What the what?!?! When I opened the door this morning to let Dougie out, I was met with a blast of 20-something degree artic chilliness that no one should have to withstand.
What happened to wearing flip flops and sleeveless dresses in December?
Winter has finally hit SC, so now it’s time to think of clever ways to keep warm and cozy. Luckily, there’s plenty of great inspiration out there on the interwebs!
ReFashion an old sweater into slippers!
Beth Huntington has an amazing step-by-step tutorial that I might just have to give a go. It doesn’t look super-duper hard, but those slippers DO look like a great way to reuse some funky patterned sweaters. Methinks they’d make a nice gift too!
Sweaters make great mittens, too!
Natalie over at Creme de la Craft has an incredibly easy mitten tutorial. It really is just trace-and-stitch. If you have kids (or if you’re just absentmidned like me and leave your gloves everywhere), this is a great way to have plenty of pairs to spare (in a rainbow of colors and patterns!). I could see making matching mittens for different coats/outfits. 🙂
How ’bout some arm and leg warmers?
I kind of can’t believe anyone is actually buying leg warmers this year when they’re so easy to make from discarded sweaters. There are tons of tutorials out there, but I like how this one from Indestructibles features a cell phone pocket. 🙂
Cozy up in a felted sweater blanket!
I love how this felted sweater quilt by Recovergirl could make use of even very badly damaged sweaters. I don’t know if I’ll ever tackle a quilting project (I’m so impatient!), but this would be a lovely blanket to have. 🙂
The possibilities are infinite!
Stephanie at Fab You Bliss (Love the title btw!) can show you how to turn any sweater torso into an infinity scarf. I know I always feel warmer when my neck is warm (the one drawback of short hair), so I might be whipping up a couple of these guys. 🙂
HI. I’m catching up on your blog as I’ve been busy trying to sell crochet work on Etsy. I have missed so much! These are fab items.
I just finished a sweater blanket. I used cashmere so it didn’t felt as nicely as wool would but still worked. That was my first big sewing project ever and it took longer than I expected. It sure is soft though!
This article was timely! My daughter needed to put on her rubber boots as her winter ones sprang a leak. I wound up taking a sweater and turning it into an actual boot sock! (complete with a padded sole!). Thanks for being such an inspiration.
I just made a men’s argyle sweater into a great boot skirt. So, so cozy. I’d submit as a refash but the only before pic I took was just of it on my sewing dummy because I was alone and itching to get started.
I’m going to pass on the Swants. I’ll stick to making slippers from felted sweaters. They’re almost indestructible if you do it right.
p.s Have just googled swants – I NEED these in my life!!
oh my word – found your blog yesterday and, well, have to admit to spending hours looking back at all of your refashions. Love this blog!! Thank you for sharing this with us – there will be a woman frantically searching the charity shops here in Nottingham (UK) tomorrow! ….. love from Susan x
Love sweater re-fashs 🙂 . I created two gorgeous scarves out of my old but much loved cashmere cardigan – in pistachio green, I wish there was a way to include pics in a comment, but I’ll include a link to my blog post about the sweater. This is not shameless self-promotion…. oh, wait. It is. But I share it with best intentions. https://seweverythingblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/earth-week-re-fashion/
and here:
https://seweverythingblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/earth-week-re-fashion-continued-cardi-to-scarf-2/
Try looking up swants. Really, do it! I love them, and I need to make myself and my daughter a pair.
Oooooooh!!!!!!
this is very very cute 🙂
25 degrees, not 250!
How do I re-purpose to keep warm? I wear my shrunk-up, old, hole-y sweatpants as long underwear (remove the pockets to reduce bulk at the hips). [The high for the day tomorrow is supposed to be 25o–normal for this time of year.] Planned project: I have a crocheted wool afghan I remember as being at least 50 yo which has a rip and some holes & I hope to felt it and turn it into a coat.
Depending on the thickness and pattern of the sweater, I have been know to use them for doll clothes. 🙂
I am SO going to recycle my small sweaters to make an infinity scarf! I don’t sew but I can cut! And I’m always looking for something to warm my neck this time of year.
WooHoo! Just yesterday I cut the sleeves off a beautiful wool sweater for leg warmers (-20 below here), read your post and cut myself an infinity scarf out of the body. THANK YOU!!
I wonder if you will show us your versions at some point… pleeeeeease!
The blanket is super easy and quick. Set that serger up to flat lock,cut sweaters into squares and off you go. If the sweaters are felted you won’t even have to finish the edges. There’s a business in Michigan that buys wrecked sweaters by the pound,felts them and makes amazing sweaters,hats and mittens. I think they are in Traverse City.
Love the boot toppers and infinity scarves!! Heading back to the thrift store…
I like to buy old sweaters from thrift shops and then unravel them so I can use the yarn for new knitting and crochet projects. I only buy non-felted sweaters because it’s impossible to unravel them. I’ve gotten some very nice yarn blends this way and usually don’t have to pay more than $5.00 for the sweater.
Dougie needs some sweater love too. Take a look at my Zoe’s newest upcycle…make that pupcycle! http://queenoffiftycents.blogspot.com/2015/11/a-new-pupcycle.html
I like that sweater quilt.
http://buildinglifelongreaders.blogspot.com
I wish it was that worm over here in Latvia (northern Europe). We are having pretty cold weather for the past few days. Temperature has been variating from -30 till -20 C ( -22 to -4 F).
Anyway, those slippers look like something i would like to have. Now i just have to find a sweater. 😀
Yes! So in for the boot toppers and cowl scarf! And so on trend!
I’ve been sewing felted wool sweaters for years–GREAT stress reliever. It’s so much fun to hunt for the sweaters at the thrift store, wash them up and sew them together. They make great gifts, and I feel good about recycling.
Those slippers are so cute! I may ha e to go through my old sweaters just to make a pair, and that blanket–gorgeous! Another great post!
Another great way to “refash” older sweaters is to donate them to your local animal shelters. Dogs get cold, too, and a lot of shelters are on tight budgets and don’t heat the concrete runs the dogs are in. Old sweaters of any size and condition can be a real life-saver for shelter dogs. Hey, they like to cozy up,too!
Wow! These are some terrific ideas! The quilt would be a nice service project for a group.
Jillian, finding your posts in my inbox is like getting a present! I love you and I love your attitude.
I’ve wondered if you had to do something special to keep the knit work from unraveling if you cut into a sweater. I have a pullover I want to cut open in the front to make into a cardigan but am afraid to start cutting!
You can do a straight stitch before you cut along the edge you will cut. Then if you like you can turn it back and stitch it down or use a trim to cover the cut edge.
I made all 6 of my nieces and my sister matching mittens and slouch hats from old sweaters for Christmas. The hat came from the torso and mittens from the sleeves. I think I just found next year’s presents with the slippers and infinity scarf! Thanks for the ideas!