Sweater Upcycling: Easy DIY Knit Crop Top and Cardigan Set
That old sweater in your closet can be put to great use with this DIY sweater refashion tutorial. I will show you how to upcycle your sweater into a crop top and a cardigan: a piece set from one old sweater!
This is a super easy sweater upcycle, so find that old sweater you don’t wear anymore and let’s begin!
Tools and materials:
- Old sweater
- Scissors
- Waistband elastic
- Matching fabric (optional)
- Sewing pins
- Thread
- Sewing machine with zigzag foot
- Buttons (optional)
1. Deconstruct your sweater
Here is the old sweater I’m going to refashion into my two-piece set, and this is how to do it.
Fold your sweater in half and then cut just the bottom half approximately in half. For my sweater, there was an obvious cut line.
2. Make the crop top
The piece you cut from the bottom of your old sweater is your new crop top!
If you need it to be more fitted, simply take in the sides by sewing in new side seams.
3. Add straps
I reused the ties that were on the front of my old sweater to make straps for my crop top.
Just pin and sew the straps in place on the wrong side of the cut edge of the crop top.
4. Hem the crop top
Fold in and pin the top edge of your crop top and sew it in place, using a zigzag stitch.
5. Add crop top details
I used some matching fabric to make and sew a bow on to the front of my crop top, for extra detailing.
6. Make a cardigan
Cut down the center-front of your remaining sweater.
7. Make a waistband
Measure the length of wide elastic you need for the cardigan waistband, being careful to not stretch the elastic.
Cut the elastic to your desired size.
Fold in the bottom hem of the cardigan to accommodate the size of your waistband elastic, and pin it in place.
Then, sew along the casing edge.
Pull the elastic through the whole casing from one side to the other, and pin the ends of the elastic in place.
Sew in the elastic by stitching small vertical rows in the casing on either side of the front opening of the cardigan, about an inch from the center.
Pull the excess elastic out at the center and snip it off.
8. Hem the center edges
Fold in, pin and sew the center-front edges of your cardigan.
Here is the crop top I refashioned from my old sweater.
Sweater upcycling
And here’s the two-piece set of my crop top with my cardigan.
I decided to add some buttons and buttonholes to my cardigan.
I’m thrilled with how my DIY old sweater upcycle turned out.
I hope you give this sweater refashion a try! Leave a comment to let me know how yours turned out.
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