One Sweater, Three Ways...

 

In my quest to decorate my home on a dime, 

I turned to my loyal friend, Pinterest, 

for ideas with old sweaters.  

I have this wonderful cable knit throw 

that died a couple of years ago... 

It was stuffed away in the

 "For Later Use" box...  

Do you have one of those boxes of junk 

you swear you will get to someday?  

I have a lot of those boxes 

and a good fire is what they need...  

Anyway, the throw is cream colored and lightweight...  

Perfect for restyling!  

After searching for ideas in Pinterest,

I found three crafts that seemed appealing...  

The first was a no brainer... 

Make a pillow out of the knit...  

Thanks to my mom, who was visiting that afternoon, 

she fired out that pillow on the sewing machine

 in ten minutes flat...  

It helps to have a pillow insert hanging around...  

Next, JustaGirl blog from Pinterest showed me

how to wrap the knit around a circle of foam, 

transforming it into a winter wreath...  

For this project you will need a foam wreath, 

the knit fabric, scissors, glue gun 

and something to hang the wreath with, 

such as ribbon, fabric, twine, etc...  

 

1.  Measure the circumference of the foam wreath and cut your knit fabric to that width plus an inch or two.  You can always cut off the excess later...

 

Notice that eldest son is not interested in your creative endeavors....

However, he is doing his homework, so I am cool with that...

2.  Start gluing the fabric onto the foam wreath, stretching it gently as you go.  Keep checking the front of your wreath to smooth out any wrinkles or bunches.

3.  Cut off the excess knit fabric at the back of the wreath.  Glue down any pesky bunches in the knit.

4.  Hang your wreath using your ribbon. 

I decided I wanted a luxurious contrast to the knit, so I bought a half yard of satin in a soft blue for a wintery feel.   I cut a wide strip and then tucked the raw edges behind.  A twisty tie is good for corralling the excess fabric.

 

To make sure the wreath sticks to the door, 

add a Velcro square... 

Works like a charm!

I think the wreath needs a little something, 

like a snowflake stuck to it. 

 Still searching for the finishing touch, 

but so far, so good!

Project #3 is a fun one.

Thanks to DIY or Don't blog from Pinterest... 

I like whimsy, to a point, and this one is cute...

 

Your supplies are an old frame sized 8 x 10 

or whatever size you like, 

more of your lovely knit fabric, 

the cardboard insert from the frame, 

your trusty glue gun and some sturdy lettering...

 Employ a little helper...

Ones with footie pajamas 

and three loose teeth are preferable...

1.  Take the glass from the frame and save for another project.

2.  Cut your knit about 1/2 inch larger than the cardboard insert.

3.  Glue the knit to the cardboard, stretching gently and smoothing it along. Trim off any excess in the back, especially at the corners.

4.  Arrange your letters on the knit front and glue them on with the glue gun.

5.  Place your artistic creation in the frame and secure in back.

Now how cool is that?!

With a simple throw blanket, 

you may create at least three new things...

Sustainable and pleasing to the eye...  

The dryer broke my heart last week 

and felted my favorite wool sweater...  

Now it fits Kate, sort of... 

Guess that sweater is going to become 

a tote bag 

or maybe it is destined for a long wait 

in the "For Later Use" box...