Men's sweater to cute women's tunic

[Anyuta]

Picked up a men's sweater at a thrift store for 10$ (I see people here who mention getting nice clothing items for 2-3$! Where do you find such thrift stores? =O ) and remade it into this nice winter tunic. I'm not a big fan of winter and winter clothing, especially since you often end up wearing the same sweaters days on end... this will give my closet a bit of variety =)

Reconstructed:




Before:


Basically I fitted it nicely to my figure, got rid of the sleeves and changed the collar (adding buttons for extra classy-ness ).


Since it was a knit sweater (I was careful to chose a tight knit that I could work with), I used a zig-zag for all my stitches (holds yarn better together) and then did a kind of "overclock" by hand. To change the turtle-neck collar into an opening one, I stitched two lines close together, cut between the two, overclocked the edges and turned them underneath so you wouldn't see the raw bits. =)

It was a fun project and I'm very satisfied with the result!
*Runs off to thrift store to look for a cheaper sweater to reconstruct*

[sheepBlue]

That turned out really cute! I'm sort of getting into reconstructing clothes and this is very inspiring!

[EllaRain]

The collar is really cute. Nicely done!

[Anyuta]

That turned out really cute! I'm sort of getting into reconstructing clothes and this is very inspiring!

Go for it! But be warned, it's kind of addicting thehehe 

The collar is really cute. Nicely done!

Thanks! The collar is probably my favourite part

[Burgawinosourus]

This is a really great reconstruct job. I love the added buttons and how you changed the neck. And I know what you mean about needed variety in the closet. I tend to make more things for spring and summer. I should really start making more warmer clothes.

[alexxxx]

you did a great job!
I love what you did to the neck.

I have tried to reconstruct jumpers in the past, and have been unsucessful,
Have just realised, thanks to you Antyuta that i need to make sure they are tightknit jumpers

[Anyuta]

you did a great job!
I love what you did to the neck.

I have tried to reconstruct jumpers in the past, and have been unsucessful,
Have just realised, thanks to you Antyuta that i need to make sure they are tightknit jumpers

Yup yup! Tight-knit is preferable =) Also, it's important to stitch it thoroughly before cutting anything to avoid it coming undone.

[alexxxx]

you did a great job!
I love what you did to the neck.

I have tried to reconstruct jumpers in the past, and have been unsucessful,
Have just realised, thanks to you Antyuta that i need to make sure they are tightknit jumpers

Yup yup! Tight-knit is preferable =) Also, it's important to stitch it thoroughly before cutting anything to avoid it coming undone.

Thank youAnyuta! stitching before....totally makes sense.... it did not cross my mind.

[teachart]

What a lovely recon. The buttons are great. I was just thinking I needed more vests in my wardrobe...  Thanks for sharing. 

[PockyImp]

Super cute!  I really love what you did with the collar. 

Where do you find such thrift stores?

  Goodwill!  The quality you'll find will certainly vary from store to store, but I've actually found some really nice stuff at Goodwill.  Also Value Village, if there's one near you.  Not sure how far that chain stretches.  The cheaper stores are usually the huge ones that'll take anything indiscriminately, and where you have to do a bit more work looking for the nice pieces.  (I remember going once to a thrift store in St. Louis called Rock Star Rags which was in a big, kind of creepy warehouse full of bins and barrels of clothes, which they sold by the pound.  Like, two bucks a pound or something.  Not sure that place even still exists.)

[violentjayne]

very cute , I especially like the neck line

[Anyuta]

Super cute!  I really love what you did with the collar. 

Where do you find such thrift stores?

  Goodwill!  The quality you'll find will certainly vary from store to store, but I've actually found some really nice stuff at Goodwill.  Also Value Village, if there's one near you.  Not sure how far that chain stretches.  The cheaper stores are usually the huge ones that'll take anything indiscriminately, and where you have to do a bit more work looking for the nice pieces.  (I remember going once to a thrift store in St. Louis called Rock Star Rags which was in a big, kind of creepy warehouse full of bins and barrels of clothes, which they sold by the pound.  Like, two bucks a pound or something.  Not sure that place even still exists.)

Thanks PockyImp! Big ones got ya I have Value Village near my place, but it seems to be overly popular and rather pricey... Gotta explore more!
(I do, however know of some fabric stores that sell scrap fabric by the pound like you say =P Good deals!)

[tigergirl]

Nice! It looks much better than a 'vest' though.

[Anyuta]

Nice! It looks much better than a 'vest' though.

I realize it's actually more of a tunic, isn't it? My mind does weird things sometimes and throws random vocabulary words at me, assuring me that it is the right word to use =P

[tigergirl]

Nice! It looks much better than a 'vest' though.

I realize it's actually more of a tunic, isn't it? My mind does weird things sometimes and throws random vocabulary words at me, assuring me that it is the right word to use =P

No, vest is probably right, it just doesn't really conjure up thoughts of something this nice for me - I think 'Grandad' when I read/hear 'vest' and yours is most certainly not a 'Grandad' vest.

[Anyuta]

Nice! It looks much better than a 'vest' though.

I realize it's actually more of a tunic, isn't it? My mind does weird things sometimes and throws random vocabulary words at me, assuring me that it is the right word to use =P

No, vest is probably right, it just doesn't really conjure up thoughts of something this nice for me - I think 'Grandad' when I read/hear 'vest' and yours is most certainly not a 'Grandad' vest.

Hahaha, nope! Although it might have been a "Grandad" sweater =P
I think for me a tunic is like a short dress/long shirt and a vest is more something you would button, like this: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=387715.msg4587683#msg4587683 (although I called it waistcoat there hehe... words! what they do to us!)

[mouse123]

I like the length - looks nice and cozy!

Picked up a men's sweater at a thrift store for 10$ (I see people here who mention getting nice clothing items for 2-3$! Where do you find such thrift stores? =O )

I'm a bit of a thrift addict... My thrifting tips: avoid the big chains (Sally Ann or Value Village), unless they are having 50% off sales.  Try to find smaller church run thrift stores.  These often have daily specials that include 50% off certain colour price tags.  Where I live the MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) and Bibles for Missions are two of the larger church-run chains.  Other smaller stores, like those supporting local hospitals/hospices can be good too.  Also, suburbs have better pricing and selection than in the city.  Many of stores you cannot find on the internet, so you kinda have to develop an eye for spotting thrift stores while drivng/on the bus!  Finally, we're in garage saleing season!  Recently I've found garage saleing clothing to be pretty inexpensive.  Check out craigslist!   

whew, that ended up being long.  But hope it helps!

[Maraleopard]

cute! i love the collar (:

[Anyuta]

I like the length - looks nice and cozy!

Picked up a men's sweater at a thrift store for 10$ (I see people here who mention getting nice clothing items for 2-3$! Where do you find such thrift stores? =O )

I'm a bit of a thrift addict... My thrifting tips: avoid the big chains (Sally Ann or Value Village), unless they are having 50% off sales.  Try to find smaller church run thrift stores.  These often have daily specials that include 50% off certain colour price tags.  Where I live the MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) and Bibles for Missions are two of the larger church-run chains.  Other smaller stores, like those supporting local hospitals/hospices can be good too.  Also, suburbs have better pricing and selection than in the city.  Many of stores you cannot find on the internet, so you kinda have to develop an eye for spotting thrift stores while drivng/on the bus!  Finally, we're in garage saleing season!  Recently I've found garage saleing clothing to be pretty inexpensive.  Check out craigslist!   

whew, that ended up being long.  But hope it helps!

Thanks! It does =)
Gotta explore more and bike around all those garage sales!

[puchy]

Beautiful, it looks great. I congratulate you.