrunch up. Tie a double knot in the elastic to secure it in place. 5 Now we are going to sew up the scrunchie. Fold the two raw edges in on themselves. Pin them together and do a straight stitch on the machine to close the opening. You can also do a hand whip stitch to close the scrunchie if you prefer. Once you make one or two scrunchies, you will be flying. 
Dainty Dress Diaries - 50 Beautiful Home-Crafting Activities to Awaken Your Creativity by Catherine Carton, published by The O’Brien Press.
Extract from Dainty Dress Diaries - 50 Beautiful Home-Crafting Activities to Awaken Your Creativity by Catherine Carton, published by The O’Brien Press. RRP €19.99.
Reusable makeup pads
Reusable make-up pads are a good way to recycle old towels and use up fabric scraps. \ Catherine Carton
To try and be more sustainable when it comes to my beauty routine, I swapped single-use cotton pads for reusable ones. It’s a good way to recycle old towels and use up fabric scraps, and you will save money by striking cotton pads off your shopping list. You can easily create a batch of these in whatever size suits you, and you just pop them in the washing machine (in a mesh laundry bag, if you have one) whenever they need a clean.
What you need
Tape measure, paper, pencil and scissors for template Fabric scissors Fabric marker Old towels Cotton or poly-cotton fabric Pins Sewing machine Thread Method
1 I make my circular makeup pads slightly larger than the ones you get in the shops, as I like a nice wide pad when cleansing my skin. To create a circular template, you can trace around the base of a tin can or a cup, depending on the size you would like. Allow ¼ inch for your seam. 2 Using your fabric scissors, cut one piece of towel fabric and one piece of cotton fabric.3 Place the right sides of the fabric together and pin. Stitch around the circle but leave a gap large enough to pull the fabric through. Remember to backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitching to prevent it from unravelling. 4 Before pulling the fabric through, you can clip the curves, as this will give it more of a circular shape when you pull the fabric the right way. 5 Using the gap, pull the fabric through so that the right side of the material is facing outwards. 6 To close the opening, tuck the raw seams in and topstitch around the circular pad. Super-quick scrunchie
To help turn the fabric the right way out, use a safety pin and pin it to the bottom of the fabric. Pull the safety pin through the tunnel, and the material will be the right way out. \ Catherine Carton
You might remember having a wrist full of scrunchies back in the 1990s, or maybe that was just me! Well, the scrunchie is truly back in fashion, and for a sewing enthusiast, it’s a great way to use up scrap fabric. Like most of the projects in my book, you can take my measurements and tweak them to your liking. By expanding the width and length of the fabric, you can make an extra sassy chunky scrunchie. Cotton and poly-cotton fabrics are the easiest to use, as they don’t have much stretch, but you can also use silk to create dainty silk scrunchies. If you use silk or satin, try to use clips instead of pins to avoid marking the material.
What you need
Fabric of your choice Ruler and fabric marker Fabric scissors Elastic Sewing pins Sewing machine Thread A safety pin Method
1 Measure and cut a piece of fabric. As a guide, mine was 22in (56cm) long and 3.5in (9cm) wide. My piece of elastic was 6in (15cm) long. I have a smaller wrist, so you can measure the elastic around your wrist and adjust the length to fit. 2 Fold the fabric over lengthwise, with the right sides facing each other, and pin. Take this to the machine and do a straight stitch down the side of the material. You will have created a little tunnel. 3 To help turn the fabric the right way out, use a safety pin and pin it to the bottom of the fabric. Pull the safety pin through the tunnel, and the material will be the right way out. 4 Next, pin the safety pin to the tip of the elastic, then thread it through the tunnel. You will notice the fabric start to scrunch up. Tie a double knot in the elastic to secure it in place. 5 Now we are going to sew up the scrunchie. Fold the two raw edges in on themselves. Pin them together and do a straight stitch on the machine to close the opening. You can also do a hand whip stitch to close the scrunchie if you prefer. Once you make one or two scrunchies, you will be flying.
Dainty Dress Diaries - 50 Beautiful Home-Crafting Activities to Awaken Your Creativity by Catherine Carton, published by The O’Brien Press.
Extract from Dainty Dress Diaries - 50 Beautiful Home-Crafting Activities to Awaken Your Creativity by Catherine Carton, published by The O’Brien Press. RRP €19.99.
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