Recycled Sweater to Ear Warmer - Tutorial

Have you seen the really cool knit (or crochet) ear warmers this winter?  I'm in love with them!  I attempted to knit one this week but I suck with increases.  My decreases were tolerable, but not so hot.  It wasn't what I was going for.  So, I decided to make one out of an old sweater I got at the thrift store for $1.95.  The best part of the project is that it only took me about 15-20 minutes.  Easy peasy!  That's my kind of project.

Meet my Friend, Anya, who is wearing my new creation!  Isn't she gorgeous?  The best model anyone could ask for... and... she has had four children and still looks drop dead gorgeous.  That's something to be proud of!  Thanks for modeling, Anya!  :)

Here is what I did.

The old sweater.

I cut down the seam of the cowl neck.

Then cut it off the sweater and lay it out.

I used the one I knitted as a pattern.  It's about an inch and a half wide at the ends, 4 inches wide in the center, and about 24 inches long.

I cut it out a bit wider than the one I knitted... about 2 inches on the ends and 5-6 inches in the center.

Run it through a zig zag stitch on your sewing machine.

When I put it on my head, it was a bit too long.  This is how much the ends overlapped when I put it on.

I put a button hole on one end.  Then I put it back on my head to see where the button needed to go.

I sewed on the button.  Here you can see how much extra there was.

I just cut it off and ran that edge back through the sewing machine.

Here it is finished.

The button is just not in the center of the back, which I ended up liking better anyway!  It gave it more interest.

You could make a flower out of the sweater too, if you wanted, but I liked it more simple.