Once upon a time, in a charity shop in a far away town, hung a pink jumper. It had lived in the shop for a few long weeks. Often people would hold it up, but each time they would shake their heads and it would be put back on the rack, only to see its more snazzy companions being carried away.
One day, a crafter entered the shop. Her mission was to find 100% wool jumpers to shrink and make into toys. Many jumpers shrank away from her, as they sensed the scissors that she wielded. The little pink jumper did not. The pink jumper pushed its woolly self forward and it was noticed.
Now the crafter took pity on the jumper. The colour and the softness melted the heart of the crafter and she decided to take the neglected article for herself. Over the next two years, despite numerous attempts the pink jumper would not flatter. It made the crafter feel decades older and refused to be worn. One day in a fit of decluttering, the crafter threw the jumper into the washing machine to shrink it. But the jumper would not shrink.
So the crafter started snipping.
She snipped and snipped, even more than she had expected, in the hope of finding something hidden.
Soon there were many pieces on the floor. The children of the crafter appeared, one by one, and mumbled between themselves. None daring to ask their mother what she was doing. Finally the snipping stopped.
The crafter searched in her trimming box and found the perfect colour pompom trim. To the bewilderment of her children, she danced a stash busting dance. Using her trusty sewing machine, the crafter attached the trim. Where the ribbing had been cut away, the crafter added a lettuce leaf edging. Oh how it was transforming. The crafter held the little jumper up and tried in on. The edging worked and the pompoms were fun, but the neck still harped back to the old jumper. Again the scissors were released to wreak havoc. More sewing, until…..
The cardigan was complete! (except for some strategic ironing.) The little cardigan, as it was now called, was so happy. It flattered the crafter and no longer made her feel old. The children hugged their mother and found the cardigan soft.
Everyone lived happily ever after.
The end.
Well not quite. I’m linking up to 1st Unique Gifts – Handmade Monday and Creative Jewish Mom’s Craft Schooling Sunday
I love a happy ending………..great recycling, up-cycling, re-purposing, re-modelling………never know what to call it these days, but a fantastic job Cheryl, the cardi is fab. x
No, I’m not sure what to call it either. Probably a bit of everything. I won’t be hiding the cardi at the back of my draw anymore!
I love upcycled clothing and loving you new cardi especially the trim.
Anne xx
Oh thanks Anne. Very satisfying to finish this one. Beautiful wool, but just hopeless for me to wear. Now it going to get some use.
A lovely story with such a happy ending and a good result
Well done – it looks fabulous. It looks so different. Hope you have a good week.
What a lovely, happy story (love the stash-busting dance bit!) and a lovely cardi to boot. Well done 🙂
How clever of you, it looks great now!
Brilliant (and funny too). 🙂
Great job on the sweater, you have breathed new life into it 🙂
What a fantastic story….so well written!! I love what you’ve done with the little jumper it’s gorgeous!! S x
Great job, love the bobbles. Happy ending for everyone!
Who would ave thought it?
I love your method of story telling and the way you gave new life to an old jumper. I always buy clothes from charity shops as the material is really useful for making covered buttons and cushion covers at a snippet of the price of new fabric and the money goes to charity so it is guilt free shopping 🙂
I’m another charity shop fan. It’s funny that when you don’t want something to shrink, it will and when you want it to, it doesn’t. Oh well, a new cardi was born. Well done
Jan 😀
what a lovely finished new cardi! Love the bobbles! Mich x
What a lovely little story and a fab cardigan at the end! x
Great job on the up cycle! Plus it got to fulfil it’s jumper made cardi destiny 🙂
What a great story, I love it when everyone lives happily ever after. Reminds me of the ugly duckling turning into a beautiful swan. x
Great vision and determination.
Love your story telling – good to know the jumper lived happily ever after and was loved 😀
Well, I have to say I LOVE this. I have been trying to do things with old sweaters myself, made a kind of sad pillow, a not very pretty stuffed snake (which is loved by my son’s step son, ugly tho it is) and have other plans, so I was quite happy to read your adventure. And you made it entertaining too! Good job! 🙂 Going to share this one. 🙂
I love upcycling and a happy ending! I am glad you didn;t give up on the poor pink jumper!! 😛
so cute, just love those pom poms! thanks for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!