Last week I went bargain hunting for some easy weekend upcycling projects. (I wrote about it in my “When a Crafter goes Shopping” post and explained my “method” of selecting the clothes.)
Now it’s time to share my first finished project with you: the embellished sweater.
When I saw Trash to Couture’s post a few weeks ago, I wanted to try a knock-off project.
Unfortunately I didn’t have any nice appliqués, so I postponed the project.
But when I went shopping last week, lucky me found a nice top with a faux leather insert. When I saw it I immediately had to think of the Trash to Couture DIY sweater, so I bought it. I also found a matching anthracite-coloured sweater that was even cheaper than the top.
The faux leather insert wasn’t embroidered, which wasn’t that bad since I had the beads and everything to do it myself at home.
I have to admit, as easy as it was, you need to have patience. A. Lot. Of. Patience.
I am normally not very much blessed with patience, but after weeks of essay writing and other assignments it was a welcome change.
I started with simply removing the faux leather from the rest of the top. The white fabric will be used for one of the next projects.
After trying different combinations, I decided to use some dark blue, brown and champagne-coloured beads that matched the sweater as well as the gold-brown faux leather.
To explain the embroidering part: A picture is worth a thousand words. This is a copy of a page of Burda Magazine. I know, it’s German, but the pictures are pretty self-explanatory.
I used the mannequin for pinning and basting the appliqué to the sweater.
After basting I handstitched the appliqué onto the sweater. Then I cut the remainder of the sweater on the inside, leaving a small seam allowance, and finished the seam to keep the knitted fabric from fraying.
I love how the sweater matches the petticoat I made a few months ago. Fortunately I still have some of the butterfly fabric left and will definitely make a pleated skirt out of it in the future.
This sweater is awesome! What a great transformation!!! I love it! Thanks for sharing this! Have a great weekend! =D
Thank you! 🙂
I’m loving this sweater and that appliqué you found thrifting is perfect f h project!
Thanks Laura! The appliqué was such a lucky find!
This is fabulous! What a lot of detail work…but the sweater is totally worth it. Great project, thanks for sharing!
Thanks! 🙂 Yeah, it took its time, but now that it’s finished, all the work was totally worth it!
My jaw dropped at how amazing this is. What a wonderful transformation of the sweater. Amazing work!! Thanks for linking up at my Pin Me Linky Party.
Thanks Diana!:) And also thanks for hosting your wonderful party.
It’s so pretty!! Thanks so much for linking up to SHOW-licious Craft Showcase!!
HUGS,
Marti
http://sew-licious.blogspot.com
Thanks, Marti! I love your blog! Thanks for stopping by! x
I love this, you did such a good job! I am so happy you posted directions on how to do this, the Trash to Couture article didn’t give much information, so thank YOU! Do you know where I could find the faux leather inserts? Did you get yours at a craft store?
Well you could either just buy faux leather at a fabric store and make the cut-outs yourself or, as I did, you could try find a shirt which has something similar on it and cut it off. I found mine at Primark. It used to be a white see-through top 🙂
This is amazing!!!!!!!
Thank you! 🙂
You are so so amazing! I love your blog. This embellished sweater rocked my world. I want one today! What a detailed work on all those small beads. I love this project so much, want to use your technique to make something similar. I cannot wait to read more posts. Not only I like your sewing tips, I like your style very much. 🙂
Aww, that’s so sweet of you! Thanks a lot!!! x