A neighbor knitted the most beautiful pink alpaca sweater vest for my babe when she was first born. She can actually still wear it a year later, but it is very tight! I like sweater vests and I thought they seemed pretty simple to sew, so I was trying to think of what scrap material I have to make one. I remembered that I had this cream cashmere fringed scarf in the scrap bin because I knew that one day I could make something out of it. As is, it just isn't my style.
So I used the knitted vest as a template and cut mine just a bit bigger. Since the fringe was on both ends of the scarf, I didn't have to cut a bottom edge. I sewed the one side and neck piece shut and then put buttons on the other side and neck piece, following the other vest's pattern. I had to sew the button holes by hand since I don't know how to do that on the sewing machine yet and I didn't want to fart around with figuring it out. (I am an impatient crafter. If I want to do something, I want to do it NOW. I am aware this tendency can cause things to look half-assed.)
I had just received some cute buttons as a gift and had 4 matching ones - just what I needed! It is not the cleanest or most attractive sewing job, but it fits, a button hasn't popped off yet, it will help keep my babe warm, and I LOVE the fringe on my little hippie babe!
And the best part is that it was FREE!