Sweater or pants? It's swants!

Looking to recycle those ugly winter sweaters? Seeking inspiration for a handmade holiday gift? Look no further than your closet and the latest "swants" craze - which is turning old sweaters into colorful lounge pants.

American-born designer Stephen West moved to Amsterdam three years ago to study choreography. With his instructional knitting books, he's made a name for himself in the crafting world. But he's gained a cult Internet following after publishing a tutorial on how to turn sweaters into pants. Overnight, the tutorial garnered more than 140 comments, and his swants dance video spiked to 40,000 views.

"The first pair of swants I made was more tailored, and I spent about 10 hours cutting, sewing and repurposing a Norwegian sweater," Stephen West said. Since then, he's developed a more streamlined method, which is shared in his tutorial. Seasoned swants enthusiasts can expect to spend about 30 minutes per pair.

Against an Icelandic backdrop, Stephen West and friend Kyli Kleven test their swants' stretchability. "I visit Reykjavik a lot because I love the people, food, colors, and style downtown," West said. He often tours Europe and the US to teach knitting courses. "My friends and I made the swants tutorial and swants dance video in Reykjavik during the Iceland Airwaves music festival this year."

"Your booty deserves to be just as warm as your torso," West says. But he cautions would-be swantsers to practice the tutorial a few times before chopping up that special sweater from grandma. Have you found yourself longing for your own pair of swants?

Once you've found a wooly candidate - preferably drop-shoulder style - slip your legs through the waist, into the arms to make sure it's a comfy fit. Now, take it off. From the edge of the collar, cut down the front about eight inches (10 cm) and down the back about six inches (15 cm) to remove a rectangle of fabric. Bonus: This piece can be fashioned into a matching dickey.

Stitch together the shoulder seams to form the crotch. You'll want to craft about a four-inch (10 cm) seam. Now, stitch up the front.

You'll see that there is extra fabric in front and back. Time to break out those origami skills. Fold the front flap along the yellow line. The blue line in the picture is the existing armhole seam. The pink arrows show where to coax the fabric, about 90 degrees to meet the front flap. Too confusing? Stephen West offers detailed instructions on his website, westknits.com.

For a more fitted waist, take in the sweater's side seams - or just wear a belt. Swants may not grant you perfect balance powers, but they'll certainly make you the talk of the office. Could "swants Tuesday" become the new "casual Friday"?

Swants aside, West teaches knitting classes across Europe. He teamed up with Iceland-based Ragga Eiriksdottir to teach on a knitting cruise, which later docked in Copenhagen for a knitting and dance performance. "We had about 40 knitters in the audience, including a family that learned to knit together right before the show."

"Swants may not be for everyone," Stephen West said. "But they are for everyone who wants to have fun." He sums up his sentiments in a poem he wrote, excerpted here: "A pair of swants a day keeps the chilly chills away. / Your bum will thank you and friends may spank you. (...) / Strangers may sneer, but have no fear / Because you are a pioneer discovering a new frontier.

What's next for the King of Swants? He's got two books coming out soon. One is a collaboration with Iceland's Ragga Eiriksdottir. It's a collection of knitting patterns photographed on Icelandic musicians. The other, "Westknits At Home," features knitting patterns for shorts and pants because, as West says, "Our bottoms deserve to be just as warm as our tops."