We will post resources that we love and tutorials from our workshops here, so you can try them at home!
Flower Pounding
Eco Fabric Dyeing with Flowers
Learn an eco-friendly way to print on fabric by using flowers!
Materials needed:
- a mordant, such as alum
- natural fabric for printing on (cotton, linen, silk, etc. may contain NO rayon/poly etc – no blends!)
- highly pigmented flowers (see suggestions)
- rubber mallet
- dye barrier (wood, cardboard, etc)
- protective parchment paper or fabric to layer over flowers (does not need to be natural fiber)
Upcycle a Book into a Flower Press
Do you have old damaged hardcover books that you want to find a new use for? Designate them to be your new flower press! Adding a few pieces of hardware makes it easy to press and preserve flowers for future projects or just for fun– without stacking piles of heavy books, or forgetting where you left them!
Materials needed:
- unwanted/damaged hardcover book (no mold!)
- 1/4 inch carriage bolts, washers, and wing nuts
- 1/4 drill bit and electric drill
- Clamp
- sacrificial scrap wood
- parchment paper
- flowers
- Optional: scissors, tape measure
Flower Press Tutorial:
YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@uticacreativereuse
Circular Weaving With A Cardboard Loom
Learn to weave a small circle! Easy activity for kids.
Materials needed:
- Sturdy corrugated cardboard
- Yarn
- Scissors
- Something round to trace a circle the size you want your loom to be, like a plate or a bowl (or you can use a compass for drawing circles, or to draw a really big circle, stick a pin in the center of your cardboard with a string the length of the radius of your desired circle tied to one end and your pen on the other)
- Optional: Yarn needle, pen, ruler, calculator, tape
Circular Weaving Video Tutorial:
YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@uticacreativereuse
Circular Weaving YouTube Video Tutorial Link
Weave a Heart Basket
Materials needed:
- Cereal box
- Scissors
- Marker or chalk
- Hole punch
- Yarn
- Yarn Needle
- Tape
- Glue
Heart Basket Video Tutorial & Downloadable Template:
Heart Basket Video Tutorial: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3VT3G8O-qy
Project tutorial by: https://happyhourprojects.com/heart-shaped-yarn-basket/
Project Ideas and Resources
- Pittsburgh Creative Reuse Center: Idea Center and Creative Resources
- Tutorial: Handmade Paper from Recycled Materials
- Bottlecap Jewelry from the Idea Store in Urbana, IL
Do you have great ideas for repurpose or reuse projects? Send us a message!
Classroom Projects and Lesson Plans
MFTA: Lesson Plans
Lesson Plans and Projects are developed by MFTA master Teaching Artist or Teachers who have taken a creative reuse professional development class at MFTA. All classes align with Arts Blueprint and state standards. These low or no budget projects can be used across multiple subject areas, learning styles and ability levels. All are free for your use.
MFTA: Creative Reuse Projects
Inspired by The Education Center’s studio-style courses and created by Master Teaching Artist Joy Suarez, learn how to creatively reuse items from the recycling bin and free supplies from Materials for the Arts to develop lesson plans. These low or no budget projects can be used across multiple subject areas, learning styles and ability levels. All are free for your use.
Video: Creative Reuse in the Classroom
Kids in Brooklyn at PS297 design and make their own vehicles out of found and repurposed materials
Utica Creative Reuse 