Granny Square Sweater Tutorial - Using a Thrifted Blanket

Here is a trend to watch: the granny square sweater. When I saw this colorful blanket in the lonely aisles of a thrift store – i knew that it belonged in my arsenal. I love the way the intricate technicolor threads weave together to create an eye catching garment with a flash of vintage flair. These beauties take HOURS to make – which is why when I see a tattered blanket in the thrift store my heart just melts. I know that cutting into it will be its second purpose, and in a way, it will be restored to its former beauty.

All of you just loved this tutorial on a colorful granny square cardigan, which is why I’m sharing a similar tutorial that uses the unused bits of the blanket. This way, nothing goes to waste!

To check out my previous post and get more granny square ideas – click here.

For this post, you’ll need a few things – all which you can pick up from your closet or a local thrift store:

Materials for Granny Square Sweater

Knit Sweater with long sleeves

Granny square blanket (or ~ 8 Squares)

Sewing Machine

Instructions

I chose a knit weave for this project. I find that looser knit (bigger hole) sweaters are much harder to sew together. So, using a smaller knit will work best for this project.

There are multiple ways you can create this look – and none of the them are wrong! Basically, you can complete this vintage look with whatever method makes you most comfortable. The way I completed this project is the most advanced method. This includes cutting into the sweater and sewing the granny square in – this creates a sheer shoulder look. However, sewing the squares on top of the garment works just as well – you just wont have that peek-a-boo look.

Cut out a piece of granny square blanket to fit down the length of the sleeve. Each blanket is unique, mine is about 4 squares to the end of the sleeve.

Next cut from the top of the shoulder from the bottom of the sleeve. I also removed ~1-2 inches from each side of each slit in order to compensate for the fabric I would be sewing in.

Flip garment inside out. Pin and sew up both sleeves. I then sewed across the shoulder line in the inside of the garment to secure the top.

*If you do not feel comfortable with this technique, gluing using fabric glue also works wonders. I recommend Beacon Fabric Glue*

These are for Pinterest. Do you follow me there? It’s where I keep my best ideas.