Ugly Sweater Party!

Hello, 2012!  With 2011 officially checked off of my to do list, there’s no better way to start fresh in 2012 than to clean out the closets.  I am sure we all have things that would be better off in the hands of someone else, or better yet, recycled into something as fresh as the New Year!  Most of us have some pretty horrific finds hiding deep in the darkest corners of our closets that are just dying to make a comeback, so bring it on 2012. 

Is it possible you attended one of those weird ugly sweater parties this year and are stuck with a cheerful mess of embroidery on your hands? Perhaps Grandma made you a homely knit for Christmas this year, or last year for that matter, and you would hate to hurt her feelings by not making it useful somehow.  Maybe your New Year’s resolution is to cut back on the cookies and lose a few pounds and you’d like to rid yourself of some oversized clothing?  Or you could just be looking to re-invent your style and rid yourself of any and all snowflake sweaters from seasons passed.  Whatever the reasons may be, most of us have some sort of sweater stuffed in our closet that we have no idea why we would have purchased.  More importantly, as each year passes it becomes more and more important to renew, reuse, and recycle as many resources as possible, including textiles.  To me, sweaters always seem like a good idea, but rarely are actually very useful for more than one season.  All of those old knits have to be good for something, however.  They are cozy and warm, and have cute little designs and patterns… just not designs and patterns that I wish to wear as a top.

Regardless of why you wish to rid them from your closet, think twice before throwing these cozy creatures in the trash pile.  Old sweaters are awfully useful for many things, such as recycled toys, jewelry, and more.  Not getting the picture?  How awesome would it be to turn your child’s favorite out-grown sweater into a stuffed animal they could cherish for years to come?  Sweaters can also make awesome pieces of jewelry.  Start by covering large wooden beads with an old knit and stringing them onto a silk ribbon.   My favorite way to repurpose an old sweater, however, is to turn it into an infinity scarf!  If you are unfamiliar with the infinity scarf, it’s a huge trend right now, so get familiar.  An infinity scarf, or circle scarf, is simply what it’s called.  It is one continuous loop of material that creates a “circle” so to speak.  I am completely obsessed with these, since I am a clumsy mess and regular scarves seem to end up everywhere but around my neck for some reason (I’ve also been caught tripping on a scarf that is haphazardly dragging on the ground once or twice).

 Google ‘infinity scarf’ and you will yield about 5,750,000 results in 0.24 seconds.  My brain began spinning shortly after, especially when I saw all of the shopping results with prices ranging from $19.94 at Old Navy to  $209.99 at Saks Fifth Avenue.  By this point, I felt like I had been riding the ring of death at the fair with no sign of being let off anytime soon.   This is when I realized that I could make an infinity scarf for virtually nothing, and it would most likely be way cooler than any $200 scarf I had ever seen.  And all you need is a pair of scissors and a sewing machine (optional). 

1.     Find a clean sweater with a fun pattern or texture that you would like to recycle.  If you’re cleaning the closets, be certain this sweater really needs to be retired before moving along to step 2.  Try to find an acrylic sweater with a tight knit (these will be less likely to fray less, if you do not intend to hem the cut edge).

2.     Using a ruler, determine how wide you would like your infinity scarf to be.  Measure from the bottom of the sweater up toward the neck.  If you would like an average scarf, 10 inches would be a sufficient width to mark your sweater at.  In fact, you would most likely be able to get two scarves out of a women’s medium sweater at this width.  I like a very thick, chunky infinity scarf, so I cut my sweater at 18” from the bottom of the sweater, as shown.

3.     Cut around the entire sweater, and remove the top portion of the sweater.  Use the top of the sweater for a jewelry project or other craft! 

4.     Though this step is optional, I do recommend hemming the raw (cut) edge of the sweater, even if your sweater isn’t fraying.  It will create a longer lasting, more professional looking scarf that no one will believe you made in 5 minutes.  Using a few straight pins, turn the raw edge of the sweater to the inside two times.  Your raw edge will be hidden in the center of the hem. Straight stitch around, creating a finished hemmed edge.

5.     Show it off!  Scarves are a great addition to accessorize any basic outfit, so enjoy your new project by wearing it!  This project is guaranteed to get tons of compliments, so be prepared to start making these as gifts for all of your loved ones. 

Happy New Year!  For more fashion wholesomeness, check out my store at www.purplezebrashop.com and follow me on twitter at @goodnpretty!