Stichcraft & Scissory

Now, don't be alarmed, but in a moment you will see a picture of someone taking a pair of scissors to a cashmere jumper. I know, it's a little upsetting, but it's all going to be for the best.

When choosing things to wear, we often go for the Primani specials - cheap, on trend and made of the most heinous plastic fibers you can imagine. Weirdly it feels like a treat when we get home with a monstrous haul of bargain goods, our shopping glands well and truly satiated. But the reality is, they don't fit brilliantly, the material makes you sweat like a trucker (sorry truckers, I don't know if it's true, it's just a phrase I grew up with!) and you get rid of them within a year.

Why do that to yourself, when you can whip up a real treat, that you'll proudly keep, from something that's made of cashmere? If you can handle it (I have a friend that gets itchy just at the thought, this is sheer snobbery, suck it up!) head to a charity shop/thrift store/your Mother-in-Law's wardrobe and find something that is made from a beautiful material. Something that feels gorgeous, and is a genuine treat to wear.

Enter the cashmere jumper (this was my Mother-in-Law's), it has moth holes on the back, but the rest of it is still fine. With a bit of Stitchcraft & Scissory this can become a cosy pair of wrist warmers in an afternoon. Here's how:

You will need:
i. an old jumper with good sleeves
ii. needle and thread
iii. scissors

To make the wristwarmers:
i. Cut the sleeve off just about the elbow.

ii. Use the first sleeve as a template for the second sleeve.

iii. Turn it inside out and draw a line that fits the width of your hand - yes, you can just use a felt pen, the world will not end if you don't have tailors chalk

iii. Snip along that line leaving about 1cm for seam allowance

iv. Fold over the end that isn't ribbed, so that you have a nice, double layered section for your fingers. Hand stitch the edges together. It's a bit of a fiddle, but if you can tuck the edges under as you go, then you'll be hemming the material at the same time which will stop if from fraying.