Tossing Old Bandanas Is A Big Mistake When There Are 9 Fun Ways To Repurpose Them

Bandanas' rainbow of colors seems to be in stark contrast to their gritty purpose. We end up with collections of them to deal with runny noses, hold back wayward hairdos, and — best of all — neckwear for our canine friends. Holes inevitably appear, fraying occurs, or you just have to cull your stash. Don't chuck the worn-out ones or donate the good ones until you've seen these imaginative ways to extend their lives.

There are endless creative ways to repurpose old and unwanted items, and it's even easier to see something's potential for reuse when it's colorful. Check out these amazing ideas shared by clever crafters all across the interwebs. Some ideas are all form, while some are more function. Whip up wall decor, kitchen essentials, and things to keep you cozy on the couch. Plus, only a few of these projects require a sewing machine. Grab that bandana stash, a pair of scissors, and a few other supplies for some fun with some fabric you didn't know you still wanted!

Pieces of yellow bandanas finished off with a brown cardboard and cloth center bloom into an oversized sunflower to brighten any wall or door. Quarter yellow bandanas, iron them with some spray starch, and bunch them into leaf shapes. Zip tie them onto two rows of a wire wreath form for a spray of golden petals. Cut a cardboard circle that matches the inner ring of the wreath as well as a piece of brown fabric slightly larger than the circle. Glue the fabric over the edges of the circle and attach it to the flower's center.

Make wall art in minutes with nothing more than scissors, bandanas, and a trio of embroidery hoops in varying sizes. Even one or two hoops will do. Find the least worn sections of the bandanas to highlight and center them over the smaller rings. Tighten the larger rings over them and trim away the excess fabric. Clustered together or added as pops of color in the perfect gallery wall, this cheap and easy project makes a big impact.

Instead of buying single-use plastic wrap, enlist an underused bandana to make an eco-friendly bowl cover. Trace the rim of a bowl onto a clean bandana in good condition. Mark another circle two inches wider than your tracing. Cut it out, make a ½-inch hem around the edges, and leave a 2-inch gap on the edging after you've sewn the hem. Slide in a thin piece of elastic that's slightly shorter than the circumference of the bowl, sew the ends together, and sew closed the remaining 2 inches of the edging. Voila!

Here's another clever way to repurpose old jeans along with pairs of bandanas. Fuse two bandanas for a double-sided placemat, complete with a denim pocket for cutlery. Collect and pair up same-sized bandanas in good condition. It helps if they're in complementary colors and/or patterns, but bold contrasts can also work. Use iron-on adhesive sheets to combine two bandanas. Cut away one jean back pocket and use it to outfit one side of the placemat with a handy holder for flatware and a napkin.

Cushy form and function join forces for a DIY throw pillow made from bandanas. Two bandanas sewn together on three sides easily accommodate a slip-in pillow form. There are lots of ways you can close up your pillow. For the simplest option, sew the final side closed around the form. Adding a zipper to the fourth side is a smart way to make the cover easy to remove for washing. This is a great way to upcycle old throw pillows.

You don't need a flagpole to display the stars and stripes. Create an American flag-inspired wreath with a sizable stack of bandanas in red, white, and blue. Cut the bandanas into two same-sized rectangles. Alternating between red and white, tie the pieces around the edges of a wire wreath form. Fill about ⅔ of the wreath with red and white ties, and use the pieces of blue bandanas to complete the circle. Glue wooden or plastic craft stars onto the blue knots.

Melting and smoothing beeswax shavings onto fabric leaves you with a flexible, sealable sheet for food saving. Bandanas are just the right size to fold over a sandwich or mold over the edges of a medium-sized bowl with the help of a wax coating. Just preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a clean bandana on a cookie sheet, sprinkle its surface with grated beeswax, and pop it in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes. Take it out of the oven and distribute the melted wax with a paintbrush. Once it's cool, it's ready to use!

Draped triangular buntings have been getting a lot of exposure over the last few years, but they're still classic and festive. Snip aging bandanas into triangles with pinking shears. Attach them to a length of cord by tying the ends around the cord, gluing the narrowest side around the cord, or substituting glue for no-iron sewing tape like YONGJIN DoubleiSided Fabric Tape. The best part? You can use any color for any occasion. 

If your bandana-wearing pups have crossed the rainbow bridge, commemorate them by piecing together a quilt made from their most favorite outfits. If your buddies were able to keep the wearables in good condition, a simple seaming-together of full bandanas, tufted and layered with batting, is a touching and a relatively low-skill project. However, well-loved bandanas may be better off cut into smaller bits to become part of a geometric pattern or a crazy quilt.