27 Easy DIY Christmas Sweater Ideas for 2024

The approach of the holiday season means it’s time to break out the DIY Christmas sweater. This fun way to get festive will put your love of the holiday on full display. Plus, you’ll have plenty of places to wear it all season long. Can you wear a sweater to a Christmas party? Of course you can. Most Americans attend Christmas parties and many of those gatherings have a dress code that allows you to wear a cozy sweater. Holiday parties are the perfect opportunity to break out the traditional, ugly and funny Christmas sweaters.  

And, if you’re looking to be creative during the holiday season, you may want to make your own DIY Christmas sweater. There are plenty of materials and ideas you can use to make a memorable sweater that could win a competition or simply garner you a few compliments. Wondering how to decorate a jumper for Christmas? We’ve rounded up a few ideas you can use to make a DIY Christmas sweater for any occasion.

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• Simple DIY Christmas Sweater Ideas
• Funny DIY Christmas Sweater Ideas for Adults
• DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater Ideas

Simple DIY Christmas Sweater Ideas

1. Christmas Candies Sweater

The sweets and treats are one of the best parts of the holidays. With this DIY Christmas sweater idea, you can feature them all over your sweater. Purchase Christmas candy charms and glue them all over a sweater for a sweet design. 

2. Garland and Bulbs Sweater

If you have some excess garland, you can use it to make a Christmas wreath sweater or a garland sweater. Glue or sew the greenery swirling around the sweater. Then, fasten bulbs and ornaments so they’re hanging off the garland for a more festive touch.

3. Stocking Sweater

This is an easy DIY Christmas sweater you can put together at the last minute. Sew one side of a large Christmas stocking to the front of the sweater. This leaves the stocking open to create a pouch, so you can bring a bottle of wine to the party or keep your Christmas snacks close.

4. Gingerbread Sweater

Building a gingerbread house is one of the most beloved family Christmas traditions. Now, that tradition can also transfer to a DIY Christmas sweater. Use brown felt to cut out the gingerbread house, white felt for the icing and candy charms for the accent pieces.

5. Googly-Eyed Reindeer Sweater

What are Christmas sweaters made of? The sweaters can be made of traditional fabrics like cotton, nylon or acrylic. However, the decorative accessories can be anything, like large googly eyes. Cut out a reindeer face out of felt and attach large googly eyes to make a wide-eyed reindeer sweater.

6. Advent Calendar Sweater

Keep track of the countdown with this DIY Christmas sweater. Make a mini advent calendar with numbers on the front of a sweater. A velcro or magnetic piece can move to signify which day it is.

7. Snowman Sweater with Accessories

Building a snowman is one of the beloved childhood Christmas activities. You can also build a snowman on a DIY Christmas sweater by cutting out the snowman and accessories with felt. Attach velcro to the backs so the accessories stick. This way, you can change your snowman’s look every day.

8. Candy Cane Sweater

This Christmas sweater for women is super sweet. Using red and white yarn, you can create a cute candy cane sweater. First, embroider white yarn in the shape of a candy cane. Then, wrap the red yarn around it in bands. It’ll be a cute holiday sweater you can wear anywhere.

9. Snowflake Sweater

For this simple DIY Christmas sweater, you’ll have to cut a few snowflakes out of fabric or purchase pre-cut felt snowflakes. Then, you can glue or sew them all over the base sweater. Keep them white or make them colorful for a brightly colored sweater.

Funny DIY Christmas Sweater Ideas for Adults

10. Leg Lamp Sweater

The leg lamp is an iconic part of “A Christmas Story.” For this DIY Christmas sweater idea, you can use felt and fur to make a leg lamp of your own on the front of a sweater. This also makes one of the best DIY Christmas gifts for fans of the movie.

11. Stranger Things Sweater

A light-up Christmas sweater is sure to catch everyone’s eye. Tie in one of your favorite shows and make a “Stranger Things” themed sweater with lights that spell out Merry Christmas. How do you make a light-up Christmas sweater? You can use small LEDs and a battery pack to make this sweater come to life.

12. Snow Globe Sweater

Thinking of how to decorate a jumper for Christmas? Why not turn it into a snow globe? You can use a plastic dome attached to the sweater with a winter wonderland inside. This hilarious sweater will have you jumping to shake the snow all night.

13. Wreath Sweater

A Christmas wreath doesn’t only have to hang on your door. You can make a Christmas wreath sweater with ease. Paint the arms and front of the sweater in green so it forms a wreath when you put your arms in a circle. Then, add holly berries and greenery as the final touch.

14. Cats Knocking Over a Tree Sweater

How do you make a homemade Christmas jumper? Make it feel personal. Anyone with cats knows how much they like to play in a tree. For this DIY Christmas sweater for adults, you can use felt to depict cats knocking over a Christmas tree on the front of the sweater.

15. Reindeer Sleigh Sweater

Reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh is a classic holiday image. So why not portray that on the front of a Christmas sweater for women? You can get a plastic sleigh, reindeer and presents and glue them all to the front of the sweater.

16. Fireplace Sweater

Take inspiration from your DIY Christmas decorations and make a fireplace on your sweater. You can paint a fireplace to create a DIY Christmas shirt. Then, decorate your fireplace how you want with lights, stockings or Santa coming down the chimney.

17. Tropical Christmas Sweater

If you like to spend the holiday season in warmer weather, this easy DIY Christmas sweater is for you. Depict a scene of a beach with a palm tree wrapped in Christmas lights for a tropical Christmas sweater.

18. Nutcracker Sweater

Turn yourself into a nutcracker with this DIY Christmas sweater. On the front of a Christmas sweater, paint a soldier nutcracker uniform. Leave out the head, so it looks like you’re the nutcracker.

DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater Ideas

19. Garland Sweater

If you’re looking for a garish DIY Christmas sweater for adults, look no further than using garland. Wrap sparkly garland around a sweater to create a fully metallic look. You can add bulbs or other accessories for more detail.

20. Bow Sweater

If you have excess gift bows, you can use them for this DIY ugly Christmas sweater idea. Glue the gift bows all over the sweater until it's completely covered. Mix up different sizes, colors and patterns for a loud design.

21. Tinsel Sweater

You’re sure to be the most sparkly person with this DIY Christmas sweater. Tinsel is one of the most fun Christmas tree decorating ideas, but it also makes a great sweater. Glue or sew strips of tinsel to a sweater. This will create fringe layers that will add texture and movement to a festive outfit.

22. Jingle Bell Sweater

Everyone will hear you coming with this DIY Christmas sweater. Sew jingle bells onto a sweater so they ring with every movement. However, you might want to change clothes in case you get tired of the noise.

23. Giant Bow Sweater

If you’re looking for funny Christmas sweaters for adults, go oversized. Purchase some thick ribbon and make the biggest bow you can. Then sew it onto the front of your DIY Christmas sweater for a comically large accessory.

24. Furry Yeti Sweater

Purchase some faux fur from a craft store to achieve this DIY ugly Christmas sweater idea. Wrap the faux fur around the sweater until it’s completely covered. Then, use felt and googly eyes to make a yeti face for the front of the sweater.

25. String Light Sweater

Take some inspiration from your front porch Christmas decorating ideas for this Christmas outfit. A light-up Christmas sweater will always catch the eye. Sew battery-operated string lights around the sweater to turn yourself into the Christmas tree.

26. Mounted Deer Sweater

For this DIY Christmas shirt, you’ll need a lightweight plastic deer. Cut the deer in half and place each half on the front and back of the sweater. It’ll be a fun 3D sweater that’s sure to make everyone laugh.

27. Christmas Tie Christmas Tree Sweater

If you have a bunch of old Christmas ties, you can make a fun DIY Christmas sweater. Arrange the ties so they form a Christmas tree, and then sew them onto the front of a sweater. The different colors and patterns will create a funny and festive design.

Whether you’re going to a holiday party or looking to start a new family tradition, making a DIY Christmas sweater is one of the best activities of the holiday season. You can upcycle an old sweater and breathe new life into it with crafting materials. You can let your creativity run free and show off your festive spirit. A DIY Christmas sweater is the perfect way to make the holidays a little more fun and a little more special. 

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