Re-use Old Sweaters for Decor Projects

Transform worn-out sweaters into clever covers for lampshades, vases, and more with these wallet-friendly projects.             

Lamp

Make over a plain pendant shade by cloaking it in wool. First, cut a large sweater in half along a side seam, removing the sleeves. Pull the resulting rectangle of material tightly around the shade so the fabric meets in the back; cut to fit and hot-glue to the shade. Next, trim the sweater lengthwise, leaving an inch of overhang at the top and bottom. Fold the overhang over the shade's edges and secure on the inside with hot glue. For safety, use a low-wattage bulb.

 

 

Pillow

To make this sham, you'll need an 18-inch square pillow insert and a large sweater, cut into two 19-inch squares. Sew the right sides of the wool together along the edges, leaving the bottom open. Turn right side out and insert the pillow form, then stitch the bottom closed. For the flower, cover a two-inch circle of card stock with a piece of a thin sweater; hot-glue to the circle's back. Next, fold a 3- by 20-inch strip of another sweater in half lengthwise. Glue the edges together, then sew a running stitch down the strip lengthwise along the glued seam. Once you've stitched the entire length, pull the thread to gather the fabric and knot. Hot-glue the gathered edge in a circle to the back of the card stock, then hot-glue a pin-back in the center and affix to the pillow.

 

Vases

Create a hothouse for any blossom: Slip a sweater sleeve over a jar or bottle, lining up the cuff with either the top or bottom edge, and hot-glue in place. Cut the wool long enough to cover the entire vessel, then secure with more glue