This Gardener's Upcycle Project Uses An Item You Usually Toss: 'A Fantastic Hack'

When it comes to DIYing accessories for your garden, sometimes you have to get a little creative. Whether you are trying to repurpose an old muffin tin into a garden seedling tray or you decide to turn your old coffee maker into a hummingbird fountain, there are countless options for upcycling used or broken items from your home in your garden. One easy DIY is to take those pesky inserts that come with various bras, bathing suits, and tank tops and transform them into easy gardening knee pads. Instead of taking up space in your dresser drawers, these pads can offer excellent support while you complete your outdoor chores. No more grass-stained, aching knees.

Instagram user @sustainablyamber is known for her clever upcycles, specifically where she transforms affordable thrifted items into staples for her garden. For this hack, however, she took her supplies straight from her closet. Bra inserts tend to be more of a hassle than a help — if you know, you know. Most of the time, they end up in the back of our closets, waiting for the day they can actually be used. Amber decided today is that day. Instead of tossing these inserts into the trash, save them as gardening supplies. Turning them into knee pads is a very simple process, and you only need a few basic supplies to get started. 

Don't waste your money on expensive store-bought knee pads. If you have leftover bra inserts at home, you already have the supplies you need to make your own. Depending on how much support you want for your knees, you can use just a few inserts or grab seven, which is what @sustainablyamber decided to do. Stack the inserts on top of each other to create a small pad. If you have a set of fuller inserts, you can save these for the very top, which is what Amber did. She used a pair of thick, circular black inserts as the outermost layer. This is smart as the black won't stain as easily from the ground as the tan inserts would. 

Once your inserts are piled together, take a thick needle and thread and sew the pads together into one piece. Amber used pretty large stitches for this, so no need to be too detailed with it. As long as they are firmly secured together, you are golden.

Amber also utilized an old pair of bra straps as adjustable straps for the knee pads, sewing them onto the edges of the inserts. But don't worry. If you don't have those lying around, you can also just use stretchy wide elastic for the straps.

If you want to cover the inserts, an old pillowcase, towel, or leftover fabric can be wrapped around your new knee pads, giving them a more cohesive look. Secure the material in place with more stitches or a strong adhesive. If you don't have leftover bra inserts, no problem. You can also DIY your own stylish garden knee pads by reusing another closet staple: socks.