Here are some practical tips for recycling old sweaters, and they're not just sewing projects. In almost all of these ideas, you can easily replace sewing with hot gluing. In addition, you can use felting - when something wool “shrinks” when used hot water V washing machine, something you'd probably normally try to avoid - but this is what will make the knit fabric thicker and reduce the chances of the knit unraveling.
Bonus tip: Don't use sweaters that someone else hand knitted for you, or they'll never talk to you again.
(Total 30 photos)
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When cutting the sweater, be careful not to let it unravel. Most thin store-bought machine-knit sweaters will likely be fine, but for larger, bulkier sweaters you'll want to use the hem and cuffs whenever possible. If there is no way to avoid the raw edge, you can fold it over and secure it with hot glue. If you are more craft oriented, you can stitch with a stiff stitch, leaving about a half inch from the edge of the cut.
1. Sweater bracelets.
Keep your wrists warm.
2. Or try this option that requires a little sewing skill.
3. Sweater mittens.
You can use a glue gun if you don't know how to sew (and if you've always wanted to learn, this is an amazing and easy project to get started with. And if you get stuck, there's still plenty of material left over for future attempts)
4. And this option is for those who prefer fingerless mittens.
There is a very simple method: just cut out the holes for thumb in the cuffs in two sleeves and shorten the sleeves to the desired length.
5. Sweater pillows.
Carefully! It will be very difficult to get up from the sofa if such cozy pillows are scattered around it.
A very easy craft that is perfect for Halloween.
7. A simple wreath covered with a sweater.
This wreath can be decorated to your liking.
9. There are many decorative options for leggings (or spats?).
10. Covers for cups or glasses.
11. Soft bag.
Great replacement plastic bags- this tote can be used for shopping while saving money and doing your part for protection environment.
12. Knitted basket.
This type of basket is best used to store all your yarn.
13. Lampshade.
14. Knitted vase.
15. Sleeping place for animals.
This project will definitely take more time and effort as it requires felting and sewing. But the joy of a dog, or a cat, or an iguana, or any other pet, will easily convince you that the game was worth the candle.
16. This option does not require felting, but still requires sewing. But just look at this little face.
17. Case for heating pad.
An old sweater works great as a cover for a heating pad.
18. And this version is very cute too.
19. Notebook cover.
If you plan to hot glue the edges together rather than sew them, use a second layer of glue to reinforce the edges and make sure they are joined as tightly as possible.
20. Case for wine bottle.
This eye-popping, easy project requires no skill other than cutting and pinning (and, of course, some drinking afterwards).
21. And almost the same easy option with felting.
You probably have old sweaters at home that haven’t been worn for a long time, but at the same time it’s a pity to throw them away. There is not enough time to unravel and knit new things from them. There is no need to unravel anything for our blanket. A warm, soft blanket made from old sweaters is a wonderful idea for giving new life to old and unnecessary things. Sweaters are often knitted from natural wool, which retains heat perfectly, so why not make a warm blanket that will warm you up on cold winter evenings.
To make a blanket we will need:
- old sweaters
- stencils - large and small square (1/4 part of a large square), they can be cut out of cardboard or thick paper
- roller for cutting fabric, if there is no roller, scissors will do
- regular thread and thick thread for overcasting
Sweaters must be clean before starting work. Cut the sweaters into small pieces, then use a stencil to cut off the edges as shown in the photo below. The edges should be as smooth as possible.
When the blanks from large and small squares are ready, you can start sewing them together. Start stitching small squares first. Then move on to the big ones.
You can use a sewing machine and an overlocker, or sew the squares by hand; in any case, do not forget to make overcast seams on the wrong side so that the parts of the blanket do not unravel in the future.
From the wrong side it should look like this:
Anything will help hide rough seams on the wrong side. soft fabric, for example fleece. Cut the fleece fabric to the full size of the blanket and sew it with reverse side. Make the edges of the blanket rounded.
When all the parts are sewn, you need to make an overcast seam using thick threads along the entire perimeter of the blanket as shown in the diagram. You can use any wool thread for knitting.
This seam looks neat and beautiful, it will prevent the knit from unraveling and threads from coming out along the edges of the blanket.
Mezzanine knitted deposits are familiar to everyone: a variety of colors, rich textures, a variety of materials, remnants of former luxury.
Pick up the scissors and go! Succumbing to creative inspiration, we turn old sweaters into a cute country blanket.
Sweaters selected by color should be washed and steamed after drying.
We take a bunch of rags and scissors, cut lengthwise and crosswise (this is important) into 12 cm strips.
It is easy to cut knitwear without a ruler, following the knitting pattern.
Done, mix the strips.
Now we connect three stripes, ensuring color and size compatibility.
We cut the resulting rectangles again into strips 12 cm wide.
We lay out the resulting strips of squares so that the color and textures come together evenly and harmoniously.
Let's estimate the approximate dimensions of the blanket; out of eight sweaters, our blanket will be 2.20 x 2 meters. We decided to collect long strips 2 meters long and three squares wide. We carefully ensure that the squares match, knitwear is a pliable material, it can be pulled and stretched, so it is recommended to cut the material lengthwise and crosswise to mix textures.
The resulting canvas is alive, plastic and moving. The wrong side has almost come out better faces. The result is a two-sided charm. We cut the threads.
We crochet the edge, you can also use an overlocker to make it faster, but crochet is more aesthetically pleasing.
Home textiles play a big role in the overall design and interior of a home. With its help, you can emphasize the advantages of the room and correctly place accents. Properly selected curtains, bedspreads, cushions and blankets help create an atmosphere of coziness and comfort. Many people prefer to sew or knit blankets with their own hands.
Yarn bedspreads
Knitted blankets and bedspreads are found not only in the interiors of apartments of older people, but also in modern interiors. What is the secret of success that allows you to choose the right option for almost any situation? A rich variety of patterns and techniques, as well as a competent combination of colors - that’s the whole recipe.
New uses of familiar techniques
Modern wool producers offer not only high quality goods and rich color scheme. Designers, together with marketers, never tire of experimenting, and one of the results of such experiments is ultra-thick yarn. The composition of such a thread can be different - more budget options offer threads in which synthetics predominate. But there are also manufacturers whose products contain 97% wool. And not just any wool, but Australian wool, that is, the highest quality and natural.
Skeins of such yarn, as a rule, weigh no more than 150 g and are approximately 15 meters long.. To knit a bedspread measuring 120 by 210 cm, you will need at least 3 kg of yarn! A “single” blanket 70 by 100 cm will require half as much thread.
For knitting, you can use both special large-diameter knitting needles and auxiliary tools - sticks and plastic pipes of suitable diameter. But as the experience of craftswomen who decided to knit such a blanket shows, all these options are not very convenient. And when using pipes and sticks as knitting needles, the product turns out to be too dense, rough and heavy, and wool consumption increases.
It is not known for certain who was the first to think of using their own hands for such knitting. But he definitely deserves a long standing ovation. It only takes a few hours to knit a blanket by hand, and the result will exceed all expectations.
The simplest but most effective option, which is familiar to everyone who knits, is stockinette stitch. Craftswomen recommend knitting the first and last few rows with an elastic band. This is necessary so that the edges of the product do not curl. Next comes the standard alternation of knit and purl stitches.
Squares and motifs
At first glance, it seems to many that making a knitted blanket with your own hands is an incredibly long and labor-intensive process that is impossible for a beginner to master. It’s a paradox, but it is beginners who have many chances to get such a product quickly and “painlessly”.
Crocheting begins with mastering the simplest elements: double crochet and single crochet, air loops, half-columns, etc. And the most successful and practical way to practice these basic elements would be to knit squares. The most common types of such fragments that have a name are the granny square and the Afghan square. They have the most distinctive, strict knitting patterns.
An Afghan square is a convex or flat flower inscribed in a tight knit. Moreover, if the knitting contour is made of yarn of the same color, this is already stained glass knitting. These squares look very impressive. The size of the squares can be different - it all depends on the knitting pattern. For a blanket, many fragments are knitted, which are then connected with a needle or crochet into a single fabric.
A granny square usually contains many smaller squares inside it. In this case, the center can be shifted, the square can go from the corner, the knitting can be dense or openwork - in a word, there are a great many options for such a technique.
In addition to squares, hexagonal or pentagonal motifs are often used for blankets, crocheted, less often triangular. The correct geometric shape of the fragments is the key to ensuring that the blanket will be smooth and neat.
Second life for old things
A good housewife will never lose anything. Even old, worn-out items can be put to use by making a cozy country blanket or a blanket for gatherings in the gazebo. For the first version of the blanket you will need:
- At least 8 knitted sweaters.
- Scissors.
- Hook.
- Thick thread and needle.
Before you start sewing a blanket, sweaters must be washed, dried and steamed. Only after this can you start cutting. Cut all sweaters into strips 12 cm wide. Mix the strips, distributing colors and patterns. Pin and sew strips along the length. The seams must be processed with a zigzag or overlock, otherwise they will crumble.
Next, you need to cut the resulting rectangles crosswise into strips 12 cm wide. Mix again, selecting combinations of colors and textures, making sure that the seams match, if necessary, sweep. Sew and finish the seams. Along the perimeter of the blanket, also process it using an overlocker and trim it with tape or a blanket stitch by hand.
Bedspread with decorative stitching
Sewing such a product is not much more difficult than the previous version. In addition to old sweaters, you will need scissors, a cardboard square template, yarn in a contrasting color with the sweaters, and a thick needle.
Make two templates of squares from cardboard, 20 by 20 and 10 by 10 cm. Rip clean and steamed sweaters along all seams, set aside the sleeves. Cut squares from the base material bigger size. Cut out 10 x 10 cm squares from the sleeves.
Lay out the blanks on the floor, choose a pattern or color combination. Pin in the chosen order along the strips and stitch on the machine, retreating from the edge by the width of the foot. After the entire blanket is sewn, you need to finish all the seams with decorative stitching. This could be a simple overlock stitch or a chain stitch, or any other decorative stitch. Trim the edges around the perimeter with tape - and the blanket is ready!
It was a coat, it became a blanket
Warm and beautiful plaid You can also make it from old coats, which you don’t dare throw away, but moth and time have done their job. In addition to the main material, you will need scissors, yarn and a hook..
First of all, you need to tear off the lining and rip the product apart at the seams. The seams can be cut off, since unrolling and steaming them will take too long. Cut the material into the maximum number of even rectangles of different sizes. Arrange them on a flat surface into a single whole.
Crochet the edges of each piece with yarn. After this, connect all the fragments together into a blanket. A beautiful and original bedspread is ready! Now it can be washed and ironed. If you have not one coat, but two or several, you can use threads of a contrasting color for each element for tying. Then the plaid will turn out brighter, but a little eccentric.
Plaid made from old jeans
You can make a stylish and neat blanket yourself from old jeans, jackets and other denim items. To make the blanket truly functional and beautiful, you need to sew a lining on the back side - fleece or an old thin blanket. Here's a short tutorial on how to sew a blanket from jeans squares. To work you will need:
The standard size of a blanket for a single bed is 150 by 220 cm. From denim cut out the details for the blanket. The width will be 10 squares, the length 15. In total, 150 squares of denim will be required. Since jeans have different textures, shades and thicknesses, after all the parts are cut out, they need to be laid out and the most harmonious pattern selected.
Carefully collect the laid out rows in piles, number them and pin them together with paper clips. This is necessary for greater convenience in work, so that the pieces do not get mixed up and the rows do not get mixed up later.
Sew the squares of each row into a strip of ten elements. You need to step back from the edge by the width of your foot, or 0.5 cm. To avoid fiddling with knots, make fastenings and cut the threads right away.
After the rows are ready, they need to be stitched together. The most difficult moment is to match all the seams. If necessary, sweep away parts.
From the duplicating material, cut out one large piece corresponding to the size of the bedspread, but leave an allowance of 2-3 cm. Pin both parts together with tailor's pins and turn the blanket over to the right side. The product needs to be quilted. To do this, the stitch is inserted into the seam connecting the rows along the width. It is not necessary to quilt along the length.
Trim the edges of the lining flush with the edges of the jeans. Hem the edges with bias tape or braid. If the thickness of the folded material and the lining do not allow the use of binding, both edges are folded with the cuts inward and stitched at a distance of 0.2-0.3 cm from the fold.
Patchwork in the house
Patchwork techniques have become very popular all over the world. This is not surprising, because things made in this way are bright and original, and also allow you to recycle unnecessary fabric scraps. A do-it-yourself patchwork blanket can be plain or variegated, complex or simple pattern- the patchwork technique gives wide scope for creativity. To sew such an unusual blanket, you will need:
- Material white and contrasting color.
- A circle template with a diameter of 15 cm, a square template inscribed in this circle.
- Scissors, threads, sewing machine.
From material of both colors, cut out the same number of circles of the selected diameter. Fold in pairs face to face, stitch around the circumference, leaving a 1.5-2 cm gap. Turn inside out through this gap, sew up. It is advisable to iron every detail.
Draw a square inside the stitched circles. Baste the pieces along these lines, assembling a row of the required length. Sew together the details. Thus, collect the entire blanket or small blanket. The loose rounded parts can simply be ironed in different directions, or you can sew them with a zigzag seam.
Patchwork for the lazy
You can sew a blanket from pieces of fabric with your own hands, spending a minimum of effort and time. It is not even necessary to process the material. You will need a large sheet of non-woven fabric, an iron and many scraps of fabric of different colors and sizes.
The first stage is the artistic laying out of shreds on non-woven fabric. They need to be laid out so that there are no empty gaps between the material. After this, carefully, without moving the shreds, iron them with a hot iron to glue them to the material.
Next you need to stitch it all, starting the lines at the closest possible distance from each other. The closer the seams are, the more wear-resistant and durable the product will be. You can take this blanket with you outdoors, to the beach, or lay it on the floor for children’s games.
To decorate your home cozy, beautiful and practical thing, you don’t have to spend a lot of money or look for something special in stores and on the websites of famous designers. A little time, imagination and effort, and everyone will gasp at your interior.
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