How to Turn a Pullover Into an Open-Front Cardigan
Have an old pullover you no longer wear? One careful cut down the front can turn it into a useful open-front cardigan.
For the easiest result, use a sweatshirt or a firm, tightly knit pullover.
Do not try this first on a loose, chunky, open-knit, hand-knitted, or valuable sweater. Those fabrics may unravel when the yarn loops are cut.
Here is how to cut and finish it properly.
Tools and materials:
- Old sweatshirt or firmly knit pullover
- Fabric scissors
- Washable fabric marker or tailor’s chalk
- Measuring tape
- Long ruler
- Sewing pins or clips
- Sewing machine
- Matching thread
- Extra-wide double-fold bias tape
- Piece of cardboard or cutting mat
- Iron
- Pressing cloth
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Table of contents
1. Pick the Pullover
Choose a sweatshirt or a pullover made from firm, closely knit fabric. The fabric should hold its shape when you lay it down.
Avoid sweaters with large stitches, gaps between the stitches, fluffy yarn, or loops that move when you pull them. These can unravel after cutting.
Wash and dry the pullover before you begin. This takes care of any shrinkage before the new edges are sewn.
2. Mark the Center
Lay the pullover flat with the front facing up. Smooth it gently without pulling the fabric.
Measure across the chest and mark the center. Make more center marks near the neckline, waist, and hem.
Use a ruler to connect the marks with one straight line from the center of the neckline to the center of the hem.
Measure once more before moving on. Both sides of the pullover should be the same width.
3. Secure the Fabric
Set the sewing machine to a short straight stitch.
Sew through the front layer only. Keep the back of the pullover pulled out of the way as you sew, so you don't stitch the front to the back.
Sew one line about ¼ inch to the left of the chalk line. Sew another line about ¼ inch to the right.
These stitches help hold a firm machine knit in place while you cut and bind it. They do not make a loose or chunky sweater safe to cut.
If the fabric stretches as you sew, test a narrow zigzag stitch on a hidden area and use that instead.
4. Protect the Back
Return the pullover to the table. Slide a piece of cardboard or a cutting mat inside it, between the front and back layers.
Smooth the front over the cardboard. Check that the back, sleeves, and side seams are away from the marked line.
This step helps prevent accidentally cutting through both sides of the pullover.
5. Cut One Line
Start at the center of the bottom band. Cut slowly along the marked line, between your two rows of stitching, until you reach the neckline.
Cut through the front layer only. Stop from time to time and check that the cardboard is still protecting the back.
Cut through the front section of the neckband at the end. Do not cut across the back of the collar.
LIVINGO Fabric Scissors 9.5" Professional Tailor Heavy Duty
6. Cover the Edges
Open a piece of extra-wide double-fold bias tape. One side of the tape is slightly wider than the other. Keep the wider side on the inside of the cardigan.
Slide one cut edge inside the fold so the raw fabric and both stitch lines are completely covered.
Fold under the top and bottom ends of the tape. Pin or clip it in place from the neckline to the hem.
Repeat on the other front edge.
Bias tape is a good choice here because it covers the cut fabric. A decorative woven ribbon can also be used, but it requires a different folding and sewing method.
7. Sew the Binding
Place one bound edge under the presser foot, with the narrower side of the tape facing up. Sew close to the open side of the tape so the stitching catches both the front and back of the tape.
Work slowly and do not stretch the pullover or the tape.
Check the underside after sewing the first few inches. If the back of the tape has not been caught, remove those stitches and try again.
Sew the other front edge in the same way.
8. Check the finish
Press the bound edges using the temperature listed on the pullover’s care label. Place a pressing cloth between the iron and any synthetic fabric.
Try on the cardigan and check that both sides hang evenly. If the binding lifts at the neckline or hem, secure the corner with a few hand stitches.
The finished cardigan is meant to stay open. Adding buttons, snaps, or a zipper would be a separate project because the new edges may not overlap.
Tips and Tricks
- Practice on an inexpensive sweatshirt first.
- Do not use loose, chunky, open-knit, or hand-knitted sweaters.
- Mark the center at several points before drawing the line.
- Put cardboard between the layers before cutting.
- Sew beside the line through the front layer only before making the cut.
- Use fabric scissors rather than household scissors.
- Cut slowly and check the back layer as you work.
- Do not pull the fabric while attaching the binding.
- Test your stitches on a hidden section first.
- Use a pressing cloth on synthetic fabric.
- Follow the temperature on the care label.
- Do not leave the new edges unfinished if you want the cardigan to last.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any sweater become a cardigan?
No. A sweatshirt or firm machine knit is the safest choice for this tutorial. Loose knitted fabric can unravel when its loops are cut.
Can I leave the edges raw?
Some sweatshirt fabrics do not fray like woven fabric, but the cut edges may still curl, stretch, shed, or look unfinished. Covering them with binding gives the opening a cleaner and stronger finish.
Is this really a one-cut project?
One vertical cut changes the pullover into an open-front shape. Securing and binding the edges are still needed to finish the garment properly.
Can I add buttons?
Possibly, but the cut edges may not overlap. Buttons and buttonholes need extra width and reinforcement, so they are not included in this tutorial.
Can I make it without a sewing machine?
You could sew it by hand with small, firm stitches, but it would take much longer. Fabric glue or fusible tape may not hold up as well through regular washing, so this version uses sewing.
How to Turn a Pullover Into an Open-Front Cardigan
Your old pullover is now an open-front cardigan you can layer over shirts and dresses.
The finished edges help it look neat and hold its shape.
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Comments
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don't like sweatshirts but love this idea!
Love it! Recently retired as an art teacher, I have an entire wardrobe of 3/4-length- sleeved sweatshirts worn as my "uniform" most of the school yr. No cuffs to drag in the paint, no big deal if I ruined one (had 2 of every color anyway :) ) I've not worn them since. I'm going to do this with my favorites to wear at home this winter with a T or a patterned blouse. Nice n' cozy change from the old as well as my present summer cotton dresses.