This design idea came about as a result of The Blizzard of 2010. I was trapped at home for several days– nothing was open and there was no way to get anywhere even if the stores were up and running. I had been needing a baby gift for Justus and hadn’t found anything I really liked, so with nothing but time on my hands, I decided to makehim something. I don’t keep much sewing/crafting stuff around, but I do have one small bag of odds and ends to draw from. I also knew Tim had been wanting to get rid of some sweaters, so I had him go through his shelf and pull down what he didn’t need anymore– and Voila! the Baby Owl Sweater was born.
I used a blue crew-neck sweater with a small knit that was too large for Tim and started cutting down the middle of the front.
Then I cut the rest of the sweater down to size.
I wanted the inside seams to be finished looking so I first sewed the edges of the sweater with wrong sides together, flipped that inside out, and sewed with right sides together, creating a finished seam and making sure to leave space at the top as armholes.
Next I needed some finished looking “arms” so I cannibalized one of the original arms of the sweater, cutting off a length that looked about right for a baby’s arm….
….and then cutting that down the center, right in half, to form two “baby arms” out of one “adult arm.”
To get the arms ready to be sewn onto the body of the sweater, I cut their tops off in a half-moon shape so that they would hang from the body at an angle.
Using the same “finished edge” technique as I used to sew the body of the sweater together, I sewed the arm up the middle to create a tube.
I attached the arm tube to the sweater this way.
And here’s a closer look at how to do that.
Then the same thing on the other side.
To finish off the seams running up the center of the sweater, I sewed a piece of ribbon to the edge and turned it under (in other words, the ribbon is now on the inside of the sweater and doesn’t show on the outside.)
To finish the bottom edge, I first machine stitched a hem and then hand-sewed the base for looks.
The rest was the fun part– all the decorative work– making button holes and sewing on leather buttons, machine-stitching around an owl and branch for a whimsical touch, and hand-sewing the owls eyes.
Finished! This sweater was my first attempt and I kept it for Peabody. I made another one out of a yellow sweater of Tim’s (the more professional version) once I’d worked out the kinks in my original design, and that one went to Peabody’s cousin Justus.
I’m without words…..speechless…that is adorable and so..so..special!!! Erin, you always want to know my limits when it comes to Pink Pepper activities….the sweater is totally off the radar screen for me…..I could not BEGIN to accomplish that.
I might have to send you a collection of cashmere sweaters for you to doctor up!
When the sweater for Justus showed up on the front step (a yellow version of the one above) I was sure you had gotten it an Anthropologie! It is so cute, I think it will fit him at about 12 months, which is perfect because toddlers are more fun to dress than infants who are always bundled under blankets. Can’t wait to use it!!
Holy smokes! I’m so impressed, Erin. That is beautiful! Love it. Just Love it. Maybe you should sell them??
Thank you so much! I had fun doing it. And I feel kind of inspired all of a sudden to take on some other projects. Must be the “nesting” thing….
Super cute! I want to see pictures of the yellow one too. Also, wish I were more crafty…
Ok, so I’m feeling like I’m wasting my time knitting…. oh well, I will persevere one stitch at a time.
Very clever though!
Very cute! Meghan and I just chopped three cashmere sweaters to bits crafting bunnies. Maybe we should have made tiny sweaters first…
That is so cute! See the little baby face below your post? He told me he wants one of those sweaters.
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you never cease to amaze me with your craftiness.
i love it!
Wow, a snow storm never did that to me. Just love your blog.
Good Heavens! I just told Michael, “Some people are so crafty it just makes you sick!” In a nice green-with-envy-but-so-happy-SOME-People-are-creative-sort of way. Very impressive! :-)
Erin, You are such a blessing, to our family. If only Martha Stewart could be mentored by YOU. Since I am aware of you deep, deep affection for the domestic ICON, I plan to forward your Pink Pepper Blog directly to her. I can just see it now, lights, magazine offers,M.S. LIVING {of course} cameras, TV time, to which you will promptly reply “are you kidding , no way”. This is your additional gift, that of quietly setting about to release the creativity God has blessed you with in each day and wondering WHY? all the fuss. This is your normal routine on many days. Some of us are so maxed out that we do not remain quiet enough to step out of the “market place” to be who we were created to be. I can never forget the gentle way with which you pulled together a five star meal for me, at your home on Mother’s Day. I was so filled with awe that it brought tears to my eyes. This sweater project reminds me of the same WOW moment I experienced at your amazing Mother’s Day table. I could not believe my eyes. Is this really happening to me? Is this woman who has been given to my son for real? Yes, Erin, you are for real, kind of like the Velveteen Rabbit “for real”, jumping, leaping with legs and joy, blessing all that you touch. Grateful, I am, not just for snowy days but for YOU and your example to the rest of us. Carry on my dear. We can’t wait till tomorrow. Lovingly submitted.