Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Win a copy of Sweater Surgery: How to Make New Things from Old Sweaters

by

You get to benefit from a tiny bit of self promotion! Yup, this is my book. And my publisher, the wonderful Quayside Publishing Group has offered a copy to you my loving Recycled Crafts at Craft Gossip readers. All you need to do is leave a comment in today’s post by Midnight Wed 26th, 2010 and you are entered to win. Here is a bit about it and want to see more projects made with recycled sweaters pop on over to these posts at Craftside and these posts at Sweater Surgery.

Sweater Surgery:
How to Make New Things from Old Sweaters

By yours truly,

Stefanie Girard

“Contemporary crafters are thriving on personalizing, modifying, and altering fashion as not only hobbies but as a lifestyle.

Why repurpose your sweaters? Because you can’t buy sweater fabric by the yard. Sweaters get damaged or go out of style but we still love the prints, colors, and textures. You don’t have time to knit it from scratch. It’s ecologically correct. And most of all–it’s fun!

Sweater Surgery shows you how to upcycle all your slightly worn, slightly damaged, or plain old out-of-style sweaters into fabulous new items for your wardrobe and your home. Readers learn how to choose, cut, restitch, felt, and embellish old sweater fabric, transforming it into beautiful handbags, mittens, scarves, hats, hoodies, skirts, jewelry, soft toys, pillows, and more!

Complete instructions for 27 projects, plus a huge gallery of exciting ideas for further inspiration.”

[tags] Sweater Surgery by Stefanie Girard[/tags]

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Comments

  4. I just bought some wool sweaters at a rummage sale and would love to get this book on what to do with them. It looks awesome!

  6. I have done a few things with sweaters and would put this book to good use. I am teaching sewing to my daughter too so there would be double use out of it.

  8. This is one book I will definitely look for. I am into recycle, repurpose, reconstruction of used and older outfits. I hope I win this book, but if not, I hope I find it at the local bookstore. I have a book on redesigning T-Shirts and that was inspiring. I hope this one will help on some ideas I have. Wish me luck!

  9. I would love to win. I’m sure this book will give me more ideas for upcycling.

  11. Wow, what a wonderful book! It would be great fun going to garage sales to find cool sweaters to repurpose.

    As an aside, I flew into Portland, OR last night and in the airport they had a small display of outfits made from recycled materials…no sweaters, but there was one design was a suit made from recycled kitty litter bags and another made from plastic gelato spoons and serving cups the designer fished out of the garbage. The designs wer stunning and so fun to look at!

  12. What a wonderful book with great ideas on repurposing our old sweaters, just what I have been looking for!

  13. When a lifelong New Yorker moves to South Carolina it’s hard to give up all those sweaters. I turned some into handwarmers but need more ideas. This book sounds like the key!

  14. keep thinking about the blanket my sisters felted…that has disapeared…thinking what i could have made with it when Mom died. would love this book!! Peace, katie

  17. Congratulations on your new book!! Looks as if you have a lot of great ideas. Thanks for the giveaway.

  18. Ooooh, I was eyeing this book on amazon! I sew bags out of recycled sweaters & wold LOVE, LOVE, LOVE more ideas for the sweaters & scraps that I have around. I’d love to win this book!

  21. I love this book and have been waiting to buy it–having seen it at my library. It would be great to get a free copy.

    Ms. Gerard, good work and thank you so much for your generous book. It’s wonderful.

  22. I have so many felted sweaters just waiting for inspiration. This book would really help me!

  26. Oh wow! We love to repurpose and are always hunting new techniques and ideas. This book would be awesome to have.

  32. MMMMMMMM — I’d love to have a copy of this book. I hope Lady Luck is on my side!

  33. This looks so fun! I love that black and white skirt on the cover. Thanks for the giveaway!

  36. What would the world be without books, to read, to instruct, fascinate and inspire us!
    I dont have this one, went looking for it in march at a show I went to, and it had sold out on the bookstall! So reckon it must be one hot potato lol … so fingers crossed!

  40. Oh, man. This is awesome! 🙂 My sister and I have just started investigating how to upcycle t-shirts, so learning how to do stuff with sweaters too would be ten kinds of awesome! 🙂

  42. I wanna win! I wanna win! I made mittens and a hat out of the same polka dot sweater that’s on the cover!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  47. I am so super excited about this book! I was just trolling the thrift shop today looking for cute sweaters to play with.

Have you read?

I Found a Table Made from Mannequin Legs—and I’m Still Not Over It

 

manequin table recycled

Okay, I have to tell you about one of the most bizarre-yet-brilliant DIYs I’ve come across in a while. While scrolling through google (as one does when deep into a late-night upcycling rabbit hole), I stumbled on a video tutorial for a table made out of mannequin legs. And honestly? I couldn’t look away.

This project is peak creative chaos—in the best way. The concept is exactly what it sounds like: four mannequin legs, flipped and fixed in place, supporting a standard tabletop. It’s got this quirky, surreal vibe that makes it feel part high fashion, part modern art installation. Think: Tim Burton meets IKEA.

What I loved most about this video is how surprisingly accessible it is. The creator breaks the process down clearly—so even though the end result looks totally wild, the steps are manageable. You’ll need a few tools and a decent amount of glue or screws (depending on how permanent you want this table to be), but nothing too technical.

Design-wise, this piece is an absolute conversation starter. It would look amazing in a creative studio, a funky coffee shop, or even as a statement piece in a minimalist home—anywhere you want to break the “normal furniture” mold. The contrast between the realistic mannequin legs and a basic tabletop is just the right kind of weird.

If you’re into recycled home decor, eco-conscious DIY projects, or just love adding some unexpected personality to your space, this one’s worth bookmarking. Whether or not you ever make it yourself, it’s guaranteed to make you see mannequins—and furniture—in a whole new way.

Catch the full tutorial and see the visual magic for yourself on Recyclart. Just be prepared to say, “Wait, is that a leg?” every time someone visits your house.