5 Removable Christmas Sweater Designs
Get festive without ruining your favorite sweater.
Karen Kavett
Sweater parties have become a staple of the holiday season, but you don’t have to buy an expensive new one or scour thrift stores. Just head to your closet! Turn a plain sweater festive in a flash with these quick and easy hacks from HGTV Handmade host Karen Kavett. By tacking or baste stitching materials on a sweater, you can add fun Christmas designs that are completely removable. Watch the video (Karen’s five creations are at the end) and read on for the how-tos.
Christmas Tassel Sweater
Karen Kavett
Materials Needed
- embroidery thread (red and green)
- embroidery needle
- scissors
To make a tassel, wrap embroidery thread around three fingers 20 times (Image 1). Cut the thread off from the spool and remove the cut bundle from your fingers. Cut a second, small piece of thread and tie it around the top of the bundle (Image 2). Cut the bottom of the loops and trim up any uneven ends (Image 3). Repeat for as many tassels as you need. To attach the tassels to the collar of your sweater, thread a needle through the tassel (top knot) and through your sweater (Image 4). Tie thread on the inside (Image 5). Repeat for as many tassels as you want to add to your sweater.
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Ho Ho Ho Sweater
Karen Kavett
Materials Needed
- felt (red and green)
- embroidery thread (red and green)
- embroidery needle
- scissors
Using scissors, cut three “H” letter shapes and three “O” letter shapes out of red felt (Image 1). Tack or baste stitch each letter onto the sweater using red embroidery thread (Image 2). Sew short stitches on the front and long stitches on the back so they are easy to remove after Christmas (Image 3 + 4). For an extra embellishment, cut holly leaf and berry shapes from green and red felt. Sew onto the sweater using the same embroidery thread (Image 5).
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Christmas Tree Elbow Patches
Karen Kavett
Materials Needed
- felt (green, yellow and brown)
- embroidery thread
- embroidery needle
- masking tape
- scissors
Put on your sweater and mark where your elbows hit the sleeves with tape (Image 1). Using scissors, cut a triangle from green felt. Fold in half and cut the felt piece edges to resemble a Christmas tree (Image 2). Pin this tree to a second piece of felt to cut an identical Christmas tree (Image 3). Cut a small star from yellow felt and a trunk shape from brown felt for each tree. Pin all pieces into place using the tape marks as a guide to center the design (Image 4). Baste stitch on the trees using embroidery thread. Tip: You might find it helpful to place a piece of cardboard in the sleeve while you sew so you don’t sew the sleeve closed.
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Snowman Sweater
Karen Kavett
Materials Needed
- felt (orange and felt)
- embroidery thread (orange and black)
- embroidery needle
- scissors
Using scissors, cut black felt into “coal” shapes for the snowman’s eyes and mouth; cut orange felt into a carrot nose-inspired shape (Image 2). Pin all felt pieces into place on the sweater (Image 3). Use black and orange embroidery thread to baste stitch the pieces to the sweater (Image 4).
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Christmas Tinsel Sweater
Karen Kavett
Materials Needed
- tinsel
- scissors
- embroidery
- thread
- embroidery needle
Cut a length of tinsel garland to fit around the neck of your sweater (Image 1). Using embroidery thread, sew the tinsel to your sweater with a simple tack or baste stitch method (Image 2). Repeat for the end of the sleeves (Image 3).
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
DIY Ugly Christmas Sweaters
Make an Ugly Christmas Sweater-Inspired Outfit
Go way beyond just an ugly Christmas sweater this year and craft a truly one-of-a-kind outfit that'll be the hit of the holidays.
Make Mini Ugly Christmas Sweater Ornaments
Your Christmas tree can also wear an ugly sweater with these adorable, tiny sweaters on dollhouse coathangers.
Make an Ugly Christmas Sweater for Your Dog
Learn how to turn a plain doggie sweater into a festive holiday coat.
