User Comments

1. 

   1/20/08

   Kobus1

   Have you thought about unravelling old knitwear to get free yarn? Here a how to: www.neauveau.com/recycledyarn.html
   It sounds like a lot of work but if done as a group activity it may be fun as well. Also, if used for crochet you don't even have to wash out the creases.

   [reply]
   1. 

      1/20/08

      ChatKat15

      That sounds like a great idea--now I have to get some old sweaters--do you know a source for that? It needs to be free!!
   2. 

      1/22/08

      Kobus1

      1. My own main source: the curb. Yes I mean trash picking. Read my blog about that.
      2. Ask friends and family. Who doesn't have at least one old sweater they don't wear anymore? Let them go through attics and basements...
      3. Ask thriftshops for unsold stuff. Ugly or unfashionable stuff that just won't go. What doesn't matter to you since you're going to take them apart.
      
      Good luck and keep us informed!
   3. 

      1/23/08

      thereyoucome

      Kobus1, you got the good solution
      My mom also did that to the sweaters she waved, took apart, used the hot water and vapour to make it straight, then waved it again, because I grew fast and she like refreshing the styles.
2. 

   1/22/08

   thereyoucome

   if it's in shanghai, I could help organizing a donation of old sweaters. but it's so far away.
   have you post the words in public discussion board?

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   1. 

      2/03/08

      Kobus1

      If anyone's curious about what sweaters I find like this, here's my blogpost about that: trashcollector.blogspot.com/2008/02/free-yarn.html
      
      Contains a link to unravelling instructions too!
3. 

   2/08/08

   polishedu3

   kobus1
   
   I am truly amazed at this concept of recycling the yarn from old sweaters. Who knew! I am a novice knitter and crocheter (is that a word?) and would have never thought to do this.
   
   I work primarily with fabric as my true passion lies with quilting. And I have recycled clothing for use in my quilting, but to do the same with yarn? Ingenious!
   
   {{applauding you}}
   Chris

   [reply]
   1. 

      2/09/08

      Kobus1

      Why, thank you Chris. (Bowing to your applause)
      
      I started doing this when I was 18 or so, I had this great idea for a sweater design, but no yarn and no money, so I just reknitted two second hand dull sweaters I happened to have. And I never wanted to use new yarn since...
      Another idea, what a lot more people do I think and what I'm starting to experiment now is felting old knits and sew them into new things. There's a lot you can do with old sweaters and I hate to see them thrown away.
4. 

   3/07/08

   pamel

   I have never used old sweaters either I might just do that -- since I have some hanging out in the basement that don't fit anymore...I may as well give them some sort of use...thanks for the clever idea.

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   1. 

      3/08/08

      Kobus1

      Hi Pamel, read your blog, must say I'm impressed. Funny you should choose knitting as a physical therapy, where I had to stop knitting for years because it gave me the most awful pain in my neck and shoulder (a sort of rsi). Lucky crochet was a solution, but recently I've found I grew over it and now I knit again. But I've always found both to be the best mental therapy I could find.