Button Sweater Shrug

What is it about sweaters that we often wear one a few times, then never again? Is it that they go out of style or that they don't fit right? Maybe you decide the design of the sweater isn't all that flattering? Well, we can ponder all of that later; for now, grab one of those sweaters out of the closet and make yourself a fashionable shrug. It's so easy to do and others will think you've been shopping at a high-end store!

A good choice for a sweater is one with a cowl neck or turtleneck and one with a tightly knit design. When you cut the sweater up, and use just a portion of it, you can make the fashionable scarf. First, lay the sweater in front of you so that the front of it is facing upwards and one side of the sweater - the sleeve - is facing you.

Look at the underarm area of the sweater. Mark an area just above that, but on the outer area of the sleeve - the side facing you. Cut straight across, from one sleeve to the other, cutting just above the underarm area. Make sure the cut is straight across; lay the bottom of the sweater aside for a future project.

The top of the sweater makes the cutest shrug. However, pulling it on and off, over the head, is a little cumbersome. If it was to have buttons, though, that would be perfect. Let's make that happen. With the cut end of the sweater facing you, locate an area near the right or left side (your preference), and cut from there, up to the top of the cowl or turtleneck, at an angle. It can be helpful to immediately treat the cut edges with a no-fray solution, found at a craft or fabric store.

It's necessary to bind all of the cut edges of the sweater but that's easy to do. Simply cut binding to fit, sew it on, then fold it behind the sweater, and sew it down. Or, if you knit you can quickly knit a finishing stitch along the cut edges. After that, make the buttonholes, and sew on the buttons.

The cool thing about the sweater shrug, besides the fact that it's extremely fashionable, is the way it wraps around the neck, like a scarf, but also covers the shoulders and upper arms, like a shrug. After you see how cute it is you'll go and grab a pile of sweaters you no longer wear. It's amazing how that sweater you hate can be that shrug you love!