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Occasionally it seems that world is in pure chaos with nothing making sense, but that doesn't matter as long as I can sew. Sewing is a form of art, or at the very least creativity, and a form of expression. A great outlet for the tension of everyday life. Also you can make cute things. The craft revolution is truly taking place, old skills are being revived by a new generation, but with a seriously modern twist.

I've made Mario pillow cases, a giraffe print background, and turned duvet covers into summer dresses. I enjoy making something unique, special, and me- then I like wearing it and watching it fall to pieces or not fit properly. Then I enjoy (slightly less) fixing it.

One day I shall have a room filled with glorious fabrics and boxes of notions, and on that day I will have found my nirvana. But until then this blog will exist as my virtual haberdashery and sewing room. Hopefully you'll enjoy looking at my creations as much as I enjoy looking at other blogs, and you'll be inspire to make something of your own.

Monday 25 March 2013

How to turn a jumper into a cardigan (it's super easy!)

I've been on the look out for a new black cardigan for work for a while now.   The one I have is fine but boring and I've had it for years and I'm bored of it.  But I need something reasonably priced in plain black but I don't want another boring black cardigan to match the one I already have.

At the same time I have a black jumper that I bought cheap in the sale (£2.99 I believe) that I like because it has funny wing things on the shoulders but because it is plain black I never wear it as it doesn't really go with any outfits.  Jumpers are hard to fit into an ensemble I find.

The solution was so obvious it's only taken me a year to think of it; turn my jumper into a cardigan I can wear at work.



Step one: Lay the jumper down flat and find the center and mark a line.

Step two: cut down the center line.






Step three: Attach bias binding* (I used the satiny kind, and it took a whole meter for one cardigan, and I am 5ft7") to the newly cut raw edges, and sew it in place.











Step four: Measure where you want the buttons to go- I used 6 and space the about 7cm apart, and mark this on both sides of the old center line.

Step five: On one side sew the buttons and on the other cut button holes.  I have yet to fathom the button hole stitch on my sewing machine so I cheated.  I cut the holes and then used a match to finish off the edges of the holes.  The match melts the threads to stop them fraying.  Time will tell how well this works!

Step six: sit back and marvel at your finish product.

Before
After

I also did an old purple jumper that I never wear, but I decided not to add buttons to it.  I generally don't like cardigans that don't fasten so I may in the future add another type of fastening to it.














*Bias Binding?  It is a strip of fabric usually in cotton or satin that is cut on the bias- that means at a 90 degree angle, which allows it to stretch and therefore go around curves like arm holes or neck lines.  The edges are already folded over to give you a neat finish and you simple fold it over a raw edge and sew in place.

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