Super Sweet, Super Easy Recycled Sweater "Mittens"

If your budget this holiday season is so compromised that DIY projects are looking pret-ty darn appealing to you (no matter how much time & energy you might have to invest in order to whip up your gift list from scratch), we're in the same boat.

Friends are telling me that handcrafting their own gifts this year is a first for them...and they're a little weary of what it's going to involve.

I'm not a crafty expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I've got to admit that I've learned a lot about the art of deconstructing, recycling and repurposing items just by looking over my sister's shoulder.

My number one lesson? You can turn just about anything that has seen better days (or is at least "out of style") into something brand spanking new, different, and actually pretty cool.

The other day, she showed me a pile of handmade mittens that she made for her endless array of girlfriends out of old wool sweaters.

I could have sworn that they were store bought, and the way that she spiffed them up with hand-sewn sequins, etc. made each one very original...definitely a gift that any girly-girl would fawn over.

For those who think OLD SWEATER + SWEAT EQUITY = NEW GIFT FOR ZERO DOLLARS...here's the actual online tutorial that sis followed (complete with pictures), courtesy of Dabbled and Dollar Store Crafts.

Project Materials:

• Felted sweater
• Scissors
• Sewing stuff (sewing machine & thread)
• Paper and pen

To Make Mitten Template:

Trace your hand (or your child's hand) on a piece of paper.

Add a seam allowance line about 1/2 inch around the outside of your traced area.

Place template on sweater and cut out two pieces for each hand.

Place pieces right sides together and sew around the edge. Be sure to reinforce the seam at the cuff of the mitten by backing your stitch up a bit.

Clip any excessive extra fabric (pay attention to the area near the thumb), and turn mitten right side out. Try on mitten to see if it works. If you need to, you can turn it back inside-out and adjust.

Smile because that was so simple and quick!