Sweater Re-do

 Last week I ran through one of our local thrift shops.   It's not like I was looking for anything specific.....I just needed to get out of the house, if you know what I mean.  So I aimlessly walked up and down the aisles and then I spotted this sweater.

Eureka!   I plunked down my $4.00 and headed out the door.   I knew exactly what I was going to do with this little baby once I got back to my studio.

I cut the sleeves off and laid my hand on the lower portion of one of the sleeves with the ribbing of the sleeve a couple inches below my wrist.     That's how I decided where to make the second cut about 2/3rd the way up the sleeve.

Yup, the sleeve bottoms were perfect to make a pair of Scandinavian-look-alike mittens.  And no tedious knitting involved!   All I did was "trace" the outline of my hand with pins to mark where I needed to serge the knitted fabric so it wouldn't unravel.  

I took the remaining pieces of the upper sleeve and cut the cap off the top so they were large rectangular tubes.   After serging both the top and the bottom of the each tube, I hand sewed the top down in a scant hem so the serging was hidden.   These pieces became boot toppers!   The tops of the sleeves were just the right proportion to slide up over my skinny jeans and fit inside my tall suede boots.

I had Joel take this pic for me.....and I didn't realize the pillow was hiding the top of the boot toppers.  Anyway, I think you get the idea.   And I still have the remaining portion of the sweater which has a handy zipper closure running up the front of it.   I think I'll finish off the armholes from where I cut off the sleeves and then I'll have a vest to wear to make my outfit complete. 

All winter long I've been getting lovely catalogues with enticing pictures of Scandinavian boot toppers.....for sale at a hefty price tag of $38 and higher!   Are you kidding me?    But they were so cute.  Hmmm, maybe I could knit them myself.     Nah, the yarn would cost almost that much.   Now can you see why I was so excited to do this little sweater re-do?
 
Who knew you could have so much fun with $4.00?
Debbie

Out with the Old, In with the New

I have an old iron rack hanging on the wall of our kitchen and that's where I keep a portion of my rather large collection of aprons.   Some I've made over the years, some were gifts from friends and family and some I just had to buy when I spotted them in the store.

I store the majority of the aprons in a closet in the laundry room and switch them out with the seasons.   For February I hung my pink with red lips apron.   What else says Valentine's than rosy lips puckered up, ready for a kiss?

 Now that it's March, I traded out the lips for my St. Patty's Day apron.    I made both aprons a couple of years ago after finding the fabrics at one of my favorite fabric stores in Florida.   So how do you decorate for the seasons?

Debbie