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How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater

An '80s Power Dress Refashion for a Modern Woman (Me!)
Thrift Store Style: It's All About the Layers!

Today’s refashion is what I am going to call a Frankenfashion. Let me explain.

It all began with this men’s Izod sweater vest I thrifted for $1.

refashionista in large mens sweater vest
Blerg.

After a miserable year working in an awful shop that sold golf shirts in college, I know that Izod’s stuff is usually cut to be pretty roomy, as was the case with this vest.

izod label
Luxury, you say? Vintage, you say?

Now for the second part.

I also had this sweater I had worn a few times, but which had a fatal flaw.

refashionista sweater
Can you tell what it is?

Here…come closer…

refashionistastain
Stain!!!!

It might not be super-visible in this photo (squint a little), but when I thrifted this $1 ’80s sweater, I completely failed to notice a coffee-looking stain towards the bottom that I could NOT get out even after multiple washings and stain removers.

I mean, I still wore it. I just did that french tuck thing that everyone is doing (but which looks good on no one) to hide it.

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 1
If Tan says it’s okay, I’m still down though.

In summary: I had a too-big-for-me men’s sweater vest that I didn’t like much and a sweater I did like, but was tired of the paranoia induced by hiding its stupid stain.

A Frankenfashion was born!

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 2
Life uh…finds a way.

I decided I wanted my new refashion to have a slightly oversized/comfy shape. I decided I would take it in 1.5 inches on each side.

ReFashionista
Measure & mark!

Then, I cut off the excess fabric.

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 3
Snnnnnip!

I didn’t pin it first, as there are a couple of additions I needed to deal with first.

I cut the bottom band off my white sweater and then cut that into a front and a back piece. I serged the raw edge (as otherwise, I’d be entering Fray City).

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 4
Serrrrrrrrrrge!
How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 5
See? No fraying here!

If you don’t have a serging machine, don’t worry! Just run a zigzag stitch along the raw edge, and it’ll do nicely. 🙂

I chopped off some of the bottom of my sweater vest…

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 6
Byeeeee!

Then, I added the bottom pieces from the white sweater to it.

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 7
A very cozy Whirrrrrr!

It was now time to close up those sides, which I did!

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 8
Pin! Then stitch!

We’re not done yet, friends. While my sweater vest was now more fitted, shorter, and had a nice contrasting bottom band, I didn’t want a sweater vest!

Time to take this refashion home to sweater city!

To add the sleeves to the vest, I cut them off the original sweater carefully, making sure the curve aligned with the vest, with a little left over for a seam allowance.

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 9
Sleeve me alone!

Then, I tucked it inside, making sure the outward-facing fabrics were touching each other.

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 10
In you go!

I pinned my new sleeves down…

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 11
Our creation is almost complete!

And then stitched them into place!

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Just a little more!

And just like that, my sweater vest-to-sweater refashion is complete!

refashionista sweater vest to sweater refashion
Neat, huh?

I wore my new sweater to lunch with Erin at Gourmet Shop!

refashionista sweater refashion after
Look at all the fancy foodie things around me!

We had to wait over half an hour to be seated, as everyone else in town had the same delicious lunch destination in mind as we did…

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 13
We hate waiting.

But then we discovered a wine tasting was being offered in the next room, so all was well!

refashionistananderin
Wine not?

This has nothing whatsoever to do with my refashion, but look at this awesome salad I had to compensate for three days of eating just about nothing but cheese:

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 14
So healthful!
ReFashionistacloseup
A closer look at my sweet sweater!

So that’s it!

refashionista sweater vest refashion before and after

….OR IS IT?????

How to Refashion a Sweater Vest into a Sweater 15
What will become of it?

TO BE CONTINUED….

An '80s Power Dress Refashion for a Modern Woman (Me!)
Thrift Store Style: It's All About the Layers!