5 Ways to Repurpose Tights for your Saturday Night In

You put on a pair of your favourite Rachel tights and immediately catch a snag due to a chipped nail - what’s worse? It can feel like war out there when you’re wearing tights. Even though Rachel’s tights are sturdier than others, the inevitable always happens and a pair of tights will end up with a nasty rip. It just breaks my heart, but thankfully I have 5 ways to repurpose those ripped tights for your Saturday night-in.

Here are 5 ways to repurpose used tights! 

What you’ll need:

• Tights
• Scissors
• Needle
• Thread
• Wire

1. Make a Wire Headband

Start by grabbing wire from the dollar store and any pair of tights. Measure the tights around your head, so it’s long enough for a headband and add about 2 inches extra on each end for the hem and some excess for a fun bow, or knot. Cut a strip roughly two inches wide and turn it inside out and stitch the sides together, leaving the ends open. Next, turn it right side out, put a piece of tape on the end of your wire and feed it through the hole. Stitch your ends up and you've got yourself a flexible headband. Now how easy and cute is that?!

2. Make a Scrunchy

The scrunchy is back and some of them come with a hefty price tag, but you can make your very own with tights. Use one leg of your tights and cut it in half vertically. Next, turn it inside out and stitch the sides together leaving the ends open. Turn it right side out, grab another piece of tights to use for your elastic (about a 6 inch piece), feed it through your sewn piece and bunch it up until the elastic has gone all the way through. Then tie both ends of the elastic together and sew straight across to join the two sides of the scrunchy. And ta-da, you've got yourself an adorable scrunchy made by you for virtually no cost.

3. Use as Nail Polish Remover

Don't you just hate it when you're taking off your nail polish and you get tissue or cotton ball residue all over yourself? I know I do! So grab a pair of ripped tights, cut off a small piece, squeeze a little nail polish remover on it and you've got yourself a new and cleaner way to take off your nail polish.

4. Make a Sleep mask

Need a new sleep mask? How cute and cozy would a mask made out of warm tights be? Start by drawing an outline of a face mask on a piece of paper. Then use pins to stick it to your tights and cut around it and do a second one exactly the same. Then, take a small piece of tights and stuff it between the two. Then grab your thread and needle and use an easy blanket stitch (see HERE) to sew the two sides together. Use another small piece of your tights for the elastic in the back. Make sure you measure around your head to see how tight you want it, because you won't get a very peaceful sleep with a tight elastic around your head. And voila, you’ve got yourself an ultra cute new sleep mask. 

5. Make New Sleeves

Have you been racking your brain trying to figure out how you can possibly take your summer dresses into fall or add a fun printed sleeve for a holiday party? Just cut the feet off your tights, then cut out a small V where the crotch area is. Next, flip your tights and the V becomes where you put your head through, and you’ve got yourself some cute new sleeves to layer under sleeveless tops, dresses and rompers. It's quick, easy and adds just the right amount of pizazz to your look. 

So if you're looking for a fun night in, try out these super cool and easy DIY ways to repurpose your tights into some fabulous new and useful pieces!

Xo, 

Sarah