Wednesday 6 May 2009

Recycled yarn

Before: imagine this op shop jumper is twins - I bought two of them for $1 each in Oakleigh Salvos. Abercrombie & Fitch, womens size large (perhaps that's why they were in the op shop - this looks like a small to me!) with bonus gorilla arms, 40% lambswool/30% nylon/27% acrylic/3% polyester.

After: this is one of the jumpers deconstructed into its constituent yarn, and partly reconstructed into a pair of Bloke socks. There are little navy blue squiggles of yarn throughout the house, turning up in the cat's food bowl, and even one or two magically transported into the backyard, byproducts of the unravelling process. Undoing a jumper is strangely satisfying, both in a destructive and constructive way: watching the progress of frogging versus the steady growth of the new balls of yarn. By the time I undo the second jumper I will have a surfeit of navy blue.

Let's take a little gaze into my crystal ball...ah, the mist is clearing...I see...navy blue knitting...socks for me, handwarmers, maybe a beanie...lots and lots of navy blue knitting!

7 comments:

zigsma said...

I have recently done the exact same thing. And I understand the mixed emotions: destructive/constructive dilemma. Wool is put to good use though! Well done.

Cathy said...

Must be catching lol
I demolished a tweedy flecky blue - very big, outsize - I'd hazard a guess tension too loose - jumper not long ago. Courtesy of an op shop in East Ringwood. Bargain for $2

As you say, lots of knitting going to be done. Dh draws the line at socks tho lol

EmilyKate said...

I'm very impressed- way to recycle!

Gina E. said...

Oh, you are clever!! I can't even knit, let alone pull something to bits and remake it...well done!

Cate Lawrence said...

great idea, I've never tried deconstructing a jumper in this way :)

debra said...

i am mighty impressed with your resourcefulness. even to where you are trying to get kitty to eat it! lol. :)

andrea said...

I always unravel sweaters from the thrift store!!! It's so addictive. If you get tired of knitting with navy blue, try treating it with a color remover (RIT makes one) and then re-dying it!