Simple Summer Cardigan

Why do summer cardigans have to be so expensive? Even at Old Navy, they range from $20 to $25, and that's just too much for me to spend!

Happily, I love thrifting. Not just for the thrill of the bargains, but also for the idea of re-purposing and recycling. I went to a local thrift store recently and lamented the lack of summery cardigans on the thrift store racks. Then, inspiration hit: why not make a super simple cardigan out of a lightweight cotton V-neck shirt? All I would need to do is make a cut down the center of the shirt and find a way to bind the edges so they wouldn't unravel.

For $4 each, I picked up some V-necks in summer-appropriate colors, like lemon yellow, cornflower blue, black, and white. Then I headed over to the fabric store to see what I could use for the edges. I wasn't quite sure it would all work out, but I figured it was worth a try! And guess what happened? Success!

This is how I started out; I just drew, then cut, a straight line from the bottom of the V to the hem:

 

Then, I used this bias tape ($2) in a matching color (you could also use a contrasting color, which would be super cute):

This is what the tape looks like, when it's opened up:

After you open the tape and trim the length, you cover the raw edges you have just cut into the shirt, like this (I left the tape a little longer, and then folded the extra length under, so the tape wouldn't have a raw edge, either):

 

Pin it in place, and sew it on (I know my pins are going the wrong way, but the fabrics were too thick to place them the correct way). Or, if you don't sew, use iron-on fusible web to secure it: 

The end result: a summer cardigan for $6! I also love that it's cotton instead of a heavier knit, because when it gets burning-hot in Vegas, cotton is much friendlier!

I may try to get fancy and add a button or an eye and hook later; for now, I'm happy with the open-front look that is trendy right now. Plus I'm super scared of making buttonholes!

DISCLAIMER/WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT: I really don't know how to sew. I can make a straight line, and that's seriously it! I had Home Ec in junior high school (remember that class?) and I must have goofed off when we were taught sewing, because I don't remember anything I learned that week. To overcome my sewing deficiency, I picked up a $99 sewing machine at Wal-Mart and read the manual. If that's too ambitious/expensive for your taste, you can accomplish just about the same results if you use the fusible web. Also, I'm allergic to ironing; I'd rather sew stuff together!