Just Add Lace To It!

Posted on November 8, 2011

Items you will need to liven up an old cardi!

May I present to you, my third “Fancy Feature”, Delightful DIYs! (and I will most likely stop with number three… unless I brainstorm something special, which makes me wonder – are you guys interested in any HTML/design tips at all?)  I strive to find ways to save money (because we BROKE, ya-hear!), but I often lust over pretty cardigans and sweaters such as ones from Anthropologie, but that’s just not going to happen. So my fix? Buy a $3.00 one from the thrift store, some gorgeous lace trim from the craft store and merge the two… and BAM, you have yourself a pretty and pricy-looking cardigan.

  1. Gather your supplies! 
    • Cardigan (surprise!).  Any ‘ol cardigan will do, in fact – the fun doesn’t stop here folks, add lace to your dresses, coats, skirts, socks… the list goes on and on! And put it to all together in one glorious lace-y outfit, har har… joking.
    • Lace. Use a measuring tape against your cardigan to gain a rough idea of how much lace you need, and get about a half yard more! Instead of lace, you could instead use ric rac, ruffles or even sequin trim.
    • Needle and thread
    • Scissors.
  2. Begin by envisioning where you’d like the lace to be. Lay the lace flat on the cardigan and position it according to your preference. I placed mine about 1.5″ from the edge, so that it didn’t conflict with the buttons. I bought plenty of lace so that I could attach it from the hem of the cardigan and around the neck to other other side, but you could easily use less simply by having the lace stop at the shoulders on both sides.
  3. You may want to pin the lace down as you stitch. Thread your needle and begin stitching from one end, working your way up and holding the fabric taunt between your thumb and index finger. I only “tacked” the lace, so that it could easily be removed for the wash (otherwise you will need to hand-wash your cardigan from here on out, which is up to you). Most importantly, you want the space between stitches to be smaller on the outsider than the stitches on the inside, so it doesn’t show. Trim the excess (and sew down the bottom edges).


And WAH-LA, you’re finished! SO simple (which is the best sort-of DIY for an inpatient person, such as myself). It really is an awesome way to spice up a boring piece of clothing. I am a muted-tone kind-of person, so don’t allow my choice in color pallet limit your creativity! I think the lace I chose also would have been gorgeous on a vibrant red or yellow cardigan. Just have fun with it!