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A DIY homemade ugly Christmas sweater is a must-make this year! I know Christmas is largely about the food but it’s also the time to make your own ugly Christmas sweater and have plenty of laughs while doing it! A tacky Christmas sweater is one of those things you can have fun with and unleash your creativity. Learn how to decorate a sweater for a Christmas party using felt cut with scissors or Cricut.
Do you already have a tacky Christmas sweater? Even if you do, I guarantee it isn’t as cringey as a homemade version. If you aren’t feeling crafty, you can pick up an old sweater at thrift stores. Festive sweaters are a staple of the holiday season and if you are lucky you can wear it to holiday parties or even an ugly Christmas sweater party!
Let’s take a look at how easy this is to make and then you can work on your own and decorate a sweater for a Christmas party. Don’t forget to check out the matching DIY Handmade Christmas Mistletoe Headband. Head to the dollar store for some supplies and don’t forget the glue gun and hot glue. Ugly Christmas sweater ideas are easy to find inspiration. It could be from candy canes, ornaments, bows or mistletoe like this DIY ugly Christmas sweater.
What You Need to for a DIY Homemade Ugly Christmas Sweater
You are going to need to start off with a sweater in your size. It’s a good idea to use one you already have which you don’t wear much. It can be knit or fleece. If you happen to live somewhere warm, you can use a long- or short-sleeved T-shirt or similar. Don’t worry about spending a lot of money and if you can thrift it, even better! Your ugly Christmas sweater idea needs a sweater or sweatshirt as a base.
You will also need some green felt, pompoms, bows, fabric adhesive, a Cricut ugly sweater SVG file or PDF and some card.
- Knit or fleece sweater in your size
- Felt (I used 100% Polyester in these colours):
- Kelly Green 9”x12” – 8 sheets
- Pirate 9”x12” – 3 sheets
- Apple Green 9”x12” – 3 sheets
- ⅜ inch white pom poms
- 8 Red Bows or learn how to make a bow
- Transfer tape (optional. See FAQ’s)
- Wax paper (optional)
- Aleene’s Fabric Fusion Permanent Fabric Adhesive
- Mistletoe SVG / PDF
- Piece of cardboard
- Paper scissors sharp fabric scissors OR Cricut Maker
- Rotary Blade
- Standard Grip Mat* (see FAQ’s)
You will also need either sharp scissors or a Cricut maker. Don’t worry if you don’t have a Cricut maker because you have the option of using the Cricut ugly sweater SVG file or some scissors.
It’s easy to cut with scissors or Cricut, so you don’t need to invest in a machine to make your own ugly Christmas sweater!
How to Make this Tacky Christmas Sweater
The instructions for making this DIY homemade ugly Christmas sweater depends on whether you’re going to cut with scissors or Cricut. Using scissors? Then you can print the PDF below and cut it out. Put the large leaf on green felt and cut 8 of them. Repeat with the medium and small leaves.
Mistletoe PDF Template Download to use with Scissors
Using a Cricut machine? Then upload the SVG file below and make 8 copies on the standard mat. Now you can glue the leaves together – small on to medium on to large – and glue them on to your sweater. Finish with bows and pompoms and let your DIY homemade ugly Christmas sweater dry. Then all you have to do is wear it! Learning how to make an ugly Christmas sweater is easier than you would think.
Mistletoe SVG Template Download to use with Cricut
When to Wear a Tacky Christmas Sweater
If you’re going to make your own ugly Christmas sweater you might be wondering where to wear it. I’d say anytime in December is great! You can wash it between wears inside out using a gentle cycle. Don’t put it in the dryer! Lay it flat to dry instead.
Perhaps you want to decorate a sweater for a Christmas party. If so, this one is perfect. It’s far more fun to make a homemade ugly sweater than buying one. It will be unique and you can have plenty of fun assembling it.
Because you can cut with scissors or Cricut, you don’t need any special equipment either. Just head to your local craft store and you can pick up everything you are going to need to make it.
Another idea is of course to wear your DIY homemade ugly Christmas sweater on Christmas day itself! I guarantee everyone is going to be jealous of how great you look!
How to Use Fabric Glue
Maybe this isn’t the first time you’ve had to decorate a sweater for a Christmas party. In that case you’ll be familiar with fabric glue.
If not, it’s pretty easy to use. The best way to use this glue is to put a drop of it on to each felt leaf cut-out then press it firmly to the fabric.
It’s a good idea to use masking tape or pins to hold it in place until it’s set. You can use a blow dryer to speed up the process if you want, else just leave it until the glue is dry and the leaves are firmly attached.
More Options for Your Tacky Christmas Sweater
Since you’re going to make your own homemade Christmas sweater or tacky sweater, you can decorate it however you want. I used a green sweater to make mine but you can use white, red or any other colour. If you’re using a red sweater, then use white or green bows for contrast.
If you’re feeling creative you can add anything you can make from felt. Whether you use a Cricut ugly sweater SVG file or your imagination and scissors, the sky’s the limit. A Cricut Christmas sweater is so easy!
How about some bells, a reindeer or a gift? You can cut a square out to represent a gift then glue on some strands of ribbon so it looks like a wrapped Christmas present. Get creative and you can have the ugliest Christmas sweater at the holiday party this year.
DIY Homemade Ugly Christmas Sweater
DIY Homemade Ugly Christmas Sweater
Ingredients
Supplies / Materials:
- Knit or fleece sweater in your size
- Felt (I used 100% Polyester in these colours from Michael’s), Kelly Green 9”x12” 8 sheets, Pirate 9”x12” 3 sheets , Apple Green 9”x12” 3 sheets
- ⅜ inch white pom poms
- 8 Red Bows
- Transfer tape (optional)
- Wax Paper (optional)
- Aleene's Fabric Fusion Permanent Fabric Adhesive
- Mistletoe SVG / PDF , download at the bottom of the post
- Piece of cardboard
- Paper scissors sharp fabric scissors
- Cricut Maker (optional)
- Rotary Blade
- Standard Grip Mat
Instructions
Numbered Instructions: Sweater
- Prewash your sweater according to the label’s directions.
- Download the SVG or PDF template.
For scissors (PDF):
- Print out the PDF and using your paper scissors, cut along the pattern lines.
- Lay the biggest leaf onto the kelly green felt and using the sharp fabric scissors, cut out the leaves 8 times.
- Lay the medium leaf onto the pirate green and cut out the leaves 8 times.
- Lay the smallest leaf onto the apple green and cut out the leaves 8 times.
For the Cricut Maker:
- Upload the SVG file into Cricut Design Space.
- Click the “Make It” button.
- Under “Project Copies”, increase to 8 and click “Apply.”
- Depending on your felt sheet size, select the proper material size. We used 9”x12”.
- For material click “Browse” and search for “Felt.”
- Click “Edit Tools” and select “Rotary Blade.”
Sweater Construction:
- Take your cut felt pieces and using the fabric glue, glue the three different sizes together. Acting like a little bushel. From largest to smallest.
- Place the bushels around the sweater filling it up (or using less! It’s up to you!)
- Insert cardboard in between the sweater’s front and back (so it won’t leak fabric glue to the other side.)
- Glue your leaves to the sweater.
- Add pom poms as the berries to the leaves by gluing them as well.
- Let dry for as long as the glue’s instructions state.
- Party in your new sweater!
Notes
I’m sure you’ll have plenty of fun making this DIY homemade ugly Christmas sweater. Why not make it a family project? Get everyone a matching sweater, get the materials you’ll need, put on some Christmas music, and have a fun afternoon making them!
I can’t wait to hear about your ugly sweater idea that you bring to life into the best ugly holiday sweater ever! Good luck winning the ugly Christmas sweater contest and bringing all the Christmas spirit. This DIY Christmas sweater is so easy to make.
Other Christmas Ideas
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Oh my goodness I love this! Thanks for the idea!
This ugly Christmas sweater tutorial is so thorough, I can’t wait to make it and have it for all the holiday parties. Thank you!
I am an avid knitter and cannot imagine intentionally creating an ugly sweater. At the same time, I know that for some people the ugly Xmas sweater is a fun tradition.
I love your ideas! This sweater turned out so awesome.