Make a Sweater Tree

Make a Sweater Tree

Make a Sweater Christmas Tree out of an old sweater, a perfect piece to add texture to your holiday decor.

Make a Sweater Tree - easy tutorial

 

This sweater Christmas tree is a project I fully intended to do last year, but I just couldn’t make it happen before Christmas and then lost motivation after the holidays were over. I’m excited to add this to my holiday decorations this year!

I originally decided to make a Christmas tree out of a knit sweater last year after seeing some at Target that I thought were adorable, but I didn’t want to pay $24.99 for one.

Target Sweater Tree

I picked up a paper mache cone at Target and a sweater on clearance at TJMaxx for $7. I bought an XL so that I could use it for several projects.

Supplies:

  • Paper mache cone
  • Knit Sweater
  • Matching thread (if you’re sewing)
  • Glue gun/sticks

I did a little eyeballing of my sweater and realized I could use one arm for the tree and save the body of the sweater for another project.

First I cut off the arm. and then cut off the seams and cuff. Then I laid my cone out on the arm to figure out how to wrap it to best cover the cone.

sweater tree - cut sleevesweater tree - fit sleeve

Then I turned my sweater inside out and pinned it around the cone where I wanted to sew the seam. I did not trim the excess sweater at this point, I decided to wait until after I was done sewing. Next I removed the cone from my sweater and stitched the seam using a zig-zag stitch.

sweater tree - pin sweater for sewingsweater tree -sew seam

Once I had sewn along the whole length of my pins, I tried the sweater on the cone, still inside out. Then I trimmed the excess material along the seam, leaving about a half inch seam allowance. Next I turned my sweater right side out and put it back on the cone.

sweater tree - try onsweater tree - turn right side out

I trimmed the bottom of the sweater a little bit to make it more even all the way around. With my glue gun ready to go I glued down the edge of the sweater to the inside of the cone, working in small sections at a time. Holding for about 5 seconds in each spot.

sweater tree - glue endssweater tree - glue ends

Once it’s all glued, you’re done!

sweater tree - glued bottomSweater tree - upcycle an old sweater into a cozy holiday decoration.

In the picture, you can see the paper mache cone through the knit of the sweater, but that’s only because of my flash, in person you can’t see it.

I have several trees that are the same cone shape but made of different materials. I can’t wait to add this sweater tree to my collection when I get all my Christmas decorations out after Thanksgiving.  I’ve got a few sweater crafts in the works for the next few weeks and if this one is any indication, I’ll love them all! I live in sweaters all winter long, so why shouldn’t my home!?

 

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