Recycled Sweater: UPDATE 2

Hello again!

I’m trying really hard to get more posts out to y’all!  I hope I am not boring anyone!

Anyway, I thought I would give a quick update about the recycled sweater project I introduced here, and updated here.

Why has it taken me so g.d. long to update, you may ask.  Well, to tell you the truth, I hate this project, and the resulting yarn.  I was very impatient in unraveling it, and didn’t use a seam ripper, so I ended up with a bunch of shorter, useless skeins that will be destined for my scraps stash.  The finished yarn is somewhat pilly, which I didn’t realize when I bought the sweater.  Also, it just took me SO freakin’ long to get from sweater to skein that I am really just over the whole project.  I still have a couple of washed skeins I still need to straighten (I just wind them on the niddy noddy and spray with water, then let dry), but I think I am calling it a day on this particular sweater.

I have since unraveled two other sweaters and am MUCH happier with the results.  But here you can see a few photos I have of the process:

This is the yarn freshly unraveled, waiting to be washed and straightened. I call it yarn ramen!

This is the yarn ramen in the bathtub being washed and rinsed 3 times. Care must be made not to agitate the yarn or it will felt.

Finished yarn, skeined and labeled! I have done a pink sweater as well, which took much less time. The finished skeins of that also look much nicer than the tan tweed.

I do have one more sweater I am almost done processing as well.  I am climbing the learning curve, so it is much more enjoyable to do than the first one!  Thank goodness…

-a

Upcycling

Hello again, and happy Valentine’s day!

So, I mentioned in a previous post a new podcast that I am obsessed with.  During one of the episodes, the host interviews a gentleman who “upcycles” thrift store sweaters and breathes new life into them by knitting them into completely new, strikingly beautiful pieces.  That gentleman’s blog can be found here, but be warned: it might blow your mind.  This guy, who claims to only have been knitting since 2010, designs all of his pieces, and MY GOD they are just incredible.  They are more like individual paintings than just “a hat” or “a scarf.”  They are true works of art in every sense of the word.

Anyway, I wanted to particularly highlight that this gentleman (actual name Jerome Sevilla) sources the bulk of his yarn from recycled sweaters.  Say what??  That means he goes to thrift stores, buys a sweater (a lot of brand names like J. Crew and GAP amazingly enough), unravels them, and then knits them into the most incredibly amazing, mindblowing pieces you’ve laid your eyes on.  I’m not even exaggerating here.  My amazement probably stems from the fact that he uses a lot of MATH in creating his pieces, and I am too beginner and too afraid of math to even brain the possibility of creating such geometric gorgeousity as this fellow does.  I am truly impressed.  I am even more impressed by the fact that he owns an Etsy shop, and people actually buy his stuff…I mean, who wouldn’t want his stuff.  But when I think of selling something in an Etsy shop, I always second guess myself with the thought that someone else is inevitably doing what I’m doing, so why even bother?  Who would buy something I’ve made?? Psh…

ANYWAY, I digress.  In light of Jerome’s inspirational blog, I have decided to try upcycling a sweater of my own.  So, yesterday, I went to my local Goodwill and sifted through grimy, moth-eaten garments in search of the perfect first sweater.  Since I live in Metro Boston, the things at a thrift store aren’t exactly the cheapest, but I decided that if I can pull this off, I will have gotten a decent amount of yarn for just $4.99.

I am hesitant to rip this sweater up because it is actually pretty.  But I tried it on, and it is thankfully way too big on me, so I have decided to stick to my guns and attempt to rip it.  I found this how-to on unraveling a sweater, so I will get to work and see how it goes.  But here is the sweater pre-unraveling:

Sorry for the background…it was taken on my bed because the rest of my apartment is a mess…

You can see that it has quite a bit of cabling, so I hope it doesn’t interfere with the unraveling process.  I was initially drawn to this sweater because of the color, which you can see in more detail below.  It is a beautiful natural color with flecks of mustard, tan, and even blue/grey in some places.  I think it will turn out beautifully if I can successfully unravel it.  It is by Express, so hopefully along the same quality lines of J. Crew and GAP.  I would have preferred 100% wool for this project, but since it is my first and I might royally screw it up, I am fine with the fact that it is only 80% wool and 20% nylon.

Isn’t the color just lovely?? It epitomizes versatility and simplicity in a yarn. I wouldn’t even want to dye it!

Wish me luck, and I will update you once I get it started and/or finish unraveling it!  🙂

-a