Monday 2 January 2012

Take One Jumper Challenge!

As you know, I love to thrift and I love to craft, so turning something old into something new has all the excitement of pure alchemy for me.  I don't profess to be good at making things, in fact my new mantra is "it's not perfect, it's handmade".  Anyway, it adds to the charm I think!

Quite a lot of my Magpie Monday posts have shown items that I've bought with the intention of upcycling, so now it's time to show you some of the outcomes - if only to prove that they don't sit languishing in my cupboards forever (well, not all of them).

Before Christmas I bought a wool jumper with the specific intention of making Christmas stockings from it as inspired by Maggy at Red Ted Art.


Well, ever the tightwad, I thought I'd try to get two stockings from the body of the jumper (sorry, it's the only picture I've got of them!) .


Fitting two was remarkably easily, and thrilled with my frugal cutting, I though I'd see how far that jumper would stretch (metaphorically speaking - after felting it on a hot wash, that jumper wasn't stretching anywhere!).

Next up, I made a cover for a mini hot water bottle which was given as a Christmas gift.  I love the thought that when the recipient is feeling cold or poorly, this present will be there to give them a hug from me.


With the cuffs and lower arms I made a cute pair of leg warmers for Ruby.



They are remarkably easy to make.  If you hot wash your jumper first to felt it, then cutting is simple and the wool won't fray or unravel.  You can simply cut off the desired length of arm to suit the height of your child and turn and hem the unfinished ends.  I decided to use some of the ribbed V-neck part of the jumper to trim the other end.


I love these, in fact if you spot a mad woman in a charity shop trying to put her feet through the arms of a jumper, that will be me in the hope of finding a jumper I can make a pair of leg warmers for myself from.

Since my new coat thoughtfully has a special pocket for handwarmers, I thought I'd have a go at making a pair.  I filled them with rice and lavender.  It seemed like a good idea, but alas I hadn't thought it through properly.  That pretty glittery thread running through the wool is obviously metallic as it sent my microwave into exploding spasms.  Ruby has now commandeered these as mini scented pillows for her teddies instead!


Finally, based on the padded hearts I made with School of Craft, I managed to make six tree decorations of varying sizes.


I still have a bit of the jumper left! No bad for a couple-of-quid-slightly-mis-shapen charity shop jumper.

So, here's my challenge to you...

I'd like you to take one jumper - it could be old; moth-eaten, accidentally shrunk, no longer fits or a second-hand buy - and turn it into something else.  Blog about it and link back to this post, and join up below.  You can recycle an old post if you've already done a project, or write something new.  If you're stuck for inspiration, give me a follow on Pinterest and check out my Upcycled Stuff board.

There's a lovely juicy carrot to encourage you to get stuck in to this challenge, in the form of some gorgeous Jennie Maizels Clothes Plasters.  I will select one entry from those linked up here by Monday 30th January at 5pm, to win these three sets of clothes plasters.  Perfect for embellishing or extending the life of your/your kid's clothes.

I've selected the following designs which I think are fairly unisex.  They are simple to use - just iron on for instant pzazz as featured in the Telegraph, Grazia and Easy Living.





One lucky person will win all 5 of these gorgeous plasters.

So come on, take one jumper...and show me what you can do!







32 comments:

  1. Wow, youre so clever. Might try and get inspired. Love the hot water bottle cover. I need to learn a bit more, can use my.sewing machine very basically but need to get better. Made my brother a bow tie for mad men new years eve party and really enjoyed doing it. He couldn't believe it cost £1.02 in materials and got voted best dressed!

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  2. Hi mamabearuk. Wow, I wouldn't know where to begin making a bow tie! How brilliant that he won too!

    All the stuff I've made here is really basic - simple straight line stitching kinda stuff or hand stitching.

    Hope to see you join in x

    Hi Gidders. Thanks hun. The tight-arse in me really enjoyed seeing how much I could get from one jumper. When you consider how expensive fabric can be, it's a brilliant way to make stuff.

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  3. Wow! I'm so so so impressed that you got all of this from one jumper!

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  4. OMG! You are one clever lady. Seriously impressive. I will watch from the sidelines, not upto this kind of challenge. xx

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  5. Thanks Charis! Nice to meet you - I'm following on Twitter now, your blog looks lovely.

    Come on Karen! Where's your crafting spirit? I've seen what a great job you did with my candles. Now, you can glue can't you? Look at this lovely idea http://laurenmakes.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/sweater-vases/

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  6. This is brilliant. Sadly I'm not a sewer although I am a knitter. I had an aha mmoment reading this - I never really knew what felt was even though it had to be something basic as I know they used it in the middle ages. I've boiled my fair share of knitware but I never made the connection between that and the coloured squares we used at school. So thanks for that.

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  7. That is, an absolutely fantastic idea for a link up. And I'm so very impressed with what you made. I think I might have to join in with this one. Love the hot water bottle cover! @Chaoskay :O)

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  8. Oooh do love how you made SO MANY THINGS from one jumper. REALLY like the hot water bottle.. will have to have a go myself.... :-)

    Have linked out frugal jumper crafts!

    Maggy x

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  9. Wow Maggy! Thanks for linking up. I love your makes. Going to try a cupcake myself! x

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  10. I am really impressed with this! It has inspired me to do something with the merino wool jumper that got attacked by moths...

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  11. Hi, I have just signed up and have only a couple of days ago felted a wool jumper, perfect timing me thinks! already got a couple of ideas in my mind of what to make.

    I tried to add your 'Take one jumper...' widget to my blog for you but it doesn't like the html coding for some reason... any suggestions?

    Thanks, Nicola :)

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  12. what a great idea for a challenge. Will have to see if I can locate a jumper anywhere about...

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  13. Wow! I am so impressed by all of your making. Amazing. Not sure I've got the skills for this, but it's inspiring none the less.

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  14. I'm in awe of everything you've done with one old jumper! Definitely going to join in - you've inspired me!!

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  15. Love the legwarmers! I have a plan for an old cardi that moths have eaten so I'll link up if I can get it done in time

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  16. You are so clever, I'd love to give this a go but just know it will stay as a project far too long - how about I aim to get something done this year?

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  17. What a fantastic use of a jumper. I would love for you to guest post this over at my new blog www.athriftymum.com If you do not mind. Cheeky I know, but it is such a great post

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  18. What a great idea. I don't think you could have gotten any more out of that sweater. I am impressed! I am a new FB fan visiting from Red Ted Art. Vicky from Mess For Less

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  19. I can't believe how much you managed to make out of one jumper! amazing.....I'm going jumper hunting now!
    x

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  20. This is BRILLIANT! How inspiring! (I am sitting on my hands to prevent myself drawing up a list of jumper projects now you distraction!)

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  21. (PS thanks for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!!)

    Maggy

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  22. These are all great, very impressed at your thriftiness! My baby niece was wearing legwarmers at Christmas made from outgrown tights and I thought then it was unfair how much cuter she looked in hers than I do in mine (I knitted them at craft club, they're a bit bonkers)

    Happy New Year!

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  23. Great idea - now to choose which jumper to use!

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  24. I'm already planning on which old jumper i can use and what i can make from it!

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  25. Wow - love the many many uses you got out of one jumper. I will add this to the list of projects I would like to try out!

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  26. very clever. I know I could never have the patients, but love looking at what you have done!

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  27. You have extreme thrifty crafting skills! It is a sham that I am even linking my poor efforts ha :D

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  28. I've finally added my link, love all your efforts, especially the little hot bot cover! x

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  29. I really want to do this (especially as I've got my idea and everything) but can't find the jumper. Anyway, if I don't get chance to enter before the deadline I just wanted to say what a great idea it is and how impressive all your makes were.

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  30. Wow I am so impressed, fairly sure I couldn't get half as much from a jumper as you!! My sewing skills are pretty shabby to say the least! x

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  31. brilliant!!!!! i have actually got one of last years xmas jumpers that i inadvertently felted, its such a nice grey and white reindeer and snowflake pattern that i couldnt bear to throw it out and now i will think of ways to re-use it :-)

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