gussied up

Posted by on March 16, 2009 in stitch | 10 comments

I got this purple-y cotton cardigan at Old Navy (of course!) a few weeks ago. It's comfy and basic and cozy, but it was lacking a little something something. So I cut a bias strip of cotton calico and gussied it up.

Purplesweater2

I cut the strip about 2 3/4" wide, and slightly longer than the neckline. I cut one of the short side straight across and turned it under. I ran a gathering stitch in the fold and then stitched it down, even with the center edge of the sweater. From there, each section is sewn individually, about 2" apart. I just stitched around the calico strip a couple times and then knotted it off on the wrong side.

Purplesweater1

It took just minutes, and I think my sweater isn't so basic any more!

Thank goodness for Photoshop, I used it to make several cat hairs magically disappear! If only I could use it on my sofa. Note to self: use a lint roller before taking photos of your clothes.

I also have to point out my cute earrings, purchased recently from SpoolDesign on etsy! I especially like them since getting my hair trimmed on Friday so they could dangle down below the edges of my bob.

10 Comments

  1. Natalie March 16, 2009 at 10:46 pm

    I have discovered the most amazing thing for cat hair. It’s the Pledge Fabric Sweeper (I got it at Target for just less than $5)- and although it says you need to throw it out when it’s full, I learned today that you can pop the little rollers out and empty it! So it will last forever! But seriously, it eliminates SO MUCH cat hair. And it’s way more effective than lint rollers. I use it on my clothes, couches, even the carpet when my silly cats lay down and leave piles upon piles of hair. They are ridiculously furry.
    Also, I do not work for pledge, lol. I just love anything that deals with my cathair problem.
    Oh, and also, your sweater is super cute. I’ll have to try that on one of my many millions of cardigans.

    Reply
  2. beki March 17, 2009 at 6:41 am

    I like that! I may need to jazz up some of my plain cardigans.

    Reply
  3. Molly March 17, 2009 at 12:00 pm

    What a COOL blog!!! I just found you on a surfin’ safari and love, love, love your stuff! We are homeschoolers here and have done the butter with some of our raw milk cream(we get it from a dairy) but calculated the cost to be about $24/pound. Yikes!
    Anyway, just wanted to say hi!
    Molly

    Reply
  4. april March 17, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    Another fabulous project!

    Reply
  5. alice March 18, 2009 at 2:36 pm

    I tagged you over on my blog with a question list that is going around if you feel like doing it.
    That looks great! You have great ideas 🙂

    Reply
  6. robin March 18, 2009 at 10:31 pm

    So cute! And I really like the earrings too! Also, after being inspired by your terrarium, I got an apothecary jar and tonight picked up a fern at Home Depot, but it’s too big. Dernit. Have to find something tiny – maybe even just a hunk o’ Baby Tears. Wish I could find something out ‘in the wild’ like you did. Anyway, great sweater! And I love Old Navy, too!

    Reply
  7. Leila March 19, 2009 at 2:39 pm

    I like your haircut and earrings! You are very clever with your cardigan.
    How can Natalie (1st comment) have millions of cardigans?? Do you know her? I can’t believe it!
    I can never find any, and they are the best!

    Reply
  8. monica March 19, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    I love it when you gussy up your basic clothes! That’s such a cute addition to the cardi.

    Reply
  9. Julie March 21, 2009 at 11:11 pm

    You’re so creative and clever! I love what you did! Super cute!

    Reply
  10. Anne April 10, 2009 at 8:17 am

    What a cool idea!! I posted a link to your project on Craft Gossip Sewing Blog:
    http://sewing.craftgossip.com/cool-idea-gussied-up-cardigan/2009/04/11/
    (Link will be active April 11, approx. 10:00 am CST)
    –Anne

    Reply

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