Make it yourself
 

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Off-Cut Cuff
Use up fabric scraps from past projects by creating your own unique tactile bracelet.

  1 -2 hours   View & print PDF*


Basic sewing

Fabric scraps
Cuffs from a long sleeved
t-shirt or old work shirt
Thread

Scissors
Iron & ironing board
Needle

 

Step 1
Prepare your ingredients: Cut off the elasticated cuff from an old long-sleeved t-shirt (you could make our T-Shirt Table Runner with the rest of the fabric). The cuff from an old shirt would also work. Select colour co-ordinated scraps of old fabric, saved up from previous craft projects. A mixture of different fabric types and shades makes an interesting finished cuff. We used scraps of felt, t-shirt material, silk and wool in shades of green and brown. Select thread colour to match.

 

Step 2
Turn your cuff inside out. One at a time, fold each edge into the middle and iron flat. When you turn your cuff back to the right side, you will have created two creases which will be the outer edges of your cuff. The distance between these two creases is the new width of your cuff. Cut your fabric scraps into small rectangles or strips which are of a similar size to this new width.

 

Step 3
Begin to sew each strip onto your cuff. Do this by laying the strip horizontally across the width of your cuff and make one or two simple running stitches in the first and each subsequent strip. The strips should be placed alongside each other, some overlap is good. Work in a line around the circumference of your cuff, sewing your first row of stitches near to one of the edges. Finer fabrics like silk may fray, so just tuck the frayed edges under as you stitch these strips on.

 


Step 4
Once you have sewn on strips around the circumference of the cuff, secure them with another two rows of stitching. One along the other edge of the cuff and one around the middle. Don’t worry about neatness, just make sure that each strip is secured to the cuff. You may like to add in extra strips here and there in areas which look a little too uniform. A few pointy edge strips are attractive too.

 


Step 5
Once you’ve finished 3 rows of stitching and have ensured all the strips are securely sewn in, turn your cuff inside out, fold the edges into the middle and sew these together.

 


Step 6
Turn back to the correct side and your cuff is ready to wear. You might find it feels a little big or baggy and in this instance you can make your cuff smaller by sewing in a press stud at one side. When you wear you cuff, wear it with the press stud facing outwards away from the body. We added a press stud to the red and yellow cuff we created, as shown in this photo. Wear your unique recycled Off-Cut Cuff with pride!


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