One way I plan to save money in 2010 is to use up the yarn that I already have in my stash. Because I’ve joined the Compact, this is one of my only options for crafting as I have committed to buying nearly nothing new in the coming year. My other option is shopping second hand for sweaters to unravel.
You would think the Compact is really changing my creative life, but the truth is that my favorite projects have always been made from re purposed items. I’ve been unraveling sweaters almost as long as I’ve been knitting. I think I got the idea from The Joy Luck Club when one of the daughters unravels sweaters with her mother. That’s all I remember of the book, so it’s probably time for a re-read. If you’ve never unraveled a sweater before, here is a great tutorial for you to follow.
Some of my tips…
- Cables use up a lot of yarn, so a cable sweater will give you the best yarn yield.
- If you find a 100% wool sweater at Goodwill, Buy it! But use it for felting projects, not for unraveling. The best sweaters for unraveling have cotton or acrylic component.
- Color-work sweaters have gorgeous yarn, but the resulting knots in your re purposed project are not worth it.
- You’ll have the best luck with heavier gauge yarn. Smaller gauge= more knots= a headache.
My latest unravel is a sweater from my younger, although much taller, sister. It looked really sloppy on me but will look great as chunky-knit mittens or a new ski hat. I’m so excited for the possibilities! Here’s a before and after:
I also got a (bonus!) double-zip zipper that will come in handy later this year to finish a project or repair a jacket.
What “yarn” do you have hiding in your closet?
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