Junky Styling refashion: UD-shrug

Instructions

Annika Sanders from Junky Styling shows how to make this stylish UD (or upside down) shrug from an old, pre-worn cardigan.

You will need:

  • 1 cardigan
  • scissors
  • sewing machine, overlocker or needle and thread
  • unpicker for seams
  • dress maker's dummy (optional)

Click on the links below for detailed instructions:

Step 1

Step 1

Take a cardigan. If you are doing this for the first time, you might want to use an old cardigan, in case you make mistakes.

Step 2

Step 2

Turn it upside down and drape it on a dress maker's dummy (or try it yourself). You will see that already it looks a bit like a shrug with a cowl neck.

Step 3

Step 3

If you want your finished UD-shrug to be sleeveless, cut the sleeves so that the seam remains attached to the garment. If you want your shrug to have sleeves, you will need to take care when unpicking. Be careful when you unpick the garment, as depending on how it's made, the knit might start to unravel. You can sew inside the edges before you cut to help stop this happening.

Step 4

Step 4

Drape the sleeveless cardigan upside down on a dress maker's dummy (or try it on yourself). Pinch the loose fabric at the front to form a triangle shape, wider at the sleeve and tapering off to the bottom. This will be your bust dart. To mark where you need the darts, turn the garment inside out.

Step 5

Step 5

Mark the bust darts using pins.

Step 6

Step 6

Stitch along the bust dart using a straight stitch. If you put the pins in at right angles to the line you will sew, you can stitch straight over them on a machine without removing the pins first.

Step 7

Step 7

The shrug will need symmetrical darts on both sides. You can take the measurement for the second dart from the dart you have just sewn. Pin and sew the second dart in place. Once you have created the darts on one side, you can then mirror them onto the other.

Step 8

Step 8

The finished UD-Shrug has ruches on the back, at the top (the bottom of the old cardigan). Fold over the fabric 2-3 times (depending on the length of the original cardigan) at one side of the back of the cardigan - about half way between the armhole and the centre back - and stitch in place. If you find the fabric too thick for your sewing mchine, you can hand stitch it.

Step 9

Step 9

Repeat the ruches on the other side of the back of the garment (between the other armhole and the centre back seam). If you find the fabric too thick for your sewing machine, you can hand stitch it.

Step 10

Step 10

Place the shrug back on the dress maker's dummy (or try it on yourself). The beauty of knitwear is that it can be manipulated and draped, even if you can't sew.

Step 11

Step 11

On the front of the garment you can use the original button holes, and move the buttons to appropriate places on your refashioned garment

Step 12

Step 12

Finally, if you would like the shrug to have sleeves, make sure you turn them round the right way up (which will be opposite way to how they were attached at the start)

Step 13

Step 13

Use the existing buttonholes, but move the buttons to suit the drape of the new garment

Download the full instructions

Download 'How to make a UD-shrug' (PDF file, 521 KB)

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