Mend and Make Do: Repairing a Cashmere Sweater in Alabama Chanin Style With Reverse Applique

A simple way to repair a cashmere sweater. Here's how I did it...

Step 1: Get the Sweater That Needs Repair

Ah, cooler weather... time to change up the wardrobe. Well, I discovered something when unpacking my sweaters: HOLES! One of my favorites is a "cheapie" I bought a couple years ago at the Atlantic City NJ Old Navy Outlet. It is 100% cashmere, and I bought it on sale for under $10. It was so nice..... soft, warm, cozy.

What to do???? I set it aside, and found more sweaters that had small holes. So... inspiration time! I went onto my Sweater Surgery board on Pinterest and my Sweet Home Alabama Chanin board on Pinterest. Brain blast!!!!! Reverse applique coming up!!!

Step 2: Gather Supplies

I prowled the internet, and found this pattern for a Classic Play Wand by Katie Lewis, of  The Red Kitchen. She made a guest post on U Create With Kids. I thought that star pattern would be a perfect template for my sweater hole problem. I printed out that pattern and gathered my supplies:

Mark-B-Gone Marking Pen
Super-Sharp Scissors 5" long
Stitch Witchery Fusible Web
Fray Check
Darning Needle
Gray Embroidery Floss

Step 3: Mark Out the Shape and Cut It

I cut out the star, and traced it with the marking pen. This is what it looked like after I removed the pattern. The star covers the holes.

Here it is, with the star cut out.

Step 4: Prepare Patch

I placed that star on top of my "donor" grey cashmere sweater, and cut out a square of it that covered the star space.


Here's the square and the star after being cut out.


I grabbed my roll of fusible web. I cut the pieces of the fusible web, so that the strips go around the edges of the square.

Step 5: Apply Patch

I got a cool, damp cloth after flipped the patch onto the inside of the sweater, and steamed it on the "wool" setting.

Then, the same process on the outside.

Step 6: Embroider the Gray Star Outline to Complete the Reverse Applique

I applied Fray Check to the star cut-out outline. It's to reinforce the star by keeping it from fraying.

Then, I used a darning needle with a length of embroidery floss. I did not separate any of the strands, because I needed something durable for my embroidery. I embroidered around the outside of the star, in the style of Alabama Chanin. I really admire their work, but I can't afford it...

Step 7: Enjoy the Repaired Sweater

Here's what the repair looks like up close. It took two times embroidering around the border.

This is what it looks like on. It's back to be a soft, warm and cozy sweater, but now it has a funky new flair.