I was going through my closet the other day desperately searching for some much needed fall sweaters, when I stumbled across this cardigan crumpled up in some dark, neglected corner. At first glance, I tossed it aside and kept rummaging through, but after a second look I decided with a little TLC it could be something beautiful. And I apologize for the terrible photo quality. I decided to do this at midnight and the lighting in my room isn't the most glamorous.
The great thing about this project is that you probably won't have to buy anything because you will probably already have these items lying around your house, maybe except for the Liquid Stitch (but this is optional! Needle and thread is probably your best bet, but this was so much easier for me). You can actually use any fabric you like, I just didn't want to run out to the store, so I just made do with what I had.
- First cut off the buttons. These buttons were the worst offenders. They made the sweater look gaudy and cheap. Immediately upon cutting them off, the cardigan looked a million times better.
- Measure the thickness of the cuff on the pocket and then double that number. Then add a half inch for hemming purposes and there is the length of the rectangle. Then just measure the width of the pocket and add another half inch for the width of the rectangle. I promise it sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is.
- Glue or sew the edges in so there aren't any frayed edges, or you can leave them be if you want a more distressed look. But my cardigan was a little prim so I decided to go with a cleaner look. Fold the rectangle in half and glue to the front and back of the pocket.
- Next put some glue around the edges of the cardigan trim, and place your fabric on top. I didn't photograph this step but using the same methodology as cutting fabric for the pockets repeat for the cardigan trim. Continue gluing the back until you have completely covered the cardigan.
*Note: This will cover up the button holes, you will have to cut out holes if you want to keep them. I like cardigans without buttons so I decided to leave it as is. - Make sure to leave some excess fabric at the bottom so you can fold it over and cover up any white parts.
- Put some glue on the front and just fold the fabric and press down. Let it dry overnight and it's ready to wear.
I really think this cardigan looks so much more classy. But I'm not sure if I'm completely finished with this cardigan though! I might add some black to the sleeves or add bows to the pockets. I think gold or crystal buttons might be cute too. I hope this inspired you to look at your clothes in a new light and bring new life to your wardrobe.
