LULUSHION: February 2012

I am sure everyone has a sweater they will never wear again, but somehow it's so hard to part with. I for one have a whole drawer of them. They are mostly from my college years, and I think I went broke every time I bought one of them. So there is just no way I am going to just give them away. But the worst part is that they don't even fit me. I'd like to think that I'm still the same size--so I got some extra muscles and don't look like I'm twelve anymore--but some of these sweaters don't go past my belly button. I am not really sure how I even wore them then. But anyhow, take your sweaters out and get to it.

What you will need:

Old sweater [I used one of my cashmere raglan sleeved ones, in cream]
1 yard of jersey knit fabric [I used silk/wool blend heather gray 60" wide]
An overclock machine [life is much easier with it]
8" of organza [I used white silk organza, but any other thin fabric that can hold its shape will do]
Pattern [in small] [there is no pattern for the peplum. all you need is 8" high and 60" wide fabric]

Bodice:

Cut the sleeves off the sweater on the opposite side of where it's stitched. [Trust me it's much easier than trying to find the thread that holds it together, and cutting on the opposite side of the stitching will ensure it won't start running.]

Stitch together the front and the back on the sides and 1/2" where the neck meets.

Pin the sleeves to the shirt. Offset the sleeve a little, so you can cut it away the thick edge as it serges.

Finish the neck with pearl stitch for a nice clean edge.

Baste stitch together organza and knit. So it's one fabric.

Make 6 pleats on the front. 1 at each side seam and 2 on each princes line. Repeat exactly the same on the back. You will have a total of 12 pleats. Baste stitch the pleats. Pin the bodice to the peplum, making sure to align the center of the side pleats with side seam. Serge it together. Perl stitch the edge of the peplum for a clean finish [just like the neck].