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Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Sadly, no matter how carefully we hand wash our woolly jumpers,there comes a time when they are so felted up that they are no longer comfortable to wear.We never like to throw away an old favourite and always look for a further use for it.Fortunately there are many ways you can create something new and beautiful from an old thickened jumper which can extend its usefulness for years, because the thickened fabric can be cut with scissors and will not readily fray.

Create a new teddy bear for a little friend, from an old jumper (brown is ideal), using the old-fashioned sock-doll method. With the back of the jumper for his body and head, the front for his legs, and the two sleeves for his arms. Cut his ears and nose from the remaining scraps, and what is left use for his filling.

Embroider his face and claws in black wool and a bright bow around his neck and he will turn out to be a very handsome fellow.

Dolls using the same method, especially from an old pink jumper, is a delight for any little princess.

Save the remaining scraps for patches in a rug.

You may have to beg old felted woolies from friends and relatives or the local op / thrift store will often sell you a bundle of unsaleable jumpers from their rag bag if you run short.

Cut patches about 15 cm (6 in) square and run around the edges about 1/4 inch in from the edge (to prevent any fraying that may take place). Do a single row of double crochet in a bright colour around each one, and join them up with the same colour. Sometimes for fun, you can embroider flowers or animals on the plain squares.

A small jumper can be turned into an attractive tea cosy, or an oven mitt. Bind the seam with a bright coloured print bias binding, cut from whatever scraps are in the cupboard, and embroider a design to fancy it up a bit. Using cross stitch or lazy daisy with coloured wool.

A man's jumper can find new life as a bolero for a smaller person or even a tunic for a toddler. Cut out the sleeves and open down the front for the bolero. Bind the cut edges with bright print - this can look great if you have a skirt in the same print.

For the toddler's tunic cut the shape from a paper pattern. If you don't like to bind the edges you may prefer to crochet or blanket stitch around them. In this case don't forget the single row of machine stitching on the edge first. This safety measure ensures that your edging won't come adrift when you wash your new garment.

Make a pair of slippers from two sleeves, a pair of slippers from a whole jumper, pot holders, shoe polishing pads, blackboard dusters etc. from the scraps, and stuff your cushions with what's left.

Whatever you do, don't throw it out. Your old jumper has lots of life left in it yet.

Bear or Doll Instructions

To make a toy bear or doll from an old jumper is largely a matter of guesswork, depending on the size of your jumper. As a general rule, make the arms about half as wide as the body, and about as long as the lower half, from neck to where the legs join.Make the legs a little wider and longer. The lenght depends on your own taste.

In case this leaves you all at sea, here is a rough guide to make a toy about 36 cm long.

From the part of your jumper which is the largest cut a square about 24 x 24 cm. This is for the body and head.

From the next best pieces cut leg squares about 15.5 x 15.5 cm, then arm pieces 11.5 x 13 cm.

Be careful to ensure the grain of the arm pieces runs along the longest edge.

The direction of the greatest stretch should run around the body, just as it does in a knitted jumper.

Choose the nicest side of the fabric and call it the right side.

Fold each piece in half right sides together and seam down one side only.

For arms, fold lengthwise and seam down longest edge.

Body: With needle and strong thread, gather top edge.

Pull edges you may prefer to crochet or blanket stitch around them. In this case, don't forget the single row of machine 10 cm from top.

Pull up tightly.

Wind thread around neck a couple of times.

Finish off and darn ends of thread way out of sight.

Leave bottom edge open for the moment.

Arms and Legs: Finish as for body (omit neck thread) by gathering one end up tightly.

Finish off firmly, turn through to right side and fill.

Do not fill too tightly at the open end of arms and legs as this will cause them to stick out awkwardly when attached to the body.

Leave the last 2 cm without filling.

Tack legs closed without turning raw edges in.

Insert this end of leg into the open end of the body, closing the body over the leg with body edges turned in 1 cm.

Top stitch across the top of the seam for added strength.

Finish other leg the same way.

Turn the open ends of the arms in 1 cm and finish off neatly, then attach the arms to the body, about where the shoulders should be.

Allow a little movement in arms so they don't stick out, but drop down at teddy's sides.

At this point if you are making a doll, embroider facial features, and attach hair, then dress as you please.

For bear cut four half-ovals for ears.

Seam them in pairs around curved edge (right sides together) leaving straight edge open.

Turn to right side and press flat.

Turn straight edges in and close opening then attach to top of head, placing straight edges to head.

For the bear's nose, cut a circle 9.5 cm across.

Fold this circle in half right side together and make a dart in one side 2 cm wide at the edge, running to a point in the centre of the circle.

When this is turned to the right side, it should have a slighlty conical shape like a Chinese hat.

Run a gathering thread around the edge and pull up slighlty until it looks right for the nose.

Fill with stuffing and pin to bear's face adjusting until it looks right.

Turn edge around and stitch in place adding more filling if necessary before final inch (2.5 cm) of stitching is completed.

Embroider a little black nose, eyes and claws, to finish off.

Op / Thrift Art

Thrifted handknit sweaters made from pure wool are usually made from really nice yarn. Some folk say that they feel bad ripping apart even mass produced sweaters because someone could be wearing them. Guess if I had knitted a jumper, I would rather it be in the hands of another knitter who can re-incarnate it for someone to enjoy. Rather than ending up in landfill.

The first thing I do when entering a thrift shop is to check the winter woolies. Finding all the pure wool jumpers, men's and ladies are the best. These can be unravelled, skeined on the back of a chair, washed and rewound one winter's night by the fire.

You can knot and crochet two lots together for a plyed effect.

There are 101 uses for recycled wool; children's jumpers, bedsocks, patchwork cushions, bedspreads and the nicest gifts are always those that have been handmade, fashioned by the hands of the giver and full of warm vibrations.

Toys, gloves, caps, bags, tea cosies, balaclavas for frosty mornings, footy mascots, golf club covers, afghans.These are just a few gift suggestions, the possibilities are almost endless.

Recycled Sweater Tote

These totes are made from old sweaters that are felted in the washing machine. You can create the handles by cutting the sweater strategically after you felt it or you can take the felted bag to a shoemaker or tailor and ask him or her to attach leather handles for you. Once you start making these bags, I warn you that you may become obsessed with finding "new" sweaters to work with at thrift stores, even in the drawers of family and friends.
 
http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/other_crafts/recycled_sweater_totes.php

 'e ko logic hand makes chic and fun fashions and accessories out of %100 recycled cashmere and cotton for both men and women. All of our pieces are one of a kind, they are wearable art!

There is a little magic and a lot of love in each piece we construct!
www.ekologic.com