How to Make the Most Obnoxious Christmas Sweater
While people who have always loved the whimsical designs of Christmas sweaters continue to make and wear them, they are increasing in popularity with those who find them tacky and unattractive. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that searches for "ugly Christmas sweaters" have climbed 30 percent. The Atlantic Wire reports that "Ugly Christmas Sweater" parties are cropping up as a way for those who find them distasteful to revel in the sweater's ugliness -- and their own irony.
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Things You'll Need
- Christmas-sweater pattern
- Yarn, color and yardage determined by pattern
- Knitting needles, size determined by pattern
- Embellishments (optional) such as bells and ribbons
Instructions
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Procure a pattern and the yarn for which the pattern calls. Free Christmas-sweater patterns can be found online, such as at freepatterns.com, as well as patterns available for purchase, such as at marymaxim.com.
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Knit the sweater according to the directions on the pattern.
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Embellish the sweater with accessories, even if the accessories aren't called for in the pattern. For instance, colorful beads can be added to a Christmas tree design, or silver bells can be added anywhere for maximum obnoxiousness.
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Wear the Christmas sweater to gatherings where it will be most appreciated. If the wearer genuinely likes and appreciates Christmas sweaters, this can be anywhere. For wearers who are donning the sweater as an ironic statement, the sweater is best worn where irony can be appreciated, such as an "Ugly Sweater" party, or with friends who share your sense of humor.
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Tips & Warnings
Choosing the sweater pattern is the fun part, where selecting the most ostentatious or sentimental design lends to the sweater's obnoxiousness. Avoid choosing a Christmas sweater pattern with a basic or plain picture, such as a snowflake. Steer toward intricate designs that maximize complexity and sentimentality, such as designs incorporating cats or Santa.
Enhance the Christmas sweater's obnoxiousness by deviating from the yarn colors specified by the pattern. Evergreen on a Christmas tree pattern can be made even more obnoxious by selecting a loud lime-green color instead, for instance.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
