Princess Diana Sweater: 15 Cozy DIY Ideas Inspired by Her Famous Black Sheep Jumper

The Princess Diana sweater is one of the most loved knits ever made. In 1981 a young Lady Diana Spencer stepped out in a bright red jumper covered in rows of little white sheep, with one black sheep standing out from the flock. The photos went around the world, she wore it again in 1983, and in 2023 a jumper she wore became the most valuable sweater in history at auction. You do not need a royal budget to get that playful, cozy look at home. These 15 easy projects turn plain sweaters, scraps of felt and a little yarn into warm winter pieces with the same cheerful charm. Most take one evening, many need no knitting at all, and every one makes a sweet handmade gift..

Princess Diana Sweater Look With Felt Sheep Appliques

The easiest way to get the Princess Diana sweater look starts with a plain red crew neck you may already own. Little felt sheep give it the same happy, slightly cheeky feel as the original, and you can make them in front of the TV in one evening. Cut fluffy white clouds, add tiny heads and legs, then hide one black sheep in the row just for fun. Who in your family would wear the black sheep with pride..

You will need: a plain red sweater, white and black wool felt, dark grey felt for heads, fabric glue or a needle and white thread, small sharp scissors, and a paper template.

How to make it: 1. Draw a cloud shaped sheep body about two inches wide on paper and cut eight bodies from white felt and one from black. 2. Add small grey heads and four tiny legs to each one. 3. Pin them across the chest in two rows, then stitch around the edges with small running stitches so they stay put in the wash.

Duplicate Stitch a Sheep on a Store Bought Sweater

Duplicate stitch is a gentle trick that lets you add a knit picture to any finished sweater, no knitting needles needed. You simply trace over each little V stitch with a new color of yarn, so the design looks like it was knitted in from the start. Grab a simple chart on graph paper, pick a sheep or a heart, and follow it square by square. It is slow, calm work that feels like a cozy puzzle, right?

You will need: a smooth knit sweater, wool yarn in a contrast color, a blunt tapestry needle, graph paper and colored pencils.

How to make it: 1. Color your sheep shape on graph paper, one square for each knit stitch. 2. Thread the needle and come up at the bottom of a V stitch, pass under the two legs of the stitch above, and go back down where you started. 3. Work row by row from the bottom of the chart, keeping the tension loose so the knit still stretches.

Pom Pom Sheep Buttons for a Plain Cardigan

A plain navy cardigan turns into a conversation starter when its buttons become tiny fluffy sheep. Small white pom poms make the woolly bodies, and a dot of black felt gives each one a sleepy little face. Sew them as trims beside real buttons, or swap old buttons for flat wooden ones and add a sheep on top. Kids and grandkids love counting them. How many sheep would fit down your favorite cardigan?

You will need: a cardigan, small white pom poms or a mini pom pom maker and white yarn, black felt, flat buttons, fabric glue, needle and strong thread.

How to make it: 1. Make or buy pom poms about one inch wide and trim them round. 2. Glue a small oval of black felt on the front for a face and two tiny ears. 3. Stitch each sheep through its center onto a flat button or right beside the buttonholes so the cardigan still closes.

Princess Diana Sweater Style With Embroidered Sheep and Hearts

This Princess Diana sweater idea is perfect for a grey thrifted jumper that feels a bit boring. A few little sheep and red hearts stitched across the chest give it soft, handmade character, and simple backstitch is all you need. Keep the design small and spaced out so it stays sweet, not busy. Use a hoop on thin knits so the fabric does not pucker. Which old sweater in your closet is asking for a second chance?

You will need: a thrifted sweater, embroidery floss in red and white, an embroidery hoop, a chenille needle, water soluble stabilizer, and a washable fabric pen.

How to make it: 1. Draw your sheep and heart shapes on the stabilizer and pin it to the sweater. 2. Hoop the area gently and backstitch the outlines with three strands of floss. 3. Rinse away the stabilizer in cool water and lay the sweater flat to dry.

Embroidered Flowers Around a Sweater Collar

A pretty collar peeking out of a crew neck is a classic early eighties look, and you can borrow it with a ring of tiny stitched flowers. Lazy daisy petals and French knots are easy to learn and look lovely on a crew neck or a shirt collar layered underneath. Work a few flowers at a time while you watch a show. It is the kind of detail people notice up close and ask about, so be ready to share how you did it.

You will need: a sweater or collared blouse, embroidery floss in two or three soft colors, a sharp embroidery needle, and a small hoop.

How to make it: 1. Mark small dots around the collar about one inch apart. 2. Make five lazy daisy petals around each dot and fill the center with a French knot. 3. Add tiny green leaf stitches between flowers and knot the threads securely inside.

Patchwork Elbow Patches That Hide Worn Spots

Elbow patches are the classic fix for a favorite sweater that is wearing thin, and they look smart and cozy at the same time. Cut ovals from an old wool coat, corduroy, or a scrap of plaid, and stitch them on with a bold blanket stitch. The black sheep idea works here too: make one patch a different color for a playful wink. Your much loved sweater gets a few more winters, and that feels good, doesn’t it?

You will need: a sweater, fabric scraps such as wool, felt, or corduroy, an oval paper template, pins, embroidery floss or yarn, and a needle.

How to make it: 1. Try on the sweater and mark the center of each elbow with a pin. 2. Cut two ovals about five by four inches and pin them flat over the marks. 3. Sew around the edges with blanket stitch, keeping a hand inside the sleeve so you only stitch one layer.

Princess Diana Sweater Inspired Sheep Throw Pillow

Bring the Princess Diana sweater charm to your sofa with a red and cream pillow covered in a march of little sheep. You can knit the panel from a simple chart, or cheat with a felted old sweater and felt sheep stitched on top. Either way it adds instant winter coziness to a living room, and it makes a wonderful housewarming gift. For more ideas like this, try our old sweater upcycles and see what else an old jumper can become. Where would yours go?

You will need: a red knit panel or an old felted sweater, cream yarn or felt, white and black felt sheep, a pillow insert, pins, and a needle and thread or a sewing machine.

How to make it: 1. Cut two squares from the sweater about one inch larger than the pillow insert. 2. Stitch a row of felt sheep across the front, with one black sheep in the line. 3. Sew the squares right sides together on three sides, turn, add the insert, and close the last side by hand.

Knit Sheep Mug Cozy for Cocoa Season

A mug cozy is a tiny project that gives you a big dose of cozy in one sitting. Knit a simple rectangle in red, add a white sheep with duplicate stitch or a felt cut out, and close it with a button so it slips on and off. It keeps hands comfy and cocoa warm a little longer. Make a set for a winter gift basket with homemade cookies. Who would love a sheep wrapped around their morning mug?

You will need: worsted weight yarn in red and white, size 8 knitting needles or a strip cut from an old sweater, one button, a tapestry needle, and felt scraps.

How to make it: 1. Cast on 14 stitches and knit in rib for about nine inches, or until it wraps around your mug below the handle. 2. Add a small sheep on the front with duplicate stitch or felt. 3. Sew a button on one end and make a yarn loop on the other to close it.

A Beginner Knit Scarf With a Woolly Twist

If you have always wanted to learn to knit, a simple scarf is the perfect first step, and it pairs beautifully with a sheep sweater. Garter stitch is just the same stitch every row, so you can relax and find your rhythm. Pick a soft red or cream yarn, and add a little felt sheep near one end for a playful finish. By the time it is long enough, you will be a real knitter. Ready to cast on tonight?

You will need: chunky yarn, size 10 or 11 knitting needles, scissors, a tapestry needle, and a felt sheep for trim if you like.

How to make it: 1. Cast on 20 stitches and knit every row until the scarf is about 60 inches long. 2. Bind off loosely and weave in the ends. 3. Add fringe by knotting short strands of yarn through each end, then stitch a felt sheep near one corner.

Princess Diana Sweater Fans Will Love This Painted Fair Isle Look

Here is a Princess Diana sweater trick that needs no knitting at all: paint the pattern on. Fabric paint on a plain cotton sweater can mimic a Fair Isle yoke with snowflakes and tiny sheep, and nobody will guess it started as a bare sweatshirt. Use a stencil cut from freezer paper so the shapes stay crisp. Let each color dry before adding the next. Would you dare try a whole yoke, or start with the cuffs?

You will need: a plain cotton sweater or sweatshirt, fabric paint in red, white, and black, freezer paper, a craft knife (adult help), small brushes, cardboard, and an iron.

How to make it: 1. Cut snowflake and sheep stencils from freezer paper and iron them shiny side down around the neckline. 2. Slide cardboard inside and dab paint over the stencils with a nearly dry brush. 3. Peel the paper once dry and heat set the paint following the bottle directions.

Cropped and Ribbed Hem Refresh

Sometimes a sweater just needs a fresh shape. Cropping a long, stretched out jumper and finishing it with a ribbed band makes it feel new, and it looks great over high waisted jeans or a long skirt. The rib can come from the old cuffs or a second thrifted sweater in a contrast color for a fun pop. It is an easy sewing machine project for an afternoon. Which saggy sweater could you rescue this weekend?

You will need: a sweater, a ribbed band cut from another sweater or old cuffs, fabric scissors, pins, and a sewing machine with a stretch or zigzag stitch.

How to make it: 1. Try on the sweater, mark your new length, and add one inch for the seam. 2. Cut straight across and pin the ribbed band to the raw edge, stretching it slightly. 3. Sew with a zigzag stitch and press the seam toward the body.

Matching Knit Sheep Ornaments for the Whole Family

Little knit sheep make the cutest Christmas tree ornaments, and they are a lovely way to bring the black sheep story to the holidays. Make a white sheep for each family member and one black sheep for the one who always keeps things lively. Write names on tiny tags tied to the back. These are fun to make together on a cold evening with hot cocoa. Who in your family gets the black sheep this year?

You will need: white and black yarn or felt, polyester stuffing, small pieces of grey felt for faces, red yarn for hanging loops, a needle, and fabric glue.

How to make it: 1. Cut two cloud shapes from felt for each sheep, or knit two small circles. 2. Stitch around the edges, leaving a gap, then stuff lightly and close. 3. Glue on a grey felt face and legs, and add a red yarn loop at the top for hanging.

Princess Diana Sweater Inspired Mittens

Finish the Princess Diana sweater outfit with a pair of warm mittens that echo the same playful style. Plain knit mittens are easy to decorate: stitch a small white sheep on the back of each one, or a white flock on the left and a single black sheep on the right. They make a sweet stocking stuffer for a teacher or friend. Will you knit your own pair, or decorate a store bought one?

You will need: a pair of knit mittens, white and black yarn or felt, a tapestry needle, and a small piece of cardboard to slip inside while you sew.

How to make it: 1. Slip cardboard into each mitten so you only stitch through the top layer. 2. Work a tiny sheep on the back of the hand with duplicate stitch, or sew on a small felt sheep. 3. Add French knot eyes and weave in all ends neatly inside.

Black Sheep Christmas Stocking

A red knit stocking with a row of white sheep and one black sheep is a cheerful nod to that famous jumper, and it looks so cozy hanging on a shelf. You can knit one from a chart, or sew a stocking from an old red sweater and add felt sheep across the cuff. Make one for each person and let them choose their sheep. It may become the stocking everyone fights over every December, don’t you think?

You will need: an old red sweater or red knit fabric, a stocking template, white and black felt, a sewing machine or needle and thread, and a ribbon loop.

How to make it: 1. Fold the sweater in half and cut two stocking shapes using the ribbed hem as the cuff. 2. Stitch felt sheep across the cuff before sewing. 3. Sew the two pieces right sides together, turn, and add a ribbon loop for hanging.

Princess Diana Sweater Gift Basket for a Knitting Friend

Put all of these ideas together in a Princess Diana sweater gift basket for the crafty friend who has everything. Fill a basket with red and cream yarn, felt squares, a sheep chart, a tapestry needle, and a pair of wooden needles. Add a little hand drawn sheep card and a note about its history on Wikipedia so they know the story. It is a thoughtful gift that keeps giving all winter. Who on your list would love this?

You will need: a basket, two or three balls of yarn in red, white, and black, knitting needles, felt squares, a tapestry needle, a paper sheep chart, and tissue paper.

How to make it: 1. Line the basket with tissue paper and stand the yarn in the back. 2. Tuck needles, felt and tools in front so everything shows. 3. Add a handwritten tag with a simple sheep pattern and a short note about the sweater.