How To Make An Ugly Christmas Sweater | DIY Project

Learn how to make your own ugly Christmas sweater with this easy DIY tutorial and put your old pullovers to good use!

RELATED: 12 Christmas Sweater Ideas You Can DIY On A Budget

In this article:

1. Make Your Own DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater and Save Cash 
2. DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater Supplies
3. DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater Instructions

DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater You Can Make for Under $10

Make Your Own DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater and Save Cash 

It’s sweater weather and Christmas is in the air! With the weather getting chillier, here’s another cool DIY project to get busy with.

It’s time to grab your old sweaters and make your own ugly Christmas sweater. It’s also fun and pretty easy to make in the comfort of your home.

It doesn’t have to be perfect, because after all, it is supposed to be ugly, right? This ugly sweater we will feature is not ugly at all, but fabulously cute and so charming.

It will cost you less than $10 you can make matching Christmas sweaters and even for the whole family! How’s that for cheap ugly Christmas sweaters?

Ugly sweater parties are a great idea for a fun yet festive celebration this holiday season. Unfortunately, buying a new ugly Christmas sweater can be too pricey.

So, why not learn how to make an ugly Christmas sweater for under $10? Check this tutorial!

DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater Supplies

• Christmas lights
• Some fabric
• Sweater (of course!)
• Felt material
• Small pompoms
• Scissors
• Marker
• Pencil
• Craft paper or regular paper (to draw your template on)
• Hot glue gun

DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater Instructions

Step 1. Make a Smaller Penguin Template

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To begin your cool ugly Christmas sweater, first, you need to trace your penguin template on a sheet of craft paper. Your penguin template should include an oval shape and an almost-S one so they would look like the hands of the penguins.

Next, fold the craft paper in half and trace your penguin template. Cut out and unfold, then use the template to cut out your contrasting fabric.

Step 2. Make a Bigger Penguin Template

Make a similar penguin template–this time a bigger one for your ugly sweater.

RELATED: Upcycle Your Ugly Christmas Sweater Into DIY Sweater Mittens

Step 3. Trace the Penguin on a White Cloth

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Next, transfer the penguin template on a white cloth. You’ll need two big ones for the mom and dad just like what’s shown on the picture above, and a small one for the baby penguin.

See the black oval shape? That’s for the penguin’s body. The lavender oval-shape cloth should be the baby penguin. That’s a happy penguin family you’re making!

Step 4. Create a Christmas Tree Shape

Now for the perfect Christmas feel, create a Christmas tree shape on a green felt. Don’t worry about making it perfect, it looks more fun with those imperfect shapes and edges.

You are going to attach some mini Christmas lights on it, which you can find at a hardware store.

Step 5. Assemble Penguin Family

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Now it’s time to lay the penguin family on the fabric. Look how cute it is turning out (not ‘ugly’ after all, huh?)

You can cut up tiny circles and triangles to complete their darling faces. You can also put the lights on your Christmas tree (this one’s bought for only $5).

When you’re satisfied with their places and how they look, just use a hot glue gun to attach them to the sweater.

Step 6. Add a Little Snow

How about some “snow” on our Christmas tree? Thread your needle and knot one loose end of the thread.

Start from the inside of the sweater, push the needle through the sweater and into the pompom. Go through the pompom and sweater several times until the pompom is firmly fastened into the sweater.

Knot the thread and cut it. Do the same with the rest of the pompoms.

Step 7. Add Some Charm

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For the final touches, attach some “scarves” around the penguins using a hot glue gun. A Santa hat on them would add some charm as well.

And there you have it! You’ve just made yourself a really cute and fun DIY ugly Christmas sweater perfect for the winter season.

Watch the video below by Ann of HGTV Handmade for the full tutorial:

While there are lots of ugly Christmas sweater ideas out there, this tutorial should cover the basics. Get your DIY game on and add any embellishment as you please to even make the ugliest Christmas sweater ever!

We hope you enjoyed this DIY project as much as we did. Cuddle up this cold winter season or hop up to an ugly Christmas sweater party wearing this cool holiday craft. Happy holiday crafting!

Are you ready to show off your new ugly Christmas sweater this year? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on December 15, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.