How to Recycle Knit Sweaters Into Crafts

Knit sweaters can be recycled into crafts.

Everyone has a favorite sweater: a warm, comfortable top that you wear when you want to feel good. When your favorite sweater gets holes in the elbows or snags on the sleeves, it's almost like losing an old friend. There's good news, though. With a little effort, you can recycle your knit sweaters into fashion accessories and crafts for your home.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Hot glue gun and glue
• Bowl
• 16-inch pillow form
• Needle and thread
• Plastic bangle bracelet

Instructions

Decorative Bowls

1. Stretch the cuff of the sleeve of a sweater over a bowl so the finished edge of the cuff lines up with the top edge of the bowl.

2. Glue the top of the cuff in place with hot glue.

3. Cut the bottom of the sleeve off at the base of the bowl and hot-glue the bottom of the sleeve in place.

Sweater Pillows

1. Cut a large sweater into two 17-inch squares.

2. Sew the pieces together along three edges, right sides together.

3. Turn the piece right-side out and insert the pillow form, making sure to push the corners of the form into the corners of the square.

4. Stitch the bottom edges of the pillow closed with a running stitch.

Sweater Bracelets

1. Cut a strip from the sweater long enough to wrap around the bracelet and high enough to cover the bracelet inside and out.

2. Place the strip on a flat surface, right side under. Center the bracelet on the strip.

3. Wrap the strip around the top and bottom of the bracelet and glue it in place on the inside. Glue the loose ends of the strip to the bracelet on the outside.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use the same technique used for the bowl to cover glass vases. Line the finished edge of the cuff up with the bottom or the top of the vase and glue the sleeve in place at both ends.

• Hot glue can burn you quickly. Keep a bowl of ice water on hand when you use the glue gun, and dip your fingers in the bowl if they come in contact with hot glue.

References

• Country Living: 6 Recycled Sweater Crafts