I love me some legwarmers. As a yoga teacher teaching in winter, they are essential. They have truly changed my outlook on the cold weather (which I hate). Okay, maybe not changed fully (as I still hate it) but perhaps just brightened it. Legwarmers make the winter so much more tolerable, especially when you wear them around the clock. What I love even more than legwarmers is creativity and craftiness, so yesterday was a good day when I got to combine all 3 of those loves to create these:
My husband, whom I also love, shrunk this sweater that my sweet sister gave to me. It's sweater shrinking #3, but hey..who's counting? So instead of sending it to my 8 and 6 1/2 year old nieces (like the others), I decided to re-purpose it into legwarmers and a sweater purse. The tutorial for the purse can be found here. I'm still working on completing the purse, but the legwarmers, made from the sweater sleeves, are complete and took no time at all!
Let me just say, I do not sew. My skills are based on 7th grade home ec, a few lessons from Girl Scouts, and my mom. I don't own a sewing machine (although I REALLY want one and I want to learn how to use it for REAL). Anyway, even a newbie with no skills can do this project. I just used a whip stitch (I think?) to give it a real home-made vibe (since ahem, it is..). Chances are, it might completely unravel after 2 wears, but for today, I am proud of my leg warmers. The Pippi Longstocking style makes me smile.
Here's a pic of the purse in progress. Still needs to be sewn, but I may actually use my Mom's sewing machine for this one (so it will actually stay sewn and so I can reinforce the handles).
Boy I remember the old days (when you were younger) when you wouldn't wear the leg warmers I had (and still have in the closet). However, yours are "colorful" and I can't believe how you recycled something and made it great. RETRO is definitely in!
Posted by: mom | February 26, 2009 at 07:53 PM
I loooooooooove it!! I can't believe he shrunk that sweater! We need to get Jared some laundry lessons. What a good use of something that got "ruined." I am totally inspired to make that bag.
Posted by: elisha | February 26, 2009 at 01:22 PM
Ohmigosh! I love the leg warmers. They are perfect. And, the bag is lovely, too.
Posted by: babs | February 26, 2009 at 01:15 PM