Anyone else out there have a pile of old wool sweaters they don’t wear anymore? I was looking through a box of sweaters and found this sweater that I remember wearing in…middle school. Well thank goodness I hate throwing old clothes away because it was perfect for this ornament project!
To make these ornaments you’ll need:
- a wool sweater
- my alphabet template
- a glue gun
- a piece of thin cardboard
- a hook or string or whatever your favorite ornament hanging device is
First, download the alphabet template, and in your printing options you can select just the letter pages you need. If you have any problems you may need to download the PDF to your computer before printing. Cut out the letter you need, then trace it both the correct direction and backwards onto a piece of thin cardboard.
Cut the letters out of the cardboard. Next, cut out pieces of the sweater following the shape of your letter around 1/4″ larger all around.
Using a glue gun and working in small sections, apply glue around the edge of the the letters and fold the sweater over the edge and into the glue. Hold it in place until the glue dries and move on to the next section. (Edit: I’m using black glue in the photos below. It’s the same as clear glue for a glue gun, just colored.)
Complete both letters, one normal and one backwards for each ornament.
Work VERY QUICKLY and make an outline of glue around the inside of one of the letters then sandwich them together.
You could attach a hanger for the ornament before the step above, or you can tie a string or wire around it at this final stage like I did. Here’s the completed ornament!
30 comments
That is really cute! I love the bells on it too 🙂
Cute ornament … what a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Very cute! You could always pick up a wool Christmas sweater at Goodwill if you didn’t have one. Only a couple of bucks and you’ve got ornaments!
So adorable… and the bells are a lovely touch too!
these are great! i think i’ll make one for each of my kids!
I love that idea…especially since there’s no sewing!
OK, I don’t know if I’m showing my idiocy here, but is your hot glue blackish? I’ve never seen such a thing. Is there a benefit to using it rather than the clear stuff? Just curious. Very cute ornament, by the way.
Hi Kim! Yes, the hot glue is black (with a little orange mixed in). When I was at the store they were out of clear glue so I had to buy the colored multipack. It’s the same as clear glue, just comes in a variety of colors. Thanks for asking!
That is so cute and clever. What a great way to use up sweater scraps. And you can personalize it to a person’s style.
This was a great idea!
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http://www.feedingnineonadime.blogspot.com
These are so fun! A great way to use up old sweaters!
Love this! They’d make wonderful monograms for packages too!
Love this and what a great way to use up those annoying little wool scraps leftover from bigger projects.
If you felt the sweater first it won’t fray you can just cut out the letters no need to fold over the edge.
This is great!! It makes me wish I kept some old sweaters!
I love them! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Lindsay and Mary!
Stopping by from Cratf-O-Maniac Monday
I love your sweater ornaments! I’m definetely going to have to try this!
Thanks for sharing
Greetings from Spain
Sooo cute! I saw some ornaments like this somewhere (Pier 1 maybe) and I wanted to figure out how to make them, but I couldn’t! Have you tried a letter with a “hole” in the middle, like an A or a P?
Also, what kind of crazy colored glue are you using and where did you get it!?
Thanks Jessica! I haven’t tried out a letter with a hole yet. At least with the letters I did try, the sweater was stretchy enough to get around curves but I’m sure the holes will be trickier! It might be easier to do the hole first and you may have to cut little slits in the sweater around the the hole (so if it’s a circle, you would add a few cuts like sun rays).
The glue is just regular glue for a glue gun but it’s from a multipack of different colored sticks. I bought mine at the store (probably Michael’s Crafts) but I’ve seen colored ones and even ones with glitter sold online.
Featuring at Bacon Time this week. Merry Christmas!
These are great. That sweater was perfect!
What a great idea! I do love a good clothes upcycling project!
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
well how simple and CUTE! I LOVE this! Thank you SO much for sharing I might just have to make a few of these this week yet! :o)
jaime from crafty scrappy happy
Love this idea. They look so cozy.
came from Thrifty Decorating – love this! Takes you back to old school Christmas ornament making as a kid 🙂
I love it – thanks for sharing.
Very cute. The bells are the perfect finishing touch.