Upcycle a Sweater to Create a Glad Plaid Bauble Ornament!

Upcycle a threadbare sweater from Christmas past to make a joyful Christmas present!

​To make this project, you’ll need:

• A previously loved sweater
• A 3” embroidery hoop
• DMC six-strand embroidery floss in several colors: green (#562), blue (#995), and red (#666)
• DMC satin embroidery floss in fuchsia (#S602)
• A piece of felt
• A hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
• E6000 Industrial Strength Adhesive
• Small pompoms in an assortment of colors
• An 8” piece of trim or thin ribbon

​
1. Cut a piece of sweater fabric that is slightly larger than the embroidery hoop.  Insert it in the frame.
2. Draw vertical lines spaced 1” apart on the fabric.  Using chain stitch, embroider the lines with three strands of green embroidery floss (#562).
3. Draw more vertical lines ¼” from each side of the green lines.  Using chain stitch, embroider the lines with blue embroidery floss (#995).
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3, but with horizontal lines.  Using chain stitch, embroider the first set of lines with red embroidery floss (#666) and the second set of lines with fuchsia embroidery floss (#S602).

5. Trim the excess fabric and gather it behind the hoop.  Cut a circle of felt in the same size as the hoop.  Use the hot glue gun to secure the felt to the reverse side of the sweater fabric.

6. Use the hot glue gun to  add small pompons in bright, complementary colors to the edge of the embroidery hoop.  Use E6000 Industrial Strength Adhesive to glue pompoms to any metal parts of the frame.
7. Tie a piece of ribbon or trim to the embroidery hoop to form a hanger.

​It’s time to trim your tree!  Merry Christmas, my dear friends!