DIY: Pullover Sweater into a Cardigan

Here is one of my favorite DIY fashion sewing projects: making a pullover sweater into a cardigan. I love cardigans because they are so easy to layer and taking them off means I don't have to take off my glasses or wonder what does my hair look like now! I have broken down the steps so you too can change that lovely sweater you never wear into you new favorite piece of clothing!
This is also just in time for my class ReClaim Your Closet I am teaching at the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn on Saturdays in October. There is still room if you want to sign up and learn hands on sewing techniques to alter your own clothes.

Step 1: Make bias strips from fabric

My favorite technique in making a cardigan sweater is to use a knit fabric and cut bias strips to use as a binding around the cut edge of the sweater. Bias is the true diagonal 45 degree of fabric. You can easily find it by using a a ruler and a square. Draw diagonal lines the length of your sweater from neck to hem plus 2" of seam allowance. Each strip should be 3 wide.

Step 2: Stitch on either side of the center front of sweater

Find the exact center of the front of your sweater by laying it flat on a table and measuring equally from each side seam to center. Make a line of pins from neck line to hem.

Stitch on either side of the pin line with a size 3 stitch length. Then cut directly in between the two stitch lines. This will be your opening of your new cardigan.

Step 4: Bind the cut edges with the bias strips

Start by laying the bias strips face down on the right side of the sweater lining up the cut edges. Pin the strips to the sweater and stitch the bias to the sweater. Stitch about a half inch away from the cut edges.  

Now it is time to bind the edge of the sweater. Wrap the bias strip around to the inside of the sweater and tuck under a half inch of seam allowance. Pin as you fold under the seam allowance, then switch the pins to the right side of the sweater. Pin right along the edge of the bias making sure to catch the bias fold on the inside of the sweater.

Stitch right along the pin line, right where the the sweater and the bias meet. The stitches should catch just the edge of the bias fold on the underside.

Step 5: Last step hand stitch ends of bias

Trim the ends of the bias and tuck them inside. Then hand slip stitch the ends shut and give it a good press with an iron and your done!

Now you have a super cute cardigan sweater!

Stay tuned for more re-fashion DIY tutorials!

posted by Sarah

Art sale success & new items on Etsy!

The art sale at Rhonda's house during Waconia's Nickle Dickle Days was a success! I sold 4 floral hair pieces and my Dad sold 2 garden art pansies (I know that doesn't sound like much, but people are usually lookers, not buyers, at small festivals like this - we had low expectations!). Rhonda sold many of her fantastic signs and her husband Tim sold just about every jar of salad dressing he made. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to visit, and to those who sent good thoughts our way.

The floral hair pieces that didn't sell are now available in our SophiaFredricka Etsy shop! Be sure to check our Etsy shop for these and other new, recently posted items. Here's two of them:

posted by Christa

New Senior Photos: Lauren!

I shot some amazing senior portraits yesterday at my beautiful in-law's house in the south metro. Lauren is a beautiful girl and her pictures are stunning! We had a lot of fun trying out all the options my in-law's property has to offer. Lauren also picked out some great outfits that compliment her skin and hair color and went so great with the natural setting.

Check out a few of my favorites below!
Posted by Christa

A nice breeze came through at just the right moment to give her a "model hair" look!

This truck offered a really unique setting. It's not the only piece of rust on the property, but this one has a unique grill that complemented Lauren's outfit. Doesn't this just look like a CD album cover??

This soft red shirt brought out Lauren's natural warm skin tones and complimented the brick on the house. I love this pose!

Lauren is a natural! This is a great shot with the combination of tin and brush in the background.

Local art fair: come see me and other artists in Waconia Sept 17th!

Next Saturday is Waconia's annual town festival: Nickle Dickle Days. There is a TON to do including: an antique car show, local retail sidewalk sales, live music and entertainment, and an arts and crafts fair. It's always fun and bustly, but not too crowded.

I'll be at Rhonda Tesch's house (100 E Main Street - right across from the park) with my new floral hair pieces. I just finished the last few this week and finished my display with pretty caramel colored ribbon today. Rhonda will be selling her beautiful home decor painted signs, and a few other artists will have great items for sale at her house. Come check us out and be sure to say 'hi'!

Posted by Christa

Here's my floral hair clips and headbands. What do you think? I hope it's a good variety and that they sell, sell, sell!

NYC Fashion Week 2011

Even though I love clothes and live in NYC I have never been to a fashion week event. This week I changed that and went to the Textile Arts Center's Manhattan space for a (Sustainable) Fashion Nights Out  event. It was less flashy than most of the fashion events in NYC, but thats why I liked it so much, also they are promoting sustainable fashion trends which supports people making changes in there everyday life to help keep the earth cleaner and happier. There were multiple eco-friendly designers selling their wares made from recycled and earth friendly materials. Beautiful clothes, but of course way out of my budget. One eco-friendly designer I am obsessed with right now is Erin Considine who makes lovely fiber and metal jewelry using sustainable and organic materials.

Erin Considine's bracelets, you can buy selected designs here

I like to stay up to date on the latest emerging designers and sustainable fashion through  my favorite blogs:

Ecouture

Of a Kind

Craft

posted by Sarah

Listen To Your Mother

I was reading our blog and was inspired by Christa's post on how to make a cute hair clip display using a large picture frame and ribbons tied around it. She was inspired by our Mom who suggestion the project. I took my Mother's advice and twisted it into my own project! I am an avid jewelry collector and maker so I need a lot of space for my jewelry. I used a wood frame covered in window screen mesh that I found at work in the throw away pile as my base.

Then I attached a wide ribbon at different levels to accommodate bracelets, barrettes, short necklaces, and long necklaces. I attached the ribbon using a staple gun and made sure the ribbon was really tight to hold up all my heavy jewelry!

I am really pleased with the final look! I am glad I used a brown ribbon so my colorful jewelry stands out, I used a red ribbon to hang it on a fun turquoise 3M sticky hook, perfect if you can't hammer nails into your walls.

posted by Sarah