Instructions
- Step 1: Measure Take your measurements at the largest part of your chest, your waist, and the largest part of your hips.
- Step 2: Lay out sweater Lay the sweater on a flat surface. It should be long enough to wear as a mini dress.
- Step 3: Mark the sweater Use the chalk to mark a straight line across the chest, just below the collar. Make the line equal in length to half of your chest size. From each end of this line, mark an arc that goes inward at the waist, and extends outward to the bottom of the sweater.
- TIP: For example, if your chest measurement is 34 inches, draw a 17-inch line.
- Step 4: Fit Check the marks against your measurements, adding 1 to 2 inches. Hold the sweater up to your body, note where the marks are, and make adjustments.
- TIP: Use a well-fitting strapless dress from your wardrobe as a template.
- Step 5: Cut and pin Pin the front and back of the sweater together on the lines and cut half an inch outside the line for seams. Then turn the sweater inside out. Turn down the top of the dress about half an inch all the way around and pin it into place.
- Step 6: Stitch Stitch down the top seam along the edge with your sewing machine, removing the pins as you go. Then sew each of the side seams. Turn the sweater right-side in again.
- Step 7: Make shrug Cut each long sleeve at the shoulder. Fold the sweater shoulder-to-shoulder and pin it together at the back seams. Stitch this side together and cut a small oval-shaped opening in the front seams to make a matching shrug.
- FACT: In 2007, the world’s largest sweater, made in China, had a chest measurement of about 28 feet and was over 16 feet long.
You Will Need
- Your measurements
- A large sweater
- A flat work surface
- Dressmaker’s chalk
- A measuring tape
- Pins
- Scissors
- A sewing machine and thread
- A strapless dress (optional)
