Recycling comes in so many lovely shapes and forms. I particularly enjoy ‘recycled’ yarn, because it means you get beautiful and unusual yarn for not much money.
This sweater from the Goodwill was $4, and 100% wool. Although it didn’t say what kind of wool, it is very soft, and with a kind of nubby texture.
It became this yarn….
Which became this scarf….
Here is a close up so you can see the nice texture.
The hardest part about recycling yarn is getting the unravelling started, especially if there is a ribbed collar, which can be hard to unravel. Sometimes I have to just cut the yarn to get it started. It can also sometimes be a bit tricky to pull out the seams, but it just takes a bit of patience. I think I have enough yarn left over for a hat also, I think I might try a cabled hat, like the one in my new Stitch n Bitch Nation.
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That’s really nice! A good cheery blue for winter.
I know what you mean about the unraveling. Last fall I took apart a women’s XXL wool sweater that I bought at a thrift store (it still had the original store tags on it). It took a long time to figure out how to undo the machine chain-stitch. I haven’t decided what to do with mine yet, maybe a little vest?
1/18/2005 @ 11:42 am
rad! unraveling things is oddly therapeutic for me. but then again, i also like untangling my yarn when it gets knotted up!
1/18/2005 @ 1:11 pm
Very nice recycled scarf! I can’t stand unraveling things and then washing them; otherwise, I’d have a whole stash of recycled yarn.
1/18/2005 @ 1:57 pm
watch out for that cabled hat pattern in snb! It’s way too short. You might want to make it another cable or 2 longer.
1/18/2005 @ 5:14 pm
There’s a way to take the kinks out of recycled yarn. I read this article where you wrap the yarn into big hanks instead of balls, saturate it with water and hang it up with a heavy object suspended from the bottom of the hank. When it’s dry it is kink-free. Supposedly. I haven’t actually tried it myself. Wonder if it works on curly hair too?
1/19/2005 @ 7:25 am
Wow this yarn is great, i really love yarn scarf’s. Infact I am currently knitting a yarn scarf of my own. If i had my way i would just sit at home all day and yarn scarfs! Thank so much, YAARN!!!
P.S. I you have any other info on yarn, or even scarfs i would love to hear from you as i just love scarfs.
3/3/2006 @ 11:45 am
There is a goodwill very close by!!! what a great idea!!!I am getting tired of the same ol’ tired yarn …..Brilliant!
6/14/2007 @ 3:16 pm