Felt any fleece lately? You’d know that feeling anywhere, right? Truth is, few fabrics can compete with the soft warm fuzziness of this fabulous synthetic answer to wool.
Fleece is amazingly durable. When you toss it in the wash it won’t fade, fray or shrink. Add to that its lightness, breath-ability and warmth, and you’ve got a fabric of a thousand uses. Due to the confines of time and space, here’s a look at 5 creative things you can do with fleece:
The Micro-fleece Scarf
One of the coolest things about this warm and fuzzy fabric is that it is virtually fray proof and will hold an edge forever without hemming. That makes fleece an ideal fabric for scarf making. And making their own scarf is a particularly fun project for kids. With an incredible variety of colors and patterns to choose from, kids can have fun making a scarf that fits their own unique style and personality. Using scissors or pinking shears, kids can get even more creative, giving their scarves fancy edges and fringed ends.
The Fleece “Feather” Duster
One of the unique properties of fleece is that it tends to build-up a static charge. You’ve probably noticed this when slipping a fleece sweatshirt over your head and seeing your hair stand out from the static electricity. Static cling makes fleece an excellent dust attractor, which those clever folks at Swiffer have put to good use. You can do the same thing at home using scraps of leftover fleece. Instructions for making your own fleece duster can be easily found on the Internet. The basic idea is to make a dense pom-pom out of fleece strips and attach it to the end of a wooden dowel rod handle with a screw. You’ll get a lot of usage out of your homemade duster and save money in the process.
The Fleece Rope Tug Toy for Dogs
With amazing durability for its weight, fleece can be used for all sorts of fun toys for animals to chew on. One easy to make toy for dogs is the fleece rope tug toy. The basic idea of the fleece rope toy is to braid 3 long strips of fleece tightly together into a rope about 24 “ long and secure each end with tight knots. This is another great project to get the kids involved with, as it’s both fun to make and fun to use.
The No-Sew Fleece Throw Pillow
Throw pillows make great accent pieces, and making them out of fleece will make them both colorful and cozy. And the best part is that they can be made in minutes without sewing. Basically all you need to do is cut out two pieces of fleece, fringe the edges, and tie 3 of the fringed sides together using double knots. Next you simply insert the pillow form into the pocket of fleece and tie the final side together. With such a large variety of printed fabrics available at fabric stores and online, kids can make their own themed throw pillows for their rooms.
Fleece Blankets for the Whole Family
When it comes to all around comfort and cuddliness, nothing feels as good as a fleece blanket. And thanks to fleece’s no fray feature, blankets are super easy to make. Doll and baby blankets, pet blankets, kid’s bedroom blankets, throws for the TV room or couch, blankets for the elderly—you name it. Fleece is the perfect fabric for each and every member of the family.
About out guest author: Paisley Hansen is a freelance writer and expert in health, beauty and crafting with fleece fabric. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading a good book.
