26 DIY Sweater Upcycle and Refashion Ideas (2024)

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26 DIY Sweater Upcycle and Refashion Ideas (1)

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ByHeather Handmade

Turn your sweater into something new with a DIY sweater upcycle and refashion! With sew and no-sew tutorials there is a refashion for all!

Its sweater weather, but what if your sweater has a hole or a stain? What if the sweater doesn’t fit or it shrunk? Use a sweater refashion (or two) to upcycle it into something new!

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What is refashioning?

Refashioning is to fashion clothing again or differently. I usually use this to describe when I’m sewing clothing to fit different or to look different, but the majority of the item stays the same.

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What is upcycling?

Upcycling is to reuse material to create something better than the original. I usually use this to describe when I’m sewing adult clothing into clothing for children or I’m sewing clothing into an accessory or house item.

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Do you love to refashion? Check out these lists of refashion ideas! There’s something for everyone!

  • T-shirt refashion and upcycle tutorials
  • Dress refashion tutorials
  • Button up shirt refashion tutorials
  • Sweatshirt Hacks and Refashions
  • Pants refashion and upcycle tutorials
  • Coat refashion projects

Ideas for How to Upcycle a Sweater

Turn your sweater into something new with a DIY sweater upcycle and refashion! With sew and no-sew tutorials there is a refashion for all!

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DIY Upcycled Sweater Mug Cozy

Learn how to upcycle sweater sleeves into a sweater mug cozy. This beginner sewing project is great for keeping mugs warm, and makes a great handmade gift!

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DIY Christmas Sweater Pillow

Turn an ugly Christmas sweater into a DIY Christmas sweater pillow for fun holiday decor! This upcycle is a great beginner sewing project!

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How to Shorten Sweater Sleeves

Learn how to shorten sweater sleeves that are too with just a sewing machine. Make sleeves the right length and keep the nice ribbed cuff.

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DIY Cute Ugly Christmas Sweater

Learn how to make a DIY cute ugly Christmas sweater with glitter iron-on vinyl and tulle pompom. This Cricut maker sewing project is quick and easy!

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DIY Sweater Headband

Learn how to make a DIY sweater headband perfect for gifts and beginner sewing! Upcycle an unwanted sweater into a cute sweater headband!

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How to Make a Sweater Pumpkin

Learn how to make a sweater pumpkin by upcycling sweater sleeves into pumpkins. This fall sewing project is cute and easy.

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3 Ways to Turn a Sweater to Cardigan Refashion Tutorial

Take an old sweater and refashion it into a cardigan with one of these three sewing tutorials

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How to Make Sweater Mittens

Learn how to upcycle and make sweater mittens from an old sweater. This is a great way to refashion a sweater and make a warm, useful gift!

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DIY Love Applique Tutorial

Make the perfect Valentine’s sweater with this DIY LOVE applique tutorial. Crochet yarn into a chain and then sew it onto the sweater.

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How to Make an Infinity Sweater Scarf

Learn how to make an infinity sweater scarf by upcycling a sweater! Use a soft sweater to make it cozy for this beginner sewing project!

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Color Blocked Cardigan Refashion Tutorial

Combined two cardigans to make one color blocked cardigan! You can choose really fun colors!

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Shorten a Sweater from the Bottom with Hem Tape

Make a sweater the right length by hemming it from the bottom!

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Lengthen Sleeves of a Jacket with a Sweater

Fix that jacket you love and add sweater sleeves to length the jacket sleeves. You can use the rest of the sweater to make something else on this list.

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How to Make a Hat out of a Sweater

Learn how to make a hat out of a sweater. This upcycling project is a great gift since it's easy to sew and quick to make!

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DIY Lace Sweater Tutorial

Add a pretty lace detail to your sweater cuffs for a gorgeous holiday look.

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Glitter Sweater Sleeve Refashion

Add some glitz and glam to your sweater with this sweater refashion. You could choose a contrasting color for something pretty and it helps remediate sleeves that are too long.

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How to Shorten a Sweater

With this simple sewing tutorial you can make a sweater the right length! You can shorten the hem of a sweater or you can shorten the sleeves of a sweater.

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Christmas Sweater Ornament

Use up those sweater scraps and turn them into pretty ornaments! This would be an easy neighbor gift or you could memorialize a loved ones sweater to hang on the Christmas tree.

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DIY Sweater Stockings

Learn how to upcycle a sweater into a beautiful Christmas stocking. Add trim for unique details on these DIY sweater stockings.

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How to sew an upcycled sweater hat pattern

Photo Credit:swoodsonsays.com

If you sweater has a hole or doesn’t fit anymore you can turn it into a pretty hat.

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Ruffle Shoulder Sweater Refashion

Photo Credit:www.sewmuchlovemary.com

What a pretty sweater! I love the ruffle and that it’s simple to sew it in. This would work great for a sweater that already fits you.

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Upcycled sweater Christmas ornament tutorial

Photo Credit:swoodsonsays.com

This ornament would be a great craft to do with kids for the holidays.

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No Sew Winter Cowl DIY

Photo Credit:swoodsonsays.com

This is a really easy refashion because you don’t need asewing machine! It would be really warm, and it looks like you knitted the cowl yourself.

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Sweater to Skirt RefashionTutorial

Photo Credit:therenegadeseamstress.com

If you are using the sleeves of a sweater for another refashion you can turn the body into a pretty pencil skirt. This would be a really easy refashion since the hem is already finished.

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Refashion a sweater into a cardigan in 10 minutes

Photo Credit:www.cucicucicoo.com

If you have a stain at the front of your sweater you can easily turn it into a cardigan.

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Super easy homemade hand warmers

Photo Credit:swoodsonsays.com

Put those sweater fabric scraps to good use! Sew them into reusable hand warmers for those cold nights.

If you make something using this sewing project, I’d love to see! Please share it on social media with the hashtag#heatherhandmadeand tag me!

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I believe small sewing moments can create great joy. Find your own “right” way to sew. -Heather

26 DIY Sweater Upcycle and Refashion Ideas (2024)
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