How to Make a Coat From an Old Sweater
Many people have an old sweater pile somewhere in their home. Rather than have your unused, dated sweaters take up space and gather dust, you can transform a few into a casual, warm sweater coat. By updating a pullover sweater with buttons, buttonholes and a belt, you can convert your sweater from unworn to a wardrobe staple. This project is a simple sewing makeover that can be completed in just a few hours with basic sewing supplies.
Things You'll Need
- 2 sweaters
- Scissors
- Pins
- Buttonhole foot
- Buttons
- Chalk pencil
- Coordinating thread
- Sewing machine
- Measuring tape
- Hand sewing needle
Instructions
-
-
1
Fold the old sweater in half vertically down the middle and press the fold into place with your hands. Open the fold and cut down the fold in the front of the sweater with your scissors.
-
2
Thread your sewing machine and set it for a medium width overlock stitch. Sew down both raw edges of the cut you just made with the overlock stitch. Sew using a 1/4--inch seam allowance so that the overlock stitch goes slightly over the edge of the sweater; this encloses the edges of the sweater in the zigzag stitch and protects it from fraying and raveling.
-
-
3
Fold each edge in toward the wrong side of the sweater 1/2 an inch and pin into place. Set your sewing machine for a long straight stitch and sew the pinned fold into place using a 3/8-inch seam allowance.
-
4
Cut two strips from the other sweater measuring 3 inches wide by 25 inches long. Place the strips on top of one another with the right sides together. Pin one set of the short edges together. Sew this pinned edge together with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Remove the pins.
-
5
Set your sewing machine for an medium-width overlock stitch and sew around all the outside edges of this strip so the edges are encased. This strip will be your coat waist tie. Backstitch at the end of your overlock stitch seams.
-
6
Cut two small rectangles measuring 1-by-3 inches. Sew around all the edges of these rectangles with an overlock stitch.
-
7
Pin each of these rectangles to the opposite side seam of your sweater coat at the waist area where you want your tie, making sure both are pinned in the same area on each side. These are your waist tie loops. Sew each loop in place with a straight stitch and the top and bottom edges of each rectangle 1/4 of an inch away from the edge.
-
8
Measure the open front edges of your sweater. Make marks at even intervals with your chalk pencil where you want your buttons to be. Make marks on the opposite open edge to indicate where to place your buttonholes.
-
9
Insert your buttonhole attachment to your sewing machine and make your buttonholes according to the manufacturer's directions. Sew your buttons in place with the sewing needle on the marks you made. Place the sweater tie through the tie loops and put your sweater coat on.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
