How to Make a Side Bow Sweater (and 3 More Upcycles to Freshen Up Your Closet)

You can make a cute side bow sweater from an old piece you already have!

Spring is here, and it’s time to refresh your wardrobe! Why not start in your own closet before heading to a store? Take inventory of what you already have and make a plan.

Noelle Olpin shared how you can change up what you already have to individualize and breathe new life into your wardrobe.

Creative Ways To Upcycle Your Clothing

By Noelle Olpin

These days it’s all about upcycling –  taking what you currently possess and changing it to something that shows your personal style.

This is a project that is easy, fast, and bound to catch the eye. Let’s add a little bit of flair to a sweatshirt that I haven’t worn in a while.

This project can be done in under 30 minutes with basic sewing skills. All you need is a sweatshirt or other shirt and a little bit of biased tape or ribbon.

You can buy bias tape at the store ready to go, or make it yourself with any fabric that you choose. You can also use ribbon, at least 2 inches wide or so, although keep in mind, ribbon might be slightly harder to work with.

Side Bow Upcycle Intstructions

1. Cut the fabric you choose for the bow about three inches wide. Then fold over lengthwise and iron. Then fold both raw edges all of the way to the inside fold and iron again.
2. Make a cut on the side of the sweatshirt (or wherever you would like to place the bow), place the trim over the edge, and after folding in the raw ends, sew into place about 1/8 of an inch from the edge of the trim.
3. Then cut three other pieces of the trim, two will be the loops of the bow and one will be the center of the bow. You fold the bow loops however you like them and sew them in place along the edges, tucking in the raw edges where needed.
4. Sew the center of the bow piece in very last. T
5. That’s it you are finished, turning your basic boring old sweatshirt into a cute, girly, fun new look.

Take another look at the clothes you already have in your closet and think about reinventing and freshening them up. Here are a few other simple upcycling ideas for goods you may want to still wear, but maybe just change a little bit.

Visible Mending

These days it’s all about visible mending. Instead of trying to hide a tear and repair, a hole in a sweater, you wear that obvious repair with pride. Call attention to it like a badge of honor.

1. Holes in a sweater? Patch it with something eye catching.
2. Holes in jeans? Use upcycled linen napkins already embroidered and ready to go as patches. They will take your favorite pants up a notch to a customized and bespoke look.
3. Maybe you cut something off, a pair of jeans or a shirt, still love it, but want to change the look again. Sew on another shirt base on or extend the length of your jeans back out.
4. When items are beyond repair, or the style is lacking, they can be made into something new, beautiful, and extremely useful with a hint and a nod toward the original article.

There is so much inspiration out there. Take a look around, kick into the creative mode, and see where you can grab a new look with what you already have.

To see Noelle’s work, along with other local artisans, visit the Beehive Bazaar, April 29-May 3, and May 6-10. The Boulevard – 1555 N Freedom Blvd, Provo.

You can also find Noelle on Instagram @noelleodesigns.