Convert Your Leotard - Handy Upcycle Project

What to do when it's 4 degrees out and you have only a pile of camisole leotards?  Convert a camisole leotard into a long sleeve leo by upcycling a sweater that has a pull or run in it.

1.  FInd a sweater you are no longer using as a sweater due to a pull or run in the body (or other reason, like lots of holiday designs on the front).

2.  Carfully remove the sleeve along the seam line at the shoulder.  This works best with a sweater that has normal inset sleeves (the sleeve sits neatly in the armhole of the body).  Some sweaters have a serged or finished edge at the sleeve / armhole - if yours does, preserving that serging will cut down on unravelling later.

3.  Turn the leotard inside out and sew the top of the sleeve into the strap of the leotard.  If your edges look like they are going to unravel, double your thread and use a blanket stitch over the edge and a back stitch about 1/8 - 1/4 inch down.  Using a fray check type product in this area could be very irritating as it makes the edge of the fabric a bit stiff and scratchy.  If the edge is serged or otherwise securely finished, an overhand stitch usually works fine.

4.  Repeat on the second side and turn your sweater back to rightside out.  Enjoy !