This week I want to show you how I’ve been updating my wardrobe for the spring. I was particularly inspired by a dress I agonized over and finally purchased while we were on vacation. I love the shape, color, fabric, etc., so I decided to use it as my muse.
I can’t afford to buy a new wardrobe each season (or even each year). But I can fix and/or refashion what I have and make clothes from scratch.
Today, I’m sharing an old cardigan that, unfortunately, was moth-eaten while in storage last year. I’ve had this handy piece for nearly 7 years! Other than the hole, the sweater still looks brand new (a testament to buying high-quality pieces to start with). I appliqued some birds onto it today while listening to Arcade Fire. Somehow that seems pertinent. [I used the bird pattern from Lena Corwin’s Printing By Hand.]
The fusible webbing didn’t stick particularly well to the knit wool. (You can see one of the birds sticking up in the next picture.) So I hand-stitched around the edges with some silver embroidery floss (Thanks, Tracy!).
Here’s the backside of this little birdie:
I will probably darn the hole just to be certain it doesn’t get worse.
And here’s the final product:
This may not seem particularly spring-ish, but it coordinates with some of the other pieces I’ll be sharing this week, including the aforementioned dress. And it’s always good to have a cardigan in your spring wardrobe!
This took a couple of hours start-to-finish, and (most importantly) I think I’ll actually wear it. ;)
March 16th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
oh this is so very inspiring! i’m rethinking my ‘to be felted’ pile…
March 17th, 2009 at 1:12 am
So sweet! I just prettied up a cardigan myself.
March 17th, 2009 at 8:39 am
what a clever idea! I’ve been thinking about doing some embellishing on a very plain cardigan that I’m currently knitting.
March 17th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Sew pretty! I love the patterns you used for the birds. What book are they from?
This is so Anthro now, you know. It’s better than before. xo
March 17th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
nice! I love when I can use something perfectly for something else!
March 17th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
So cute!
March 18th, 2009 at 8:13 am
I am so copying this idea! My favorite cardigan has a hole and I’ve been trying to think of an applique that won’t make it look like a 2nd grade teacher outfit.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I love the birds on this! This is such a great non-obvious way to cover up a hole
March 19th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Okay, you’re seriously killing me with such cuteness! I love all of it!
March 21st, 2009 at 2:57 pm
this looks great! sadly, i have a few moth eaten sweaters so i’ll be doing quite a bit of this.
do you know of a good darning tutorial by any chance?
March 21st, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Okay, all the refashions are cute, and I shouldn’t even be asking this, but…
Where’d you get the dress?
March 22nd, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Found you on Flickr; I love all the Spring items! I, too, love sewing to Arcade Fire, perhaps because they are such a creative band?
March 22nd, 2009 at 11:59 pm
How strategic of the moths to eat a hole in a prime place for such embellishment! :)
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:22 pm
I’m in the process of embroidering an owl over a stain on a white cardigan I picked up at the Salvation Army the other day. Your sweater is very pretty. I Stumbled this page, but now I’ll have stick around!
March 24th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Oh so chic! You inspire me!
And, if I may share: to keep moths (and other wool-eating buggies) at bay, use a bar of Irish Spring brand GREEN soap. Don’t store unwashed garments and place a bar in your woolens box when storing. I like to take the soap box and open the end and prop it in the corner so it stays upright. If it’s an especially large box, I use more. I found mine at the dollar store (3 for $1) and after a year or two and they’re not at potently fragrant, they’re back to being soap! Even the cardboard recycles. I am a sweater-holic and a friend taught me this!
March 25th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
[…] Recycle a moth eaten sweater by stitching elegant patches worthy of a designer (yes, you can make these yourself) over the holes. [Via Feeling Stitchy.] […]
March 26th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
[…] Thimbly Things: lately been revamping her clothes into new wearables and also posted this great fix for moth holes! […]
March 27th, 2009 at 2:07 am
I know just the sweater to use this tutorial. I was thinking of covering the holes with buttons, but now, definately birds! And please, where did you get the dress?
March 27th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Wow, what a great fix for a darling cardigan. I would even like those birds on a cardigan that doesn’t have a little hole! Very creative and cute. –Robin
March 27th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Oh I *LOVE* this! The birds are so sweet. Just darling and so much better than before I think! I’ll be linking.
March 28th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
You’re right that a hole in this garment is a testament to its original worth. I was told by my tailor (while I was taking him yet another sweater to have a hole rewoven) that the moths like the really good wools the best. Ergo, cheap sweaters = no holes. Expensive sweaters = holes. C’est la vie!
March 29th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Just darling! I love the templates you’ve used. So simple, but so classy. Gerat job!
March 30th, 2009 at 1:38 am
[…] hand and machine applique on old clothes that need a little […]
March 30th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
i love it when people can come up with ideas like this!
i have a favorite shirt that is white cotton, but it got a few holes in the wash
i couldnt figure out what to do…now i do!!
thank you so much for the inspiration!
March 31st, 2009 at 9:20 pm
this is precious! you’re so talented, i love it! cute blog
April 3rd, 2009 at 6:41 pm
[…] a chambray dress from Gap inspired me to get a little sewing-machine-happy. You can see it again here coupled with a seemingly unrelated cardigan […]
April 6th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
A few things….
1. I just recently discovered your blog and I love it.
2. I have the shirt version of that fave dress of yours.
3. I was just thinking about how I do some of my best crafting while listening to Arcade Fire. What a coincidence!
$. Love the new cardi.
April 15th, 2009 at 4:42 am
That’s a great idea! I sometimes find good quality knitwear in charity shops, but most of it has a few holes here and there, so I might actually buy some now and pretty them up! Thank you for sharing.
April 19th, 2009 at 4:14 am
It’s so cute ! Very beautiful ! I have not such lovely ideas . I think i should do the same for ma favourite cardigan !
Sorry for my poor english…
August 27th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
[…] For this project, I was inspired by a hot-air balloon zippered pouch in Zakka Sewing. (And you might recognize the bird from here.) […]
October 18th, 2009 at 4:59 am
И как автору не влом столько времени на написание статей тратить, мы конечно очень благодарны, но вот я на такой альтруизм не способен :)
March 5th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
[…] Wee little bird appliques! […]