Embroidered fabric cuff bracelet

Like many sewers or quilters, I have a ton of fabric scraps stashed away that are too small to make a garment out of, but I hate to see go to waste. Save your scraps and reuse them with this quick, fun project. I was inspired by some long, skinny strips of flannel left over from a quilt and thought, these would make a great bracelet!

I'm a fan of cuff bracelets since they're kind of boho chic and casual, and since this one is made with fabric it's light, flexible, and great to wear anywhere. This is a great way to try out a new embroidery stitch or show off your favorite fabric print, or just to have a small and portable project for a commute or rainy day.

Even if you're not a sewer or don't own a sewing machine and have only a needle and thread, don't worry! This is easy to do by hand and the materials are inexpensive.

Step 1 Gather your materials

 You will need:

• Fabric - cotton, flannel, felt; any sturdy, non-stretchy fabric that can withstand an iron will do (see notes below)
• Embroidery thread in your favorite colors
• Tapestry needle or other needle with an eye big enough to accommodate your embroidery thread
• Scissors
• One 1/2" to 3/4" button
• 3-4 inches of 1/8" round elastic
• Ruler (not pictured)
• Sewing thread (not pictured)
• Iron (not pictured)

Optional items:

• Lightweight fusible interfacing
• Rotary cutter, cutting mat, and clear ruler (not pictured)
• Thimble (not pictured)
• Sewing machine or serger (not pictured)
• Disappearing ink fabric marker, chalk, or pencil

How much fabric do you need? If it's long enough to go around your wrist with about 1" of overlap and is about 1" wider than you want your finished bracelet to be, it will do. If you want to incorporate parts of the fabric pattern into your design, you may need more.

Note: If you do not have fabric at home, ask a crafty friend if they want to donate some scraps. If you're boldly going into new territory and your friends don't have fabric scraps, your local fabric store should have fabric remnants (generally less than one yard of fabric, perfect for small projects), and craft and quilting stores often have "fat quarters" (a quarter yard cut in a special way) of fabric which are great as well. Ask your friendly neighborhood fabric store employee for help.

You don't even need to use new fabric. You can also recycle an old, worn-out shirt, pants, pillowcase, apron, etc. Try thrift stores for good deals. You're limited only by your imagination!

Comments

[mypinkrainbow]

very cute love it

[Irwin Nenneo]

Your cuff is great! And I agree with you about arts, crafts and animals. :)

[bythepiece]

What a terrific idea! Thank you. I am a Quilter and look for fund-raising ideas to help the animal rescue groups.  This would be great!

[mynameiswool]

So glad you found this helpful! I'm glad you will be helping animals in need; my dog is a shelter dog and he is the best. Hooray for arts and crafts making a positive impact on the world. :)