Spring is here. It is in Ontario, anyway, and any weekend now I'm going to do the customary wardrobe swap where I make room for spring jackets, light shoes and canvas bags in lieu of the heavy coats, several pairs of Sorels, and heavy knit sweaters that have been weighing down my front hall. Speaking of those heavy sweaters, every year -- it never fails -- I have a sweater or two that does not survive.
I tend to by a lot of vintage knits, and living in an old house, the moths like to have a nibble (yes, I've had them fumigated a zillion times but the problem only gets better or worse -- never really goes away.) The damage really comes out after I do the final washing before summer storage, and the sweaters that have been moth food, come out looking like Swiss Cheese.
Throw them out you say? No way! In the world of upcycling, moth-eaten sweaters are a sustainable resource! I've been noticing what the crafters out there have been doing with their old sweaters, and decided that it's become a full movement. So if you're thinking of throwing out some of your oldies in the spring clean, don't -- do this instead!
Sweater Pillows
Not a stretch (no pun intended), but you'd be surprised how many people never thought of actually making some of these themselves. I would gather that most people think they have to know how to knit, well why not use something that's already been knitted!? If you're really challenged in the hand-sewing/knitting department, then you may struggle with how to stop the sweater bits from unraveling, but I believe in you. And think of how satisfying a process adding buttons could be? So many choices!
Via WomansDay.com
Chair Socks
What? OK. Cute? Maybe... I don't know.... These are not recycled, but crafted with the sole purpose of being pulled over your chairs' legs. Though I could see some crafty soul finding a way to avoid ordering them all the way from Germany.
By Chris & Ruby Design
Sweater Rug
Now this I like! I could see this in a kids room, a country bathroom or even a cottage. What a cute idea! Avid crafter Diana Durkes of Chicago gives a step-by-step of how to reproduce the cuteness you see, which mainly involves piecing sweater parts together so that they lie flat and straight. You also need a backing, such as a cheap floor mat.
Via HomeWorkshop.com
Sweater Lampshade
This one may be a bit of a tall order to reproduce, but I do love the look of it. The lovely, styled photo doesn't help in telling the truth about what this may actually look like if one of us were to try it at home, but the idea intrigues me. I've seen simple cable knit on miniature sconce shades, but this here looks more elaborate. What makes this, I think, is the knit -- it's quite bulky, organic and unique looking, which, surely you would never find if you went looking for it. No matter, I'm going to put this on the list of things to do with old sweaters because this one looks so darn appealing. Oh, and make sure to use a low-wattage bulb. Otherwise you'll have to delight in the burning hair smell.
Via Lifestyle.msn.com
Sweater Vases
The easiest of the bunch; find a plain vase, cut a sweater sleeve, pull it over the vase, hot glue in places to secure the knit to the vase, and enjoy! Argyle and neutral knits work best I find, but hey, you may have a special mustard or raspberry number that's just yearning to be the perfect pop colour for your living room. It's basically a vase warmer, which I've also seen on mason jars with candles inside, turning the whole thing into a knitted lantern.
Via DesignSpongeonline.com
And a little inspiration...
Sweater Taxidermy
Love the look of taxidermy but not the idea? Mourning a sweater? While a stuffed sweater may not be the most attractive artifact to mount on a wall (not to mention creepy), a sweater in the shape of a taxidermy animal may just be the ticket! I kid, but East Coast American artist, Rachel Denny, does not. Her crafty fingers are behind this knitted Doe trophy, which she makes by hand out of polyurethane foam, wool, thread and wood. While it may be hard for you to render so exquisitely the animal form, here's an idea; you know all those non-animal-product doe and deer busts that have flooded the market over the past several years? Why not give them a makeover! You must be some what sick of its neutral, faceless form mocking nature from your walls...(I wanted one too, at one point, trust me.) Just pull one of your fave'd but ruined sweaters over it, and all of a sudden it's chic again!
Have you tried any of these ideas out? Share please!
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