Kara's Creative Place: Buttons, Needle, and Thread, Sweater Refashions

Fall is coming!

Today was the first day of school.

Labor Day is just around the corner!!

This means a few things.

1. I needed to stay busy on the first day of school so I didn't miss my kiddo.

2. I needed to go through my fall clothes to see what will work for this fall.

3. I need to make a list of all the other things I can thrift this weekend at the big Savers Sale to complete my fall looks!

First thing you must do before you thrift shop is shop in your own closet. See what you have and what you can rework, and what you want to get rid of. So I did!

I had two other sweaters I just didn't wear much last year. They needed something. I wasn't sure what, but I was not ready to toss them either.

I decided to try some button makeovers!

Here is my button stash. Most of which came from my grandmother.

Sweater #1

It has a high neckline. It is not a sweater that can be worn without the buttons buttoned. Yet the neckline is so high that you can not really wear a necklace with it either.

It is a cute length and a cute and interesting sleeve length and warm and cozy but boring!!

It needs some contrast and interest up top. The buttons, that blend in with the color of the sweater, HAD to go!

Just adding three different buttons makes it so much better!

I went with these little round woven leather buttons I found in my Grandma's stash.

Better? Yes! Now I just need some interesting bracelets, and a cup of hot chocolate to hold.

Never under-estimate the power of a button change!

Sweater #2

This next sweater didn't have buttons.

It tied on. It tied on the inside here.

And it used to tie on the outside here too with a string on the side.
but the string broke off.

I got it on a thrift trip last winter.
I maybe had it on twice before that string broke, but I was not my favorite sweater last year anyway so I was not in a hurry to fix it.

But now I have the time, and a plan!

Instead of a string I added a button to close the front.

I did just take it out of the sweater box so it does have a spot or two and wrinkles that need to come out, but that was not the only thing I thought it needed.

I liked it better already, but it just didn't look finished yet.

I cut off the ends of the tie on the inside. They were longer than they needed to be. I used them to make two more button loops.

And added two more buttons.

I think the three buttons give it a bit more interest, defines the waist of the sweater taking some attention off the chest area which was the focus before, which made me a bit uncomfortable at times.

The look of it reminds me more of a coat now, a bit more military in style without being overdone, which was very popular last fall, and I am sure the style will still be around a bit this fall as well. I just happened to be wearing the aqua top today, but I think it would look better with a dark green or plum shirt under for fall.