Most people get upset when they accidentally shrink a sweater in the washing machine. I, on the other hand, celebrate! The gorgeous, thick fabric from felted wool sweaters is one of my favorite materials to sew and craft with, and it’s also a great way to save money and the environment by repurposing. So today I’m sharing the 16 best felted sweater DIY tutorials for you to create with!
You might not be so “lucky” as to shrink your clothes by accident. I actually do it on purpose!
I collect 100% wool sweaters from friends and buy them used for next to nothing. Even if they have little holes or are hideously ugly, they will look great once they’ve been felted.
It’s really easy to felt wool sweaters in the washing machine. Basically, just throw similarly colored wool garments (they must be 100% wool) into the machine with the hottest and longest cycle possible. I suggest you read my tutorial on how to felt wool sweaters in the washing machine to learn all my tricks for perfect felting!
(Pssst! Before I share my favorite felted sweater DIY tutorials, make sure you click here to sign up for the Cucicucicoo Newsletter for access to dozens of free downloads, templates and patterns, including all the free ones mentioned below!)
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Felted sweater DIY tutorials:
How to sew a Felted Wool Pillow with leaf appliqué
The look of leaves combined with the texture of felted wool and autumn colors makes these felted wool pillows perfect for fall home decoration! There's also a free template for the leaf and vine applique design.
DIY Chair Felt Pads in 10 Seconds with Upcycling
No more chairs scraping the floor! All it takes are tiny scraps of felted wool, glue and 10 seconds to make these super fast DIY chair felt pads!
Sewing winter hats from old wool sweaters
If you're not a knitter or crocheter, you can still make snuggly hats. Try out various projects for sewing winter hats from your old wool sweaters. Some sweaters were felted, others were not.
Conversation Heart Valentine’s Day Keychain Sewing Tutorial
Who can resist these adorable conversation heart Valentine's Day keychains? They use up small scraps of pastel or white felted wool sweaters and can also be made without the attached keyring. Download the free pattern, including the embroidered messages!
How to Make DIY Vintage Tile Coasters (no scratch!)
I love tea time in the winter, especially with these unique DIY vintage tile coasters and trivet! Just add felted wool sweater pieces to the bottom of old tiles. These also make a great gift!
Easy and Free DIY No-Scratch Rock Doorstop
This project is similar to the previous one for coasters: add a piece of felted wool sweater to the bottom of a heavy brick or big flat rock for a super simple DIY no-scratch rock doorstop.
Cloth menstrual pads
Did you know that felted wool is waterproof? This makes it a wonderful ecosustainable alternative to vinyl or plastic waterproof fabrics. I love using felted wool sweater as a bottom waterproof layer in my reusable mama pads. It also helps keep them in place. Click to see my cloth menstrual pads pattern.
Wool dogs in tin mini beds
Download the free pattern for little wool dogs sewn from old felted wool sweaters. Then decorate Altoids tins for tiny beds! Kids love these!
8 Easy Homemade Recycled Cat Toys in under 5 Minutes!
The most simple of these 8 easy homemade recycled cat toys is just a scrap of felted wool sweater! My cats go crazy for them, much more than for any other toy!
Easy no sew felt snowflake ornaments from sweaters
No sewing required for these super easy felt snowflake ornaments! Cut scraps of white felted sweater into short strips, then fold and glue them to form these super pretty snowflakes! Hang them from the Christmas tree or string them up from the ceiling for a faux indoor snowfall!
Make a no sew felt poinsettia from felted sweaters
Use up little scraps of felted sweaters for this no sew felt poinsettia project! All you need is scissors, glue and the free downloadable template! Perfect for holiday decorations or for hanging on the Christmas tree!
DIY Snowflake Embroidered Felt Christmas Ornaments
These DIY snowflake embroidered felt Christmas ornaments are an instant classic! Download the free embroidery pattern for three simple designs to mix and match. The white or silver snowflakes are beautiful on circles of red felted wool.
DIY Felted Wool Sweater Stocking Pattern with Embroidery
An old red sweater is the perfect background fabric for pretty white embroidered snowflakes! Get the tutorial and free sewing pattern and embroidery pattern for this DIY felted wool sweater stocking for Christmas.
DIY felt Christmas tree ornaments for kids from repurposed sweaters
These are a super fun and easy project to make with your kids, and perfect for them to give to loved ones during the holidays! Download the template to cut out the felted wool Christmas tree ornament shapes and the children decorate them with ribbons, glitter glue, sequins or anything else that catches their eye!
Eco Sponges
Sew together squares of felted wool sweater and do some decorative stitching in the center to hold the layers together. Voilà... eco-friendly reusable sponges!
Wooly accessories from scraps
Get creative with scraps of wool sweaters! Here I show how to make leg warmers, arm warmers, a unique "drawn" choker and a headband from some accidentally felted wool clothes!
Don’t forget to sign up for the Cucicucicoo Newsletter here for access to dozens of free downloads, templates and patterns! The Newsletter is sent out every week with lots of great ideas and links to a different free sewing pattern every week!
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