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2.25.2005

More bootees

Here . Well, ok, its not post-consumer recycled yarn (as in, has already been knitted up, worn and discarded), but it was left-over, so recycled in that way! Anyway, I would hate to try and frog someting made out of this mohair!

Rosie at 11:54 PM :: |


Sweater, no more!! I see socks~~

Mz Mar at 6:35 PM :: |


Good deal!! 100% wool man's sweater~~before!!

Mz Mar at 6:32 PM :: |

2.24.2005

First ReKAL Project


This is my first ReKAL project. I bought a sweater from Value Village for $3.50 and frogged it down to 500 yards of wool. Actually it's 89% Acrylic and 11% Wool. I'm in the process of transforming it from ugly old sweater to a new hip poncho for my daughter. It certainly took a while to take the sweater apart, but hey, for under $4.00 it was worth it! I just hope there is enough yardage to finish the poncho. I'll post finished pics when complete. (Sorry I forgot to take a before picture)

anyone at 9:56 PM :: |

2.22.2005

my new hat

I used my pink and pink/yellow/green yarn to make myself a cute little hat. cuz it's still cold when i go into the city for school. pics on my blog.

helen at 7:17 AM :: |

Another New Member

I did it! I unravelled a sweater and wound it into skeins and washed it and wound up with the softest, yummiest purple yarn I could want. I'm almost afraid to start a project with it because once I take the plunge I'll be committed. The yarn from the second sweater I unravelled wasn't nearly as wonderful, but I thought it would make a nice felted bag. Then my eight year old decided she liked and the feel of the original sweater (guess I'm training her well at an early age!) and asked if I'd knit her a sweater with it. I haven't swatched yet, but think it'll work for a pattern I wanted to try anyway, so she's getting a sweater and I need to go back to the GoodWill bins to find something to unravel and felt.

I can't get over how washing the yarn from both sweaters softened it and made it feel so much nicer. Does it all do that?

I've got a pile of five or six sweaters sitting next to my desk and keep telling myself I should frog them before I buy more. But they're not the right color or gauge to make a pair of diaper soakers, which is what I've convinced myself I need to knit before my son leaks onto my clothes again. How does everyone else do it? Do you only buy sweaters you've got a definite plan for? Unravel them as soon as they came home, or when you're ready to knit with the yarn? If you want to make a small project, do you undo the whole sweater, or just enough to get the yarn you need?

Michelle at 4:09 AM :: |

recycling, not knitting...yet

Ok, I joined this KAL to get me motivated back into knitting again. Well, I have been inspired, although not necessarily to knit! So, the things I've been doing are not actually knitting, as such, but I hope you enjoy... crocheted bootees and cute kitty sweater pillows. I am trying very hard to get to the weekly jumble sale to find likely jumpers to pull out- the weather's been so bad... (excuses) and I have so many WIPs and UFOs, but have sorted out my yarn stash (mostly recycled, but very bitty- I need something to get my teeth into) and I do now have a frog basket! and a handy wool winder, which the children love operating. I was inspired by Helen's rainbow-dyed yarn, but I don't think you can get that kool-aid jn the UK? I may have to try something else.
My mum got me the Stitch n Bitch books for my birthday and knitting magazine, and I also received a vintage knitting book, so I'm not going to get away with it for much longer...

Rosie at 12:14 AM :: |

2.21.2005

Unlucky!!

Well, I finally tackled the three sweaters I picked up at the thrift store. Now, all the directions make sense to me~~look for the "good" seam!! I understand exactly what that means now!! Just ask me how I learned that lesson!
I went "shopping" for wool sweaters with the intention of getting some wool for felting. One out of three sweaters may work out ~~another good suggestion~~unravel in bright daylight!! How much nicer it is when you can actually see the "thread" holding the seams together!
After much aggravation I've got one sweater well on it's way to being recycled!
Wish me luck!!
Mar

Mz Mar at 11:55 PM :: |

2.20.2005

Progress!

I'm about 3/4ths done with some diaper cover shorts for my son from my reklaimed yarn - pix here. I have a big sweater in lambswool fingering weight to frog in charcoal grey and black... or I may just felt it and sew it into a family of dark grey bears. I'm undecided.

Phoebe Gleeson at 7:52 PM :: |

2.16.2005

Updates

ReKallers!

I've just added a bunch of new ReKal participants to the list! Also, I've sent out Blogger poster invites. IF you haven't rec'd one and would like to be able to post to the blog please email me from the address you would like me to add - wendy at zibibboisgood dot com.

Apologies all around I've been laying low the past couple weeks hustling to get a WIP to the FO stage *coughknittysubmissioncough* In the intrim I've stockpiled a few potential ReKalables and am most definitely looking foward to frogging, ripping oh you know, a general torture session ;)

Happy ReKalling!

zibibbo at 11:02 PM :: |

Recycled yarn!

Hi! I'm Christie and I just wanted to share with y'all some of my recycled yarn. I bought three sweaters at my local Goodwill. I had a lot of fun ripping these sweaters apart...so much fun I forgot to take a before picture of them.

Grey Merino
Example
This was an extra large turtleneck sweater. It's 100% merino wool and soOOOoooOo soft. I can't wait to find a project to work this into.

Black Silk
Example
This was a extra large August Silk sweater. It's 100% silk [gee, that's why it must be called August SILK] and is also super soft. I tried to knit a scraf from a little of this, but I don't think it will be very warm...it's be more of a 'rock star' look. I think I'll take the rest and make a cute sweater.

Silk Cashmere
Example
This yarn I was super excited about. It's a silk/cashmere blend yarn [that put up some resistance to being frogged] that is currently being worked into a tank. The original sweater was small, so I knew I needed a project that didn't require too much yarn. It's coming along quite nicely.

Silk/Cashmere Tank
Example
This is my Silk/Cashmere project. After I started, I realized that it would make me look like I had no waist and would need to reknit the bottom [which is my current status]. I also rethought the roll bottom so it's all working out. I should be done with soon...just in time for a spring outing!!

Christie at 7:04 AM :: |

2.10.2005

I've been busy

see that striped sweater from the last post? Today I undid it. and put the white in hanks (it's more of an ivory i guess). Got ten of 'em.

and then I figured, we don't drink the kool aid we have lying around.
and with the help of a Knitty article, a bowl i ran to the resale shop for ($3) and my microwave, I now have:

3 hanks of green/yellow/pink, 1 green/orange, 2 red, 2 orange, 2 pink.
and it smells yummy. i cannot wait to use it!

helen at 4:24 AM :: |

2.09.2005

Two Sweaters for $3 US

yay! i am currently un winding and un-kinking my original reKAL sweater (pictures some other time) but i did have a great find today.

This is 100% wool. it is a deep marron with a few color neps and an ivory that im might try and dye. i will also felt some swatches to see how they felt and if the color neps disappear.

This is 80-acrylic 10-angora 5-wool 5-nylon. it has cables, bobbles, and seed stitch. and it is HUGE. so that is a good amount of yarn. i will definitely make something nice from it.
that's it for now. once my ball winder and yarn meter arrive in the mail i will offer up more details
Helen

helen at 3:47 AM :: |

2.03.2005

Grey-and-white Ragg

My local thrift shop was having a sale last week, 50% off all clothing. They had a large selection of sweaters and I found several that I liked, some to wear and some to recycle, all for $1 each.



Here is one of those sweaters unravelled and balled up, except for the little bits that were once narrow stripes. The yarn is probably synthetic (it was missing the label) but I don't mind. Not only is it pretty, it's deliciously soft to the touch. I look forward to using this yarn.

Ari at 7:23 AM :: |

2.01.2005

New Member


Hello! I'm having problems posting here. Sorry! I'm new to the KAL but I've already started my ReKAL. I found some really cool sweaters to unravel and re-knit at my local salvation army. I bought this sweater for $1.50. It's a blend of wool, cotton and silk. The brand was Worthington or something like that I think...


Here is is all unwound and ready to be washed. It ended up being about 1000 yards.


And here is is clean and wound up into balls on its way to becoming a "Grace" cardigan for my daughter from the Rowan Junior pattern book. I'm having some strangeness going on with this however.

I knit a gauge swatch and I got gauge on my size US 4 needles. (21 sts. = 4 in.) Ok, good. But once I started knitting this I noticed that the other part of my gauge does not match. It should be 29 rows = 4 in. I'm getting 29 row = ~ 5.5 in. I don't really know what to do about this. Please, someone help me! The sleeve right now is about 4 inches too long before the cap shaping. I'm figuring I can just frog back to the right lenght but then I don't know if I should follow the directions for the cap shaping on the body and sleeves and hope it doesn't look wonky or if I should try to figure out some way to adjust the pattern. Ugh! This sucks, LOL! I have a really cool yarn and what I thought was the perfect pattern but now it doesn't seem to work! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated *smile*

-Stacey
www.staceysstash.blogspot.com

superstahr at 11:17 PM :: |