“Oh no, it’s ruined!” I wailed from the utility room. “What is?” asked Mr M proceeding with caution as he approached both me and the washing machine. “My beautiful cashmere jumper! I set the machine to hand wash, someone must have changed the programme, was it you?” I questioned staring at him crossly. Apparently it wasn’t, nor was it Master M who hastily exited with the dog in tow. Join me this week as I show you how to make a pair of DIY cashmere wrist warmers from one beautifully soft cashmere jumper after it met its demise in the hot wash cycle…
I had always wanted to try my hand at fashioning a pair of cashmere wrist warmers. Every time I visited the charity shop to purchase a second-hand jumper for such a craft, I just couldn’t bring myself to take it home and boil wash the life out of it. Seemingly fate had other ideas one Saturday morning as I caught up on overdue chores. More haste less speed my dear Grandmother would have said as I multitasked in the utility room to my peril.
To make your own homemade wrist warmers you will first need to do much the same to your gorgeous jumper as I did to mine and if you are not sure how to go about this or the material composition needed for this project, Pinterest and Google are as good a place as anywhere to begin your research. You can ruin a perfectly delightful pure new wool jumper in much the same manner to make a pair too if you prefer. There are no photos of the whole shrunken jumper since I hacked at it rather unceremoniously until I ended up with two sleeves cut to the length I wanted. No rules here, determine your own wrist warmer length to suit your need.
Next I spent a happy while looking through a tin of notions and treasures choosing the ideal adornments. This fabulous tin and its contents were a Christmas gift from my dear IRL friend Helen @home_to_roost who knows me too well. Helen is also the clever lady behind @the_cornstore_emporium which I recommend you take a trip to if you can, once we are allowed back out again. Complete with a fabulous coffee shop offering delicious cakes and lunches and all set in the rolling West Sussex countryside, The Cornstore Emporium is the perfect destination shopping experience if you’re not a local. I shall be first in line when the doors are open again. Spoiled for choice I selected several pretty trinkets…
And then I set to truffling through my sewing box locating tonal threads and cottons…
I established whereabouts my thumb would poke through the wrist warmers and using my thread unpicker, I created a small hole. Blanket stitch in a darning wool I picked up from a haberdashery some time ago, adds an attractive reinforcement.
At the newly cut opening of the wrist warmer, I turned the fabric under by about half a centimetre and used a naïve cross stitch to hold in place. And at the other end of the homemade wrist warmers where my fingers poke through, I added a small length of vintage ribbon, held safely in place by a series of tiny securing stitches. You could machine stitch this with a zig zag maybe or take more time with a beautiful decorative hand stitch should you wish.
I had a tiny off cut of delicate lace just big enough to cut in two and attach to the top of each cashmere wrist warmer, again with securing stitch and then I topped with this gorgeous aqua button fastened as I was taught here. Keep in mind not to add too much bulk with your add-ons. If like me your hands are often added to pockets, you don’t want to inadvertently tear gorgeous lace nor lose vintage treasures. Similarly, I gave consideration to ensuring the few pretties I had selected were held tightly in place, by adding a few additional secure stitches for good measure.
Repeat for the second one et voila…
I could not be happier with my homemade cashmere wrist warmers which shall be worn in and around the home during these colder months. Even though we are the proud owners of fabulous new doors and windows, there are still a few gaping holes waiting for attention where the north wind doth blow and my hands are always cold. Warm heart though; apparently. Until next week…x
I’ve just read your blog Helen and all I can say is WOW!! You never cease to amaze me with your clever ideas. What a shame your cashmere jumper got ruined but what a clever way of bringing it back to life, so to speak. The wrist warmers you created are simply gorgeous. Genius! Xx
Aah you are too kind to me my friend! I am in love with these and I know too you suffer from cold hands. Maybe time to shrink a jumper yourself and get stitching!x
clever girl! and so pretty! i love the idea of the kiss stitch….. whoever called it cross stitch to start with?! xxxx
Thank you Sara and yes I agree, why refer to it as a grumpy stitch when of course it is a kiss!x
You’re posts are sooo adorable!!! I like your wrist warmers…sad you had to give up your jumper, now you’ll need a new one!!🙂🙃🙂
Thank you Wendy, that is so lovely to know! I was quite miffed at the demise of the jumper and yes, top of my list to be replaced, however I think there may still be some more cosy crafts to come from this shrunken one too! Keep watching x
They look absolutely gorgeous Helen, I’ve been wanting a pair like these for a while, I need to make it happen!!!! Xxx
Thank you so much Ruth I’m so pleased you like them too, they are so warm and cosy and for someone whose hands are permanently cold, a must for a winter in the home!x
Oh Helen, I have a cashmere jumper that has gone through the same unfortunate faith as yours. Luckily I couldn’t part from it and it still lingers in the dressing. This is such a wonderful idea and I will be giving it a try over the weekend. Thank you for your wonderful inspiration.
Sending love,
Nanhe xx
I wonder if your heart sunk as mine did when I saw the washed result Nanhe. I cannot wait to see how your reinvention will look! And then I imagine you drinking coffee in your marshlands cosy in your wrist warmers, I hope you’ll think of sharing a photo perhaps? How exciting!!x
This also sounds like a great idea for a moth-ravaged sweater as well. Did you just do a binding stitch on the cut end? As someone who’s always cold, this looks like a great idea, and so prettily presented as always.
Cheers!
Mary Katherine
My ‘kiss’ stitch secures the wrist end and the finger end is in fact the wrist of the original jumper, so a good finish to work with. They’re holding up well too Mary Katherine, I haven’t taken them off yet since I am permanently cold. A moth ravaged jumper sounds just perfect, I hope we might see if you do make your own!x
These are sooo pretty! I know I have seen them but I didn’t know the story behind and it made me laugh!!! Beautiful as always Mum xxxxxxxx
aww thank you sweetheart, a drama resolved although I did love the jumper too!x
Oh they are just lovely Helen! I particularly love the little cross stitch (or kiss stitch!) at the bottom cuff. I will have to wait until a jumper accidentally meets this demise, as like you, I’ve never been able to do it on purpose!!
I’m so pleased you like them Jessica, I thought you might! I love ‘kiss stitch’ so much happier than a cross one! Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead1x
Aww Helen Thankyou so much for your kind mention, and I’m so thrilled that you love your little gift, As you said , I knew you would! I’m now kicking myself about all of the jumpers that I’ve ruined over the years that I could have made into wrist warmers. What a fabulous idea! As a girl who loved the 80 s a wrist warmer takes me back to those fun filled days of my youth although they were in luminous colours in those days. As a chilly mortal I will definitely be making myself some of these. On another note if you hear of any one needing a place to sell their vintage & new haberdashery items I’d love to get a seller doing that at The Cornstore Emporium!
My absolute pleasure Helen, how lucky was I to receive such a thoughtful gift? I’ll certainly keep my ears open for such a seller. I recall those funky wrist and matching leg warmers too!! What were we thinking?! Mr M had a very worried look on his face as I eyed up the wash bin recently and spotted an old wool jumper I feel sure he never wears!! Happy week ahead my lovely and thank you for your lovely message x