Sweater Recycling

Do you have a sweater that is no longer you, your style or otherwise wrong?  We all do.  For this,  it doesn't matter if the sweater is store bought or hand knit.  If it was knit for you by someone close to you but not you, it could get complicated.  Recycling a gift can get tricky.  Let's assume you knit it for yourself or it's store bought.  In what ways can this be recycled?  Here's my list of ways that I have come up with.  One big piece of advice before you start.  If this garment is a hand knit, you might want to let the creator know before you rip it back or chop it up.

1.  The obvious is to donate to a thrift store or hand it down to another family member.   By donating to a store you have an opportunity to support a charity you feel strongly about.

2.  This next way is a bit more drastic.   It involves the use of a pair of scissor.  You can cut the sweater into a wide variety of things.  Some ideas include:  very small dog sweaters from the sleeves, blanket squares from the front and back, mitten shapes from the front and back, cut a U shape at the neckline and remove the sleeves.  by sewing the bottom closed you have a shopping bag.  If you cut your blanket squares off at the underarm line and straighten the armscye and the neck, the front and back can be sewn together and add a "hem" to the top and bottom in whatever form you like and you have a cowl.

3.  This way is the most drastic.  Remove the seams as needed.  Unweave the ends that were so painstakingly woven in.  Open the bound off end and completely unkinder the sweater.  This is best done on a sweater that is nearly new.  A worn sweater will have weak spots in the yarn.  Wind into a skein.  Tie with contrasting non felting yarn or thread.  soak in a warm water bath with a rinse less "soap" for 20 minutes.  Hang the skein(s) to dry with a 1/2 lb can in the cradle of the skein.  These will help to remove the kinks from the previous knitting.  When the yarn is completely dry, it can  be hanked up and put on a shelf until it is needed.  Or it can be wound on a ball winder and used immediately.  Now the yarn can be used as desired.  This will become a class in April.