Old clothes could be such a headache. With new ones rolling in every year, it becomes particularly more annoying to see the old ones already occupying space in your wardrobe. You might be able to bear it for some time, but sooner or later you have to face the moment of truth. You have to finally decide that you need to remove your old clothes. This decision is particularly more painful when you realize that you didn’t utilize these clothes as much as you should have. If that’s the case with you, then worry not. In this article, we show you how to reuse old sweaters at home. Click here if you want to know how to recycle old clothes in general. However, if you want to upcycle them, then click here.
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14 Simple ways to reuse old sweaters this winter
If you are loaded with a collection of good old sweaters that you don’t wear anymore and wondering what to do, then simply reuse them. Yes, these sweaters can be reused into beautiful and elegant decorative pieces for your home or can be remade in a fashionable way. With crafty and creative thinking, possibilities are endless. Here are some simple yet amazing ways to reuse old sweaters in a stylish manner. Have a look.
1. Recycled Sweater Wine Bottle Gift Bags
Give a makeover to your bottle this season by reusing two old sweaters. Use the sleeves to cover the size of the bottle and use glue or stitch up the trims and finish up with a woolen cord bow. This is great for special occasions such as wedding, anniversaries, birthdays and Christmas. These sweater-clad wine bottles are sure to make any festive season memorable.
2. Old sweater scarflette
Look fashionable with this sweater scarflette. Take a long sweater and cut a long rectangle at the center. Flip the finished sides and sew around the edges. Invert the rectangle and sew fashionable large buttons. This does not need specific button holes, since this can be easily pulled over the head. This DIY scarflette looks cool, cute and quite easy to do. Go ahead and try out this nifty idea.
3. Cashmere pumpkins
Use the body of the sweater to make some real cute looking woolen pumpkins. These can perfectly fit the décor of the living room for Halloween without having to spend a fortune. Cut the body of the sweater to make larger pumpkins while use sleeves to make smaller ones. Use jute or twines to string them tight and give that country touch. These lovable woolen pumpkins are sure to make a conversation piece.
4. Sweater bag
Transform an old sweater into a convenient carry bag. Cut the sleeves and the neckline off the sweater to make the handles of the bag. Get the side seams of the sweater to the front. Join the sides by sewing it up and pin the bottom of the sweater. The carry bag is now ready to be filled with your favorite goodies. Make this sweater bag with a pair of scissors, thread, needle and an old sweater.
5. Recycled Sweater Rug
Make a cozy rug for your feet using an old sweater. Take the sweater apart with scissors and sew it back in a rectangular shape. Use a throw rug to make the back of the sweater rug. Keep the layers of the sweater on the top of the throw rug and sew the two layers together. One can also hold the layers together by stitching them up. Beautify if further with a decorative border stitch.
6. Felted Sweater Socks
Keep your legs cozy and comfortable with socks made of felted sweater. Measure the length of your legs with the arms of the sweater. Cut the arm off the sweater at the required length. For the socks bottom, cut the body of the sweater. Use the foot as the guideline for appropriate measurements. Pin the sock bottom to the upper part which will result in two pinned socks that are inverted. Sew or stitch the pinned layers around the edges. Flip out the socks and they are ready to be worn.
7. Sweater Pillows
Cozy pillows add a touch of elegance and warmth to any home decor. Use the materials available right in your wardrobe to make that cozy pillow in the winter. Turn an old sweater inside out and place the pillow form onto the sweater. It should line up one edge of the form with a sweater-side. Measure the sweater around the pillow leaving enough margins. Mark and cut the sweater along the margins. Sew the two pieces together and don’t forget to leave space to let the pillow form in. Cut out the remaining sweater. Invert it to get a cozy, new pillow.
These are very easy to make and still look very pretty. Here too imagination is rewarded. You may create a diamond pattern with two sweaters or use several to give a quilt effect to your pillows. For chair seats however, mono-textured material will be preferable. For seat covers, you just need to cut the material according to the right measurements and then pin it up under the chair seat. It is sure to give your boring seat cushions a face-lift as well as advance you another step towards green by making you opt out of leather.
8. Recycled sweater Mittens
If there are left out arms of an old sweater, then we are almost ready to make a woolen mitten. Trace the hand including two inches of the wrist. Round the finger edges and cut the trace. Now, keep the sleeve inside out and place the traced out template. Pin both the layers together. Stitch the sides to get a new pair of mittens.
9. Recycled sweater iPhone Cell Phone Case
How about a woolen case for your iPhone or iPod? This case is made up of recycled woolen sweater. Place the gadget in this case and carry it wherever you go. It offers scratch free protection for the gadgets while the case itself looks stylish. It measures 13×7 cms in size to fit larger phones as well.
10. Recycled Sweater Sleeve Cozie
Wash the old sweater and measure the length of the cozies. As per the measurement, mark the sleeve of an old sweater and cut. Now simply slide the cozy onto to your favorite jar or a mug to sit back and relish the goodies.
11. Fancy Scarf
Since the original function of a sweater is to keep warm and it’s texture is designed accordingly, one can reuse it in crafting things that demand the criteria of warmth conservation. A scarf would be an ideal reuse of an old sweater. One may use the texture of the sweater as it is or one can felt it up by putting it in the washing machine with hot water and a little detergent along with some rough jeans. Once the desired texture is achieved, the material simply needs to be cut in equal strips and sewn end to end. Or loosely braid three colorful strips of sweater for a trendy look. Embellishments may be added at will.
12. Warm garments for children
We all know how fast infants grow in size and outgrow their clothes. This years jumper may be two sizes small next year. Reduce wastage and reuse adult sweaters which can easily be turned into kids’ slacks (using the sleeves), woolen shoes (using the body) or a skirt (using the body). It can be transformed into a dress by leaving the sweater as it is with a minor pinch at the waist, a belt and a bow or two at the shoulder. Pretty as a picture.
13. Beverage sleeve and coasters
Here’s another creative way to reuse old sweaters. You can give those plastic thermos flasks a miss and instead switch to a greener and trendier alternative. Cut strips from an old sweater, the width being that of a glass tumbler. In order to increase the heat retention, one may use a strip of fusible webbing sandwiched between two woolen strips. Stitching up the material and adding velcro at the ends completes the beverage sleeve. The coasters are even easier to make being smaller, square and without velcro.
14. Purse or tote
There can be nothing better than turning a bright colored old sweater into a trendy purse or a tote. There can be many ways of doing it and the imagination of the maker is allowed it’s full freedom. However, the easiest would be to simply cut the sweater just below the chest, and up to the shoulders so that is a square with the semi circle or the ‘V’ of the neckline above. Sew in the boarders and then gather the neck and pull in at the middle to attach a button or hook. The handles can be made from the same garment or if you are bold enough, you may ask a shoemaker to sew in an old leather belt of yours.
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