UPCYCLING

Sweaters Combine ready-to-wear

knits into fresh looks

BY ANDREA SCHEWE

T
here are many reasons to repurpose clothing into new
designs. It saves money. It reduces waste and saves the
planet. And it is a lot of fun. When you start looking at a
thrift store as a fabric source, you’ll see that it is a treasure
chest of colors, textures, and patterns.
I love to remake preworn sweaters, and especially to combine multiple
knit garments into a single, one-of-a-kind piece. Most sweaters contain at
least two textures, and often more. Plain stockinette, ribbing, and other
decorative knit patterns offer a range of interesting fabrics that can be
repurposed in unexpected ways. Look at the knit’s wrong side, too, to find
surface patterns that coordinate with the right side.
Unless a sweater is extralarge, you are unlikely to have enough fabric
to make an entire garment from it. Instead, look for other sweaters that
match or coordinate to combine in the project. This is where the fun
begins, although it doesn’t end here. From choosing sweaters to upcycle,
to planning and executing your project, you’ll get to expand your design
and sewing skills. I’ll show you two upcycling approaches. First, you’ll
see how to work with a commercial pattern to create a new sweater.
Then you'll learn how I make a free-style design, with silhouette and
details inspired by the sweaters and transformed through my imagina-
tion. I think you’ll enjoy trying your hand at a sweater project like one
of these. You’ll exercise your creativity, contribute to fashion sustainabil-
ity, and add a truly personal piece to your wardrobe.

Andrea Schewe teaches and runs her local American Sewing Guild group in
Silver Spring, Maryland. AndreaScheweDesign.com

Something old becomes something

new when you combine three preworn
sweaters into one.
Pattern: Jalie 2795.

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 Advice for handling sweaters
Sweaters offer incredible design opportunities, but they aren’t the same as fabric yardage. Some
basic prep and sewing methods make the upcycling process easier, whether you’re working with a
pattern or creating an improvised design.

WASH FIRST
Check the garment labels on all the sweaters intended for a single project. If the washing
requirements are different, or you don’t have instructions for one or more pieces, the safest bet
is to wash them with wool-safe soap (Eucalan.com; SoakWash.ca) on the machine’s gentlest
cycle, and lay flat to dry.

MARK AND SEW WITH CARE

Mark with tailor’s tacks, thread tracing, or safety pins. Chalk and markers don’t work well on
sweater knits, and clips in seam allowances are likely to ravel.
Handle knits carefully to avoid raveling and curling. Don't pull or stretch the edges.
Stitch with ordinary needles and thread. Most sweater knits are not tightly knitted, so you can
use a universal needle. Regular construction thread is fine as well.
Straight-stitch the seams. Set the machine for a longer stitch
length—3.0 mm or 3.5 mm. This enables you to make
adjustments easily. Once you’re satisfied with the fit and
design, finish the seam allowances together by serging,
or trim the seam allowances to 1⁄4 inch wide and
overcast by machine.
Test stitches on scraps. Determine whether you
need a stretchy seam or one that holds its shape.
Stabilize seams. To prevent stress or control
stretch, apply a narrow strip of lightweight fabric
or elastic in the seamline. Stretch the elastic
slightly as you sew it in place.
Stabilize seams with elastic.
Avoid stretching the knit. Do your best to maintain
each piece's shape as you guide it under the presser
foot. Steam and pat seams into shape after
stitching.
Reshape the sections. Throughout the
construction, compare the knit pieces
to the pattern, if you're using one. Cover bulky seam
allowances with a bias strip.
If the knit has stretched, trim it to
shape and size.
Cover seam allowances. Some
allowances are bulky, prone to
raveling, or need stabilization,
such as at neckline seams where
a collar has been attached. Cover The right
these with a bias strip, stitched sewing
along both edges. techniques
make sweater
Hand-sew where needed. Tack details
reconstruction
into place, align intersecting seams,
a breeze.
and finesse unstable or difficult-to-
reach areas.
Repair runs or tears. Use yarn intentionally
raveled from the same sweater.

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 Work with a pattern
If you have a pattern that calls for yardage with similar stretch to the sweaters you’ve selected, you can make it from the fabric of two or
more sweaters. Fit the pattern before cutting the pieces.

SELECT A DESIGN AND SWEATERS

You can start with sweaters and find a pattern to suit them, or vice versa. For this project, I chose Jalie 2795, a zip-front jacket for stretch
knits, with vertical welt pockets and a high collar. The design includes panel seams on the bodice and sleeves, offering opportunities for
color- or pattern-blocking. If your pattern doesn't have smaller sections, you can add seamlines and piece larger sections. My materials
were three large sweaters: one with a four-color Fair Isle pattern, and two in coordinating colors to add texture and pattern.

Opt for sweaters in larger sizes and interesting textures.

WS
REMOVE THE RIBBING
Most sweaters include some ribbing at the hems. These sections can be Create a collar from waist ribbing.
used for collars, edge bands, or applied ribbing in your pattern. Measure
the patterns and decide which sweater has the best ribbing for these.
Cut the ribbing from the sweater, including a seam allowance along Center-front zipper
the unfinished edge. Note that most band patterns are meant to
be folded, but you’ll use the ribbing as a single layer. Modify the Covered neckline seam
pattern accordingly.

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 PLAN AND CUT THE PIECES
Cut the center front and back pieces from the most interesting sweater. These pattern pieces may be larger than the existing sweater
sections. If this is the case, piece them with parts of any of the three sweaters.
Work with the remaining sweater parts to cut the rest of the pattern pieces. For balance and interest, include some of the main sweater
fabric elsewhere in the garment. I placed some on the upper shoulders, and pieced the lower center-front and center-back sections to
incorporate some of the multicolored knit areas. For the sleeves and side panels, I alternated fabric from the two coordinating sweaters.
You may need or want to piece these sections, too. Be sure to include seam allowances on any edges where you have added new seams.

The author added piecing seams (shown in red) to incorporate

different fabric pieces within the garment sections. This made
the design more exciting and solved for fabric shortages.

ASSEMBLE THE NEW GARMENT

Join any sections that are pieced.
Then construct the sweater,
following the pattern instructions
and my sewing advice on p. 37.

A unified palette brings the three original sweaters

together in a design with plenty of interest.

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 Improvise the design
For those who enjoy a free-form approach to making a garment, an upcycled knitwear
project is ideal. Sweaters offer texture, drape, and a slight stretch that make this sculp-
tural process fun and forgiving.

CHOOSE SWEATERS
Start with one sweater that fits fairly well. It will be the base of the finished garment.
Then choose one or more coordinating sweaters with features that can be used in
creative ways, such as ribbing, binding, buttons, plackets, zippers, pockets, or tabs.

PLAN AS YOU GO
For this design approach, it’s important to remember that
there are no mistakes. You can redo anything that isn’t
working or fits poorly. If you’re stumped, walk away for a few
hours or even a day and try again later with a fresh outlook.
Visualize the design. Work with a mirror and a camera and, if
available, a dress form. This enables to you see and design the
back as well as the front.
Design progressively. Make one change at a time, look at the
results, and decide on the next step.
Ensure symmetry, if that’s part of your design. Fold the
sweater along the center front or center back, aligning the
side seams, hems, or other reference points, and transfer
marks from one side to the other accurately. Two slouchy

Photos: (p. 38, top left, top middle, and top right; p. 40, top) Philip F. Schewe; (p. 36; p. 37, right; p. 41, right) Jack Deutsch; all others, Mike Yamin.
sweaters offer

boots—Sorel (Zappos.com); (p. 41) earrings—Panacea (NordstromRack.com), pants—LAgence.com, shoes—Adrienne Vittadini (DSW.com).
Add further details if desired. Your eye for design can tell
details suited
you whether the piece needs more embellishments, a bit of
to repurposing.
texture contrast, or other accents to enhance the basic form

Styling credits: (pp. 36–37) earrings—A New Day (Target.com), turtleneck—FreePeople.com, leggings—Prologue (Target.com),
you’re creating.

CONSTRUCT THE FINAL GARMENT

Each project is different and calls for techniques specific to the fabric and design. You can try some of the methods I used in the sample
sweater, or invent your own.

Shorten the sweater Reshape the neckline Attach a placket

The base sweater was too long and had
pockets that were in the way of my plans.
I carefully removed them.
Turn the sweater inside out and put it on
a dress form or on yourself. Pin bias tape
in the desired neckline shape. Zigzag-stitch
along both tape edges, then trim off the
excess neckline fabric.
I harvested a placket from the second
sweater and added it to the base garment,
by zigzagging it to the center-front opening
edges. I stitched more buttonholes, too.
Original plackets

Pocket (WS) Trim away the original

neckline fabric.

Bias tape
Gently remove the
stitching that holds
the pockets in place.

FRONT (WS)

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 Create a neckline ruffle
Ribbing from the second sweater worked well
as a flounced collar. I finished the cut edge with Bias tape
contrasting serging, and applied gathering
stitches to the original finished edge. After
gathering the ruffle, I attached it to the neckline
with a lapped seam, stitching through the bias
RUFFLED
tape. For further stability, I edgestitched a narrow COLLAR
ribbon at the collar’s base, on the right side.
FRONT
Fit the shoulders (RS)
The base sweater was too big and droopy in the Stabilizing ribbon
shoulders. I formed pleats along the armscye to
narrow the shoulders and add a design detail.

Add flare with godets

For flattering shape, I inserted three godets with exposed seams in the back hem. My
pattern was 12 inches long and 7 inches wide at the hem edge (A). Each godet was set into
a slit cut in the sweater. Thread-trace each slit position, then staystitch 1⁄8 inch from the
mark on each side (B). Cut the slit, sew the godet in place with wrong sides together (C),
and serge over the exposed seam allowances (D).

BACK (RS)
Godet
position B
Photos: (p. 38, top left, top middle, and top right; p. 40, top) Philip F. Schewe; (p. 36; p. 37, right; p. 41, right) Jack Deutsch; all others, Mike Yamin.

boots—Sorel (Zappos.com); (p. 41) earrings—Panacea (NordstromRack.com), pants—LAgence.com, shoes—Adrienne Vittadini (DSW.com).

A
C D
Styling credits: (pp. 36–37) earrings—A New Day (Target.com), turtleneck—FreePeople.com, leggings—Prologue (Target.com),

Contrasting serged
edges bring in an
important accent
color to enhance
the garment.

Draw in the waistline

For a more shaped silhouette, I added angled
Shoulder pleats tucks at the front and back waist, and attached
a small back waistband, cut from the second
sweater’s neckband.

Hem the body and sleeves

Shaping tucks To enhance the soft, feminine look of
this piece, I created a serged lettuce
edge on the bottom hem. I selected
variegated thread to add interest
Contrast serging
to the design. In addition, I cut
the sleeves shorter and attached
Waistband
layered cuffs made from the
two sweaters’ original
cuffs, with matching
Lettuce-edge hem serged edges.
Godets
Layered cuff bands

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