Tips of the Trade - on Recycling Sweaters

More from the sweater obsessed, recycling savvy, simple living girl currently buried under a pile of yarn. I've been doing nothing but working and spinning. Get up. Drink coffee and spin. Check email. Spin. Unravel sweater. Spin. Go to work and think about spinning. Come home and spin.

A year or so ago I posted some great links on how to unravel sweaters. Unfortunately I can't find that post now so I thought this topic was worth revisiting! So many of us are self-professed thrift store addicts, including whole groups on Ravelry dedicated to this very topic. Yet, if you are just joining the dark side, er, the thrift store loving crowd it can be frustrating. Where to do you get the best sweaters? How do you know which ones are worth it?

You may be thinking, "This isn't fun! I just spent an entire episode of "Lost" trying to unravel a shoulder seam. I'm surrounded by pieces of yarn, scissors, and empty beer bottles. How am I ever going to get a skein of yarn out of this #$%^ing sweater?"
This is normal. First, pick up the beer bottles and put them in the recycling. Then, get more beer. We don't want people to think you're a lush or weird sweater crazed cat lady (glances at cats), so cleaning up is key!

Second, check out these links. Read them. Take them to heart. You don't have to learn from your mistakes, learn from ours.

• Here is a GREAT and picture heavy tutorial. Read it and weep (with joy). 
• A great intro to recycling sweaters, including "good seams and bad seams" from the Twice Sheared Sheep. 
• A great Ravelry post from the Thrifty Knitters group to help guide your first cuts. 
• And yet another great tutorial!

Third, get another beer. Put on another episode of "Lost," and dive in. Here are some tips from the cave of sweaters past, and yarny goodness present!

1.  It is okay to cut sweaters. Seriously. If you have weird shoulder angles, or a neckline that just won't cooperate don't beat yourself up over it. Shears are your friend. In drastic cases I'll cut a straight line across a sweater and just start unravelling from right above the armpits. The remainder can be felted and used for cat toys, quilts, or other small projects. It can even be *gasp* thrown away. Keep in mind wool can also be composted, and scraps can be thrown out for the birds to use in their nests!
2. Don't unravel sweaters you don't love. It's just a chore. If you can't wait to get the balls of yarn skeined and in your grubby little yarn loving hands, don't bother. Save the time for that deep blue, heavily cabled Aran sweater in men's XXL you saw at the Salvation Army. That is worth it.  
3. Speaking of cables, they are your friend. As a knitter you know how much yarn cables take. So, if you can find a cabled sweater in a nice quality wool you've hit gold. Buy it. Have fun.  
4. It is alright to buy sweaters with surged shoulder seams. You've already learned how to spot serged seams, and don't buy sweaters with surged side seams. Shoulder seams, can, however, be chopped off. See 1. 
5. This is a great time of year to dive in. Everyone is going through their clothes and downsizing. Salvation Army and Goodwill are overflowing with clothing, furniture, and sweaters. Ask me how I know this. 
6. . Most importantly, have fun. If you're unraveling sweaters and dreaming of Malabrigo, even your simple-living heart might not be contented by the outcome. However, if you can enjoy the process, save some money, and still love your new knitting yarn, recycling sweaters may be a new addiction.

Spring, Hurry UP

I've currently got a baby kitty rolling all over my keyboard, climbing on my knees, and nibbling on my fingers so excuse any typos. Roo has gotten very affectionate.

So, it's April 7th, and this is the second day we woke up, looked out the window, and instead of seeing budding trees and birds, were greeted with the sight of snow.

SNOW!?! Oh Midwest. Oh Global Warming.

Luckily it's been warm enough for the past few weeks that I finally got to wear my Whisper Cardigan!


I love this sweater. I fell in love with the pattern instantly, but as the knitting progressed I began to question the fit, shape, and overall style. But when I cast off and put it on, I knew it was a winner. I don't think I've ever worn my own knitting this much.
The yarn was a Valentine's Day present from my boss. It's Artful yarns fragrance, and is a wool alpaca blend. SO soft, drapes wonderfully, and is quite warm for such a small cardigan.

I made some pretty big modifications, the largest being a yarn with 16st/4inch which was a much larger gauge than the pattern called for. I cast on 60 stitches instead of 90 for the sleeves, and kind of fudged the rest. This did mean I had to pull out the entire body once, but I'm glad I got to use this yarn!

I also hemmed both sleeves by knitting them an inch longer, and inserting a purl turn row. You can see how they flare just the littlest bit, which I prefer over rolling.

I also began and ended every row of the body, which is plain stockinette, with 3 ribbed stitches, and increased after them. This gave it a nice, neat border that also doesn't roll.



And to finish? A crochet cast-off that makes the whole thing nice and tidy.

Overall, this pattern was a huge success. Easy-peasy, cute, comfortable, and so wearable! Once it stops snowing, I'll be wearing it everywhere.

Whisper

With Spring on the way (maybe? It is Michigan after all, it may not be spring until July) I am feeling the urge to knit cardigans. Airy, open cardigans with single buttons. Three-quarter length sleeves, with lacy repeats. Cardigans that, paired with casual jeans and ballet flats, lend themselves to barbecues and sitting on the porch. Cardigans as cheery as the spring.

Which is why, when I got the Spring Interweave Knits a few weeks ago, I was instantly drawn to the Whisper Cardigan, by Hannah Fettig. And, a few nights ago, on a whim, I cast on. Yesterday I "finished" but decided I wanted it to be a little longer, so now I'm just working in stockinette, and hoping spring will come.
The yarn I'm using,Artful Yarns Fragrance, is a heavier weight than the pattern called for, so my cardigan may not be the airy, dreamy, ephemeral one in the picture, but it is soft, cozy, and perfect for sitting on the porch with a cold beer.

Now, if only it weren't 25 degrees out, I'd be doing just that!

No-one lock me in an attic...

So, yeah, we finally got internet.

So, I'm back with no excuses. The past few weeks have been incredibly stressful, and they show no signs of getting less so. 100 pages of Sense and Sensibility for my Women's Lit class tomorrow, along with a paper on Conrad's Lord Jim by noon, and all I want to do is knit.

I need to knit, and more importantly, I need to share my knitting. And wear it, and think about it, and talk about it. Otherwise I do nothing but read and write, and I start to go a little nuts. Like Bertha Mason, except less violent. Please, no one lock me in an attic unless I have my knitting!

First, it's autumn, which is one of my favorite seasons. Actually, I suppose it would be safe to say they are all my favorite seasons, but I have been relishing in long walks through maple leaves, and the smell of pumpkin in the oven, and the crisp morning weather...and...ah, Fall!

And with Fall comes, of course, Oktoberfest! Eric and I headed to Lansing a few weeks ago for their Oktoberfest celebration in Old Town. It wasn't quite what we expected--not enough people, not enough beer, too much money. Yet, with the chill in the air, the leaves on the ground, and the smell of beer in the tent, it was a perfect fall afternoon.

Fall has also seen the release of Olde Peninsula's Pumpkin Ale. OP is a microbrewery/restaurant right downtown Kalamazoo, and has absolutely some of the best food and beer ever. Their seasonal releases may be up their with pumpkin muffins and apple cider!

But on to knitting: Last time I was in Chicago I had a mole removed from my chest. After a bad reaction to the anesthesia, not to mention the searing pain for the rest of the day, I felt I needed a treat. Barnes and Noble provided one in the form of the Fall Vogue Knitting. I picked it up, and promptly fell in love with this sweater, the Vihervaara-uppari/Green gable hoodie, picked up some of the required yarn, and started knitting.

Butg, with school starting, my senior thesis looming, as well as the literary magazine, writing center, and trying to maintain a social life, the sweater fell by the wayside. It was done--it just needed the ends sewn in and buttons sewn on. It sat on the couch for about 4 weeks, and I would look sadly at it every morning as I bolted out of the house in less stylish sweaters, or sometimes no sweater at all.

Yesterday I finally finished the sweater, sewed on the last buttons, and slipped it over my head. I LOVE IT. I can't remember the last time I loved a finished object so much, or even any sweater in the store. It's warm, soft, and incredibly comfortable. It fits well, looks great, and is a wonderful, beautiful pattern.

Details on this to come: for now, I've got to get back to reading Austen and trying to catch up with the rest of my life. Yikes.

Finally!

Finally back with some knitting!

I feel like I've turned over a new leaf now that it is June. This happily coincides with the last day of classes, and a week (mostly) off before work starts. Thank goodness! It's a week I will spend catching up on cleaning, crafting, and reading. I can't wait.

It's 90 degrees Fahrenheit out today, which does not bode well for the rest of my air-conditioner-less summer.

Convenient time to finish a cabled, worsted weight wool sweater, no? I thought so.

Luckily this sweater is destined for greater things than languishing in my wardrobe in Kalamazoo, while the cats shed in desperation, and I wipe sweat from my brow. We live in a very dramatic household.

Forecast, by Stephanie Japel, has been on my radar for a while. I love cables, buttons and cardigans, and the marriage of the three has always intrigued me. It was one of those things I've been meaning to knit since way back when, but just never got around to starting.

But after the tragic death of the pinwheel sweater which came about as soon as I tried the work in progress on and saw how badly it fit me, I was left with several balls of a tweedy, worsted weight yarn, an itch to knit a sweater, and conveniently, a sister graduating from high school and starting at University in the fall.

She's tragically hip, always wears high heels, dyes her hair incessantly, and would probably tell you she's way cooler than me. (One might not disagree with that statement.) I wanted something for her that didn't scream handknit, but that was unique, funky, and versatile. Forecast seemed to be all of those things. Plus, it was easy to knit, and an excuse to go to the fabric store and pick out the amazing buttons. (I love them. Mmm, buttons.)

I think this sweater is best kept a present for later. Her birthday is in October, so just as the Chicago weather begins to turn, this sweater may come in handy. I doubt she'll have any use for it until then.

Like many other knitters, (212 on Ravelry!) I made some heavy modifications to the pattern. I think if I were to knit it again (perhaps for myself) I would go so far as to change the cabled pattern to an aran-style braid, but overall I am incredibly pleased with this sweater. What a lovely little thing she is.

Forecast:

• 3 skeins Plyouth Encore Worsted. The pattern calls for more yardage than I had but my sister is tiny. I ended up with only a small ball left over.
• Size 6 DPN's and Denise interchangeable circs. Not my favorite, but so convenient that I am forever loyal to them.
• Took me about a week to complete. Once you get started, this sweater just rips along.

Modifications:

• Notice the lack of bobbles? This seems to be the most frequent mod i've seen, and I agree. I think they look like a ton of little nipples.
• Bigger buttons = less buttonholes. 5 instead of 10, but I like the look of the bolder, wooden buttons.
• Started the body ribbing several inches higher, as many other knitters have done.

I'll make sure to get some pictures of the sweater in action, but like I said, it may be a while.



Until next time, which hopefully won't be too far off, now that I have clearly found my camera charger. (It WAS in a great place...)

Lights, Camera, Action!

Phew! Two posts in one day? I really have been a busy little bee today. It's exhausting.

Yesterday, I went to a cute little Organic cafe in Greenwich, and wrote and read for several hours, and after that went to see Sweeney Todd. And what made the evening even better was that I was able to wear my finished tunic/sweater! Definitely loving this FO.

It still needs to be washed, so that it can shrink a bit. (The Sirdar denim is supposed to shrink about 10% when washed). I'm contemplating throwing it in the washing machine tomorrow,but the thought of all those beautiful cables and delicate picot edging getting abused in a front load washer makes me cringe!

How long did this take me? Maybe 4 or 5 days? It was incredibly quick, especially considering how long it turned out, and how many cables there are! But when you think about it, it's a simple shape, simple cables, and minimum shaping.

I've really been returning to a "less is more" mindset lately, and I think it's not only reflected in my life, but in my knitting as well. I want to knit small, simple things, and give them to people. It's been the process that I enjoy: I've spent the last few days simply lost in my knitting. I'll put on music and pick on my needles, and two hours later look down to see how much time has flown by. It's a nice feeling to have, and I am glad to have reclaimed it. I find simplicity so easy to lose these days, whether in my knitting, or my life.

You have to promise me you'll ignore the wacky look on my tired face, or my crazy hair, and just focus on the knitting! Promise?

Okay. Specs for the project...

• I think it took about 7 balls of Sirdar Indigo Pure Cotton Denim DK to finish this baby. It's such a relief to have it all knit up.I can't wait to see how it wears.
• Knit on US size 6 Denise interchangeable needles. I know some people hate them, but I have quite a fondness for them. They're so convenient, especially when one's room is the size of a porthole.
  
• Started as a v-neck top down raglan. The cables start right under the bustline, and continue down the body. I split the tunic after about several inches, and knit the front and back flat for a few more inches.
  
• The sleeves are simple and loose, but each has a cabled inlay on it. Very cute, and quite possibly my favorite part. I'm putting another picture of it up, I love it so much!
  

Now, a question. Please help! What would you call these darling mitts, knit out of the leftover Sirdar Denim? Someone on Craftster had the great idea to call them "Cozy Cabled Mitts" but that name is taken. (A tear has been shed. It was so perfect!)

My creative juices are not flowing today. Any ideas?

Rollin', rollin'...rollin' with the sweater

First, my amusing University anecdote, which has little to do with the fact that I am at Uni, but more with the fact that I am at this Uni.

Walking across New Cross Road the other day, (the main road by my flat), I caught the eye of a girl who looked incredibly familiar. So familiar that I nearly stopped in the road, to say hi. I caught myself, thinking "there is no way that is Jane!* I must be going insane.**"

Two days later, I get a facebook message from the aforementioned Jane, along the lines of "Saw you walking across New Cross Rd. yesterday...I'm at Goldsmiths!"

So yah...small world? I think so.

But now to the good stuff, the stuff that knitters dreams are made of. A sweater that behaves, and seems to nearly knit itself. That's what I'm talking about folks! After I frogged the Sirdar denim yarn about a gazillion times I was beginning to lose faith in the whole thing, and beginning to get quite bored of it.

But, (sadly) I do not have the funds to buy more yarn right now, or the room for it, and as I only have 8 more weeks in London, I really don't want to be shipping yarn back to the United States. I'm saving those boxes for more important things, like all the books I have acquired. ***

I let this sweater speak for itself. And I am always amazed at what you can produce when you throw plans out the window and just roll with it! A few increases here, some cables here, and voila! A sweater! I was so thrilled to be producing a fabric with the Sirdar denim that I didn't hate that I didn't really put much thought into the process. I started a top down raglan, and just let 'er rip!

What I ended up was a tunic-length sweater with cables starting right below the bust, and loose 3/4 length sleeves. I really love the detail of the sweater, as simple as it is. The cables are over 4 stitches, so they are quite small, and make the sweater really hug my curves (even the ones I'd like to hide...). It has sort of a Grecian flair to it that I love, and I am excited for Spring to come, because I think the denim will be a lovely spring-time sweater.


The sweater still needs to be blocked, and I want to get some "action shots" for y'all, but I couldn't help but share the loveliness! Even if it does clash like something else against that blanket! ****



*Girl I had European History with in high school...seems like ages ago. Oh,I am getting so old!
** I keep thinking I see people I know. 99.9% of the time I'm completely wrong.
***I may or may not have broken down in Waterstones, and bought "Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake. In my defense, it has his original etched illustrations, and Blake is one of my favorite poets. So there.
***BLATANT ABUSE OF ASTERISKS TODAY! WHEEE!

Christmas Knitting- Under the Tree

It's all done. Today I paid a truly painful sum of money to have my presents shipped back to the United States, but I can't complain because it's done! Now all I have to do is knit, read, and sleep for the next few days, before my travels begin.

Can't complain there can I?

As you can see, my dad's sweater, which I suppose needs a name, is also done. Finito, as they say in Italy.

Forgive the craptastic photo. You know how it is.

I am really pleased with the way this sweater came out. Rowan wool is a dream to work with - all squishy and warm and fuzzy. Apart from the time crunch, I was practically squealing with delight while I knit this.

The durrow cable pattern from Girl From Auntie is a wonderful design, and definitely my favorite part of the sweater. It should be across the chest, but since I am much smaller than my father, it sort of falls below my boobs. Imagine it's up a few inches.

The sweater itself was ridiculously easy to make. The body was knit on size 7 (US that is) Denise interchangeable needles, and the sleeves on clover DPN's, my personal favorite. I'm a big fan of bamboo, and use it whenever I can.

This sweater is also good for jumping on the bed, as you can see.

I am truly surprised that this has been such a low stress Christmas season. I thought that I would be running around London, cursing the weak dollar as I elbowed my way down Oxford Street. Instead, I have been knitting contently and gorging myself on Steak and Guinness pies.

Part of it has to be the fact that I really stuck to small gifts this year, a few pairs of earrings for one sister, a scarf for the other, and part of it has to lie in the presents I finished in August. Whatever it was, I am going to remember this and hopefully apply it next year!


I hope everyone else is doing okay on their holiday knitting. If you do not celebrate Christmas, or have not decided it's a good idea to knit for everyone you've ever met, then you are probably laughing at me and all the other crazed knitters. Humph.

Christmas Knitting - Keep on trecking...

Almost there people, almost there!

In 4 days I leave for a weekend in Bath, for some sightseeing and some hardcore Jane Austen worshiping.

In 8 days I leave for Japan! For Christmas! With my boyfriend! I am so excited. So, so, so excited.

In 16 days I leave for Madrid, from where I will go to Venice. I am so excited.

I am also, as a result of this, so broke. But, isn't traveling on the cheap what Study Abroad is supposed to be about? (Say yes...)

With the upcoming travels, I only have one chore left. That is, to ship my presents. Because, I finished my dad's sweater! It's happily blocking on the floor, taking it's sweet time to dry. But that's okay, because it's done. I am so relieved! I just really hope it fits, since I had no one to try it on. (Oh the woes of living alone.)

Hopefully by tomorrow afternoon it will be dry enough to properly photograph, then wrap up and ship. Whoohoo!

The finishing of the sweater also meant that I could get back to my own knitting.

I've loved this pattern for a long time, yet I can't remember what it's called. Some variation on a log cabin, I suppose. So, I made it up! (Which, I think you can tell). It's a bit uneven, the squares are not perfect, and there are many mistakes. But I had fun! I just knit a square, and started adding short row triangles to the sides. For my purposes, it works. This is square 3 of my super secret project, which I now have time to work on!



Sorry for the short post. I'm fighting off a migraine, so I think I'm headed back to my cozy bed, with a cup of tea.

Cheers!

Laundry list of WIP's

I feel like all I do these days is knit. This isn't completely true. I read, sometimes. (I just started Middlemarch for class, and I'm quite excited.) Sometimes I go to yoga. Today I went to the Greenwich market and then walked around in the park, my favorite spot in London.

But mostly I knit. I only have three projects currently on the needles, but it seems like a lot. (They're all relatively large projects, and I'm so excited about all three, I can never decide which to work on.)

A tour of my day might look a little something like this.

Morning: Work on the "Lizzie" sweater. The body is done. I now just need sleeves. Inspiration for sleeves, to be honest. I've got the whole sweater except for the sleeves done.

The lace pattern is called "Leaves of Grass." I actually found it on the lion brand website,which was quite a nice surprise! I like the way it works with the denim. It has a nice drape,and is lacy yet no-nonsense. Just like Elizabeth Bennet.

Midday: Cue the Sweater o' Doom. I had a small panic attack when I realized it was already November 2nd. I have to get this thing done, steeked, sewn, blocked, wrapped and mailed by mid-December to get it to my dad in time! Good thing it's grown.
I'm about 20" into the body, and need about another 6" total before I can start the sleeves. It's actually been less full of doom than I thought, and once I got the hang of the pattern it started clipping along. (You can see the front and sides in this picture. Nifty!)

Decidedly less doomy than I thought. Although I might take that back once I have to steek it.






Night: My "secret project". I know this is the first I've mentioned it. I've had an idea percolating for a while, and figured all this extra knitting time would give me a chance to actually execute the idea. Witness part 1 of the secret project.

The secret project also includes a lot more yarn. If you've ever wondered what $100 of Wool of the Andes looks like, here's your answer.

A lot.

Denim Double Duty

I like my denim yarn. A whole lot. And contrary to what the manufacturers said, the indigo dye is not rubbing off on my hands. Just another reason to love it!

I've been working on a sweater of my own design out of the Sirdar denim (indigo DK) that I picked up at the Knitting and Stitching festival a few weeks back. I'm almost done, I suppose, but it still feels like a time consuming, huge project.

A few pictures to whet your palette and make me feel like the sweater will be worn in the future:
Here you see a bodice/vest type thing. Unfortunately the light in my room is too terrible to allow you to see the brocade pattern, the small diamonds that make it up, or the picot edging. Very much a teaser.


Another (albeit more detailed) teaser. The first picot edging I've ever done, and I'm quite enamored of it.

This sweater is clipping along at nice rate. A few episodes of Buffy tonight and I might have something real to show very soon.