Your Best friend Knows What She's Talking About - The Sweater Dress

When your best friend tells you that an article of clothing you are considering buying isn't all that flattering, you should probably listen. Don't buy that piece of clothing! Did I listen? No, I'm stubborn. This is how I wound up bringing home this purple sweater dress from Goodwill sometime last year. (Yikes, as of 10 hours ago 2015 is last year! Where did it go? I didn't get near as much done as I wanted to!)

My best friend was right. This dress was cute, and would work great on plenty of other people, it just wasn't quite right for me. I never wore it. I love the idea of sweater dresses (thus I bought this one), but they never work out quite like I picture in my head. I should have listened to my best friend. Instead I was stubborn and this dress hung unworn in my closet. Finally I came up with an idea to make it wearable.

Lately I've been really wanting a long cardigan/open front sweatshirt type thing. A few days ago it hit me, I could turn the unworn sweater dress into a long cardigan! First I fixed the where the lattice looking design had come apart on the bodice.

A needle with some purple thread and that was done. Next, I cut it open down the front.

Then I needed to finish off those newly cut edges. After considering a few ideas I decided I wanted the edges to be bound with a contrasting fabric, something that would add some interest to the sweater. I found this long black velvet skirt my sister had outgrown. 

I cut it into 3 inch strips.

I sewed the strips of velvet together end to end, then folded them in half length-wise, and sewed the velvet to the unfinished sweater edges.

Then, just because, I sewed a row of decorative stitches along the edge of the velvet.

The velvet wasn't laying quite right at the neck, it kept flopping in ways I didn't want it to flop. So I sent some elastic through the velvet (which made a convenient casing) to hold the neckline/collar in place, and add a slight ruching effect.  

Finally, as a finishing touch I added a covered hook and eye at the waist.

 Then it was done! My unwearable sweater dress turned wearable cardigan was the perfect thing to wear New Years Eve, festive but comfortable!

So, moral of the story, when your best friend tells you something isn't the most flattering on you, believe her, you won't wear the garment. That is, unless you turn it into something else awesomely wearable first!

Happy New Year! Have an awesome, wonderful, and blessed 2016!