I’m in the midst of making four spring dresses for the girls. But as the weather is a bit unreliable in March (and who gets to choose when Easter is, anyway???), these spring dresses need sweaters or something to go with them. I wasn’t in the mood (or position) to purchase four new white cardigan sweaters, so I was excited when I found this stash of white long-sleeved t-shirts on clearance at Walmart on Saturday:

I was excited because I had an instant idea to turn them into cardigans that match the dresses I’m in the process of making by doing this:

In order to get something like this:

Yay for the cardigan hack! I’m two down, two to go. The other two are the same fabric pattern in two shades of blue.
Updated to add this: The girls wore their dresses today. Whew! Project completed.








Those are sooo cute! Way to get creative!
That is sooooo cute! I wish you could make one of those dresses and cardigans for PalmGirl!
Those are amazing. Maybe your best creations yet.
You are one talented woman! I am amazed.
And those dresses are SUPER CUTE!
Well, that does it. I just don’t think I can be your friend anymore.
Would it help if I showed you the picture I took of my craft table before I started the second cardigan today? I had to push everything to the side (and it was a big big big pile) in order to cut a 4″ strip of fabric. The table is 72″ long.
Clearly I’ve got a problem.
Oh, and we have some gals coming into town for Lou’s wedding this weekend who will be staying with us. This means I need to clear a path to the girls’ room where they will be sleeping. And change the sheets. And clean that room. And make the bathroom friend-friendly again (it’s a little too family-friendly right now…). Oh, and maybe mop the kitchen floor? Just a few things.
We can be friends. You come clean here and I’ll sew for you. Okay?
Deal.
Oh, Megan! Those dresses and cardigans are *super* cute! I love them! What pattern did you use for the dresses? Love the style and especially the fabrics you’re using…great job!
That has the be the cutest project I have seen all week – - and I have spent waaay to much time online this week!
I totally LOVE this idea and I will be doing it with my daughter’s easter dress this year!!
Okay- when you said you were making their dresses, I wasn’t sure, but I would buy those. VERY CUTE.
These are so cute, Megan. Please post pictures of the other 2 when you are finished!
So cute! Great idea on the cardigans. I can’t wait to see your girls in their Easter dresses!
Let me just say- YOU ARE AMAZING! Between your candels, the dresses and your little zip pocket things- YOU ARE AMAZING! Good job, Megan. You need to have a craft class at your house once a month- I would SO be there!
Dang! I just spent $14 for a white cardigan to go with Leah’s Easter dress. Maybe next year!
OH. MY. WORD. Please send some of your sewing vibes my way. I have none.
Wow. How cute. And what a great idea! I’ll keep this one in mind for someday. I hope when we have kids I’ll be sewing like this for them….
We’ll see.
These are awesome- dresses and sweaters. What a wonderful idea and how great that you can actually pull it off too. Yea!!
That cardigan idea is totally inspired. I could never find the right light-weight white cardigans when I was younger…those are precious!
These are SO cute and stylish, and practical, too! Way to think outside the box for a result that is so much better than a plain white cardigan.
You are one talented woman! Really is there anything you can’t do? I love the dresses.
Holy COW! You are amazing. I wish you were my mommy!
I am extremely impressed. You could sell those on Etsy or at craft shows.
I was thinking…for the less-crafty among us who might be intimidated by figuring out this step (http://www.flickr.com/photos/halfpinthouse/2329260454/) : you could probably just use some wide, nice-patterned ribbon for the same effect, right?
So, so smart!
Megan, My daughter and the craftiest girl I know.
Way-to-Go!!! If I were closer, I’d help you clean while you sew up a storm. Next year, lets get the material & patterns early, so you won’t be so busy burning the midnight oil.
Love ya, Mom
I must chime in with the crowd here. Great job! Those dresses are so so so so so cute. And the cardigans are awesome! You are definitely an outside-of-the-box thinker! Nice!
WHOA! Very very cute! I like that you’re doing variations on a theme for the girls, too…
I would love to have the skills to do that! They are gorgeous!
Adorable! I hope you don’t mind if I link from my blog.
I have a student with a very similar cardigan, but from a think sweatshirt–so cute!
Aren’t you clever?!
Great idea, Megan.
I found great deals at our Wal-Mart this week too.
Doing the cardigans like that is such a sweet idea! Thanks!!
I am stunned by your brilliance. Really, why don’t you move to MY area? I am really good at, um, creatively cleaning bathrooms.
Oh my goodness! Soooo smart!
Oh, I am so impressed with you!
Those look great. I am sure your children will be so proud to wear them.
I have made items similar to those with sweat shirts. I love the look. I often make a ‘sample’ quilt block and add it to the back and shoulders of a sweat shirt. It makes a plain jane item really special. Thanks for sharing. Roxie
This may be the most creative and cutest thing that I have ever seen. Amazing!!
You officially win my “crafty craft” award for the YEAR. Very, very cute.
THAT is absolutely precious!!! Thank you SO much!!!
Wow! What a great idea!
Erm, could you make ME an Easter dress, please? I currently have no dresses that are nursing-friendly, so any cool ideas for that (other than ye olde wrap top) would be much appreciated!
Congratulation! both of your blog, and this post are high ranked in
“The top blogs of the day” report
LOVE this!
43 comments. is that, like, a record or what? And you deserve it – what a great project. I’m having sewing envy too, now. I’ve got to get over this envy problem. *grin* Now, for my next project, Jesus and Satan costumes. *sigh*
here from LMS. Adorable solution!
we’ll still be wearing down jackets for Easter. Snowboots for Sunrise service…
deb meyers
Hand-me-downs for a friend next year??? Those are awesome.
I want to do this for myself, those are adorable! I just came over from Like Merchant Ships and I am so glad Meredith introduced us, can’t wait to see what else you have going on!
Have a great weekend.
Hooray, Megan! I love the patterns and colors you’ve chosen. Congrats on an awesome hack!!
49 comments! Are you feeling the love?
Adorable Megan! you are so talented! I love that cardigan idea. Very clever
These dresses with the creative cardigans are making me cry for joy—you’ve inspired me and made me wonder if I could make something so precious for my hard-to-fit 8yo dd. Bravo!
Good job.
I have done this with sweatshirts and it really pretties them up.
By the way, doing worry about your 72 inch table…when I am dollmaking I slide every fabric I am done with onto the floor and keep working. Pick can wait.
oops..I should preview what I write. I meant Pick up can wait. After all anyone can clean.
I left a comment earlier (and mis-typed by URL), but are you willing to share what pattern you used for the dresses also? They are darling!
Sure thing! The pattern is Butterick 3860; picked up on a day Buttericks were $1 each.
Thanks SO much for the pattern info!
Ummm. . . I’m sorry to report that this made me feel like quite the under-achiever. Yikes that was a cute idea.
the outfits came out very cute and the cardigan idea was extremely clever…as usual! m
Very cute!!!! That is a great idea.
Adorable idea! I love it. I’ll have to remember this.
Came here from Like Merchant Ships. LOVE LOVE LOVE this!! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this!!!
They look very sweet. Much nicer now!
Thanks!
Thanks for the compliments, everyone! It was nice to be affirmed.
Oh my goodness- soooo cute! I love the dresses and the cardigans!
Love, love, LOVE this idea!!!
awesome idea…i have some blank long sleeve tees that i never made anything with for my dd – this is a perfect idea for spring…im going to try using ribbon instead of fabric and see how that works too