DIY Craft: Recycling Old Books by Pat Allchorne

Many years ago I used to knit to make a bit of pin money, and it was often Aran sweaters for people who couldn’t be bothered with the complicated patterns, or picture sweaters, mostly for children.

I got to the stage of designing sweaters, and my knitting needles accompanied me to various appointments – doctor’s, dentist’s, etc. A friend of my mum’s once said to me: “I hope you never develop arthritis…”

Sadly, I did. I was about 40-ish when it started, and at first, I took to embroidery when knitting became too painful. Then even embroidery began to hurt after 15 or 20 minutes. The creative instinct needed fulfilment, and for a time I designed and made crocheted cards for the blind, who needed raised patterns to be able to feel the design.

There was a lull for a while when life took over and running a second-hand bookshop took up so much time. I began to make my own birthday and Christmas cards – just simple designs, and have consequently ended up with a lot (!!) of craft materials. I also began to make my own envelopes – but perhaps that is a project for a future edition ….

I had some books which I had read many times, and they were in a state that even charity shops would have rejected or just sent for pulping, and that was when the next phase of craft work popped into my head.

Though cutting up books went against the grain, it seemed a much better idea to do that and make something useful rather than have them pulped, so the idea of bookmarks took shape. I have also done gift tags, and mostly I have used what I already had in my craft stores. The ideas below are just a start; I’m sure you can use your imagination to come up with other ideas. For those who think “I’m not crafty or imaginative”, these are so simple to do. 

They need to be backed with a card, either white or coloured (see illustration). I have used Washi tape on some, and various cut-out flowers. For bookmarks, they need to be fairly flat, and you could, of course, punch a hole in the top and add a ribbon or tassel. They have the added bonus of being very easy to post, and we all have people for whom we need just a small gift to cheer them up. If stickers are used, they can be tailored to a specific interest.

You may have a talent for drawing (I don’t!) and can use a black marker to decorate your bookmarks or gift tags. Perhaps you are into drying flowers. Let your imagination run wild, and recycle all kinds of suitable things!