Mittens from Old Sweaters Cut, Sewn and Lined

02/02/2016 · Updated on: 13/03/2026

So I’ve shown you how to repurpose your old t-shirts by cutting them up into t-shirt yarn to make all sorts of rugs and blankets, but what about your old sweaters?

Well, when the cold comes around again your dainty little fingers are going to start numbing and freezing up.

So instead of tossing those old, highly unfashionable or shrunken sweaters, make mittens out of them!

DIY: Make Mittens from Sweaters in Minutes

Mittens from Old Sweaters Cut, Sewn and Lined hqdefault

You will need:

A wool sweater – 100% wool is the best, otherwise it needs to be at least 80%
Marker
Scissors
10 straight pins
Sewing needle
Embroidery floss, buttons, ribbon or whatever you want to use for decoration

There’s an important step that is not included in the video and that’s felting the wool.

This is done by putting the sweater in a pillowcase or a mesh laundry bag (so you don’t get fuzz balls all over your machine) and washing it on a warm-water cycle, then drying it on high heat.

This process shrinks the fibers which will thicken the wool to make it warmer and less likely to fray or fall apart when cut.

Debra Larson

Debra Larson has spent the last twenty years fixing up an old house in Minnesota, one room at a time. Gardening fills her summers, and the long winters are for crafts and Christmas decorating. She has been writing for Decorating HQ since 2015 and still gets far too excited about a good flea market find.