Recycling Old Craft Boxes

Vintage Knitting Boxes

Today, I don’t want to write about knitting or crocheting. Instead, I want to talk about something just as important: craft storage. More specifically, I want to share my experience upcycling two extremely old wooden craft boxes.

A while ago, I inherited two vintage craft boxes—one from my husband’s great-grandmother and the other from his grandmother. I would dare say the first one dates back to the 1920s and the second to the 1950s.

I almost threw them away. The paint was dark brown, dull, and tired-looking, and one of them even had a strange smell. Instead, I emptied them out, cleaned them thoroughly, and headed to the nearest hardware store. That’s where I became acquainted with spray chalk paint.

I said to myself, “It’s just a spray can, isn’t it? I’ve used hairspray—how hard can it be?”

I went back home, sanded the boxes, and started spraying them like a maniac. The colors were amazing, and the process seemed fairly easy. Once I was satisfied, I went to bed and let the paint dry overnight. The next day, when I checked my work, I was horrified to discover that the paint had run all over the boxes, leaving drips and smudges everywhere. Out came the sandpaper again, and I lightly sanded the areas with paint drops.

Needless to say, the process wasn’t as easy as I had thought. First, you’re supposed to hold the spray can at a certain distance to avoid drips—which meant I literally sprayed half of my basement. I have terrible aim. Second, you need to apply several light coats until everything is evenly covered. Had I known this from the start, the whole project would have been much shorter and easier. Oh well—I learned from my mistake.

So, lesson learned: do your research before attempting something like this!

After many tries, I ended up very happy with the result. The boxes look adorable, and I’ve already filled one with knitting supplies. The best part is that I can close them, which means my cats can’t get to my yarn and turn it into their personal toy stash.

This was a great way to recycle. These boxes were extremely well made and clearly built to withstand the test of time.

Once again—mission accomplished!