It’s the perfect time of year for warm, fuzzy accessories! I love scarves, mittens and snow hats, but did you know you can make them yourself from an old sweater?
Today I’ll show you how to recycle a sweater into something brand new!
Step 1: Use the hemline on your sweater as the hemline for your new piece. For example, since we are making a hat today I am using the bottom of this sweater, which already has a pretty finished hem!
Step 2: Mark off the area that you want to sew with chalk or a marker. Your sweater should be turned inside out.
I used a hat I already have to measure the pattern for my new hat. Remember, it’s better to make it a little bit too big, you can always size it down later!
Step 3: Stitch your shape on your sewing machine. We used a 3.5 inch stitch length for this sweater, which is a medium weight sweater. Remember to sew before you cut the knit fabric.
Step 4: Cut out your hat and try it on. Stitch it smaller if it’s too big (we did this a couple times!). Turn it inside out and it’s done!
Enjoy your new fuzzy hat and add a pom pom if you like!
Tips for Sewing Knit:
- Always use the existing hem if you can!
- Give yourself extra seam allowance. It’s easier to size down than to size up.
- Always sew before you cut the knit fabric!
- Start with basic shapes like a hat or scarf before you try something more complicated.
- Thinner knits are easier to sew with a machine.
- If you need to cut your sweater before sewing, baste the edges of the garment before you cut.
- Chunkier knits need a bigger stitch length.
- Try adding hand stitched details with yarn. It’s so much fun!
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