Recycling a Thrifted Sweater for Yarn 🧶 🧶 🧶 500gms pure cashmere!

I love to recycle and upcycle thrifted sweater into yarn for new projects.
Watch as I unravel this cashmere sweater and reknit it into something new!
Unraveling thrifted sweaters to reclaim Hugh quality yarn is satisfying and fun!
It also keeps some second hand clothing from potentially ending up in the landfill, as well as reduces my need to keep buying more yarn.
#knitting #unraveled
I found this sweater on Vinted:
www.vinted.es
I made the Terrazzo Sweater by Petite Knit:
www.ravelry.com/patterns/libr...
All of my projects with patterns and yarn are listed on my Ravelry here:
www.ravelry.com/projects/Lisa...
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[@twinnish]

I read a book when I was young about a little girl who was in Warsaw Poland during World War II, and had no money for clothes, and somehow just got a hold of old sweaters and took them apart like you’re doing and remade them for her siblings. The version of the book I read was called escape from Warsaw, but it has other titles from Europe. That book was very impactful to my youthful head and heart. I think it is one of the reasons why I actually know how to do things like sew and cook, but ironically, I have never learn to knit properly! And yet still here, I am on, I’ll kinds of knitting and crocheting channels and yours, watching you unravel a sweater. Getting out the energy to practice my foreign language today. I love that sweater and I love the story and I’m wondering do you have to do anything to the kinky yarn before you knit it or can you just knit it from that curly yarn?

[@Lisamakes]

What a wonderful story! I used to read a lot of WW2 memoirs when I was a teenager, and they were very impactful. That book sounds wonderful. Thus far I have not washed the yarn before knitting, and the curly yarn doesn’t bother me. I just steam the garment as I go. That said, I have another sweater I am unraveling now that I am going to try soaking the yarn first, to see the difference.

[@loreliemiller628]

Oh the satisfaction of finding the ends and starting to unravel! I can feel it😊

[@Lisamakes]

So true!!!

[@user-nw3vr2yr5w]

Good to see the reality!

[@dallasjames9381]

love this sweater - so cozy and classic!!

[@Lisamakes]

Yes! Audrey wore it to school today. We’ll see if I get it back.

[@catallsopp]

Beautiful! What a great, satisfying project. No wonder you're so happy with it. Well done and thanks for sharing! :-)

[@Lisamakes]

Thank you! It really was very satisfying. ❤️

[@lindarobbins6750]

I had this situation once! The sweater was actually grafted at the shoulder, so once I fingered that out, it was smooth sailing! Also, frequently, the neckline is cut to the desired size, so that section is not usable. Lovey yarn, worth the effort!

[@Lisamakes]

So, you totally get what I mean! It’s interesting to come across different construction methods- and, yes, so worth it!

[@bluegrassdreams2seams510]

I’ve been working on a mitered square blanket in fingering yarns. Two nights ago, I decided to take apart a tank that I never wore! I knitted it probably four years ago and I loathed the fit. So it was like tossed in the “unloved corner!” I really needed this shade of green and some gray, so I took it apart. Your videos have inspired me to not think of my former make fails as fails anymore but potentially will become something else😊

[@Lisamakes]

Aw, I love that! It’s so true- you’ll get way more use out of the blanket, instead of a tank that just stares at you from the closet. ;);)

[@jamiethrogmorton2540]

Such patience…but that gorgeous setting helps!

[@Lisamakes]

It does help! I actually find the “puzzle” quite fun- and then when it all starts to unravel easily it’s so satisfying.

[@valeriemoorcroft6838]

Wow, how beautiful it is. What a fabulous idea. I have many cashmere sweaters, but none would be suitable as they are mostly fine cashmere! Well done 😊

[@Lisamakes]

Yes, you do have to look for something a bit thicker- often cabled sweaters use a bit heavier gauge.

[@Lighthouse1852]

What fun, like finding buried gold! Someone might've bought that sweater and worn it to work in their garage, not realizing that it was Italian spun cashmere. You rescued it. The new sweater looks fantastic on you, both the heathery color and youthful style. And it must be cozy. Well done. You have almost enough yarn for another sweater?! I wouldn't use that kind of scarce resource for just a hat. OK, maybe a headband,. I love the idea of a cabled vest....actually, something similar to the cable pattern the yarn came from, with either a mock turtle or deep V neck opening. Vests are still trending now so there are luxe examples to study online for inspiration. Vests are timeless, practical, lovely to travel with, and a vest allows you to switch underlayers to make it warmer, cooler, dressier or more rustic. It would fit under a jacket or look sharp on its own. So many things are possible with 200 m. As for my projects, I'm actively looking for a cute, modern, practical baby garment idea. A young woman I'm very fond of is having her first baby. We don't know whether it's a boy or girl yet. They're outdoorsy people living in the Rockies, so something to wear on hikes and camping would probably go over well. I enjoy making hats and sweaters but am bored with my usual patterns and open to other ideas. If anyone has recommendations, I'm all ears!

[@Lisamakes]

Yes, I do have quite a lot left! I’ve knit two vests, so far, and I don’t find they get a lot of wear. Maybe a Scandinavian slip over type? Have you looked at the Tin Can Knits patterns? They have cute baby patterns. Also Petite Knit. Thanks for watching!

[@Lighthouse1852]

@@Lisamakes Yes, I meant a Scandi type slipover, but if you don't wear them, it's a sign to keep looking for ideas....Thanks for the Tin Can Knits lead. I hadn't thought of Petite Knits. Good idea.

[@Lisamakes]

@Lighthouse1852 I’m always chilly- so if it’s cold enough for me to need a sweater, my arms will be cold in a vest/slipover. Good luck picking a baby pattern to make- lucky friend!

[@chaotickaren]

Just "scored" two cashmere sweaters at my local thrift store... ($3 each!) Smaller ones are generally more plentiful... but usually they've been well cared for and unravel like a DREAM.

[@Lisamakes]

Amazing!!! I love it when the unraveling is easy. 🎉🎉🎉

[@s.m.4948]

Wooooow! So pretty! I LOVE that you have used reclaimed yarn and it looks fabulous on you. Where do you live? It looks like Portugal, perhaps? Xx

[@Lisamakes]

Thank you! It’s already become a staple in my wardrobe. We live in Spain, near Barcelona.

[@amstingley]

I like your sweater and the cashmere has to be so soft on your neck. I’m going to keep my eye open for thrifted sweaters. Although, I don’t see many sweaters in my thrift stores or ones that aren’t acrylic. I’m in Chicago (US) and my thrift stores get picked over pretty quickly and I don’t shop them enough to get the good finds. I saved your video for future reference. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I find it really relaxing and satisfying watching you unwind a sweater. Thanks

[@Lisamakes]

Thanks for watching! You may have better look looking online. I did another video about how to choose a good sweater to unravel on line that might help!

[@twinnish]

Might want to be there at opening and shop menswear

[@magsohara7908]

Ooh stunning. Inspiring me to check out vinted now. Thank you for sharing 🙋🏼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@Lisamakes]

My pleasure! If you saw my first video in this series, I show you what look for whilst shopping on line for sweaters to frog. Not all are crested equal!

[@jetv1471]

I think the twist you ran into at the end of each row was a slipped stitch when knitting . How do I know ? Because I knit a sweater once that had you slip the stitch at end of each row and had to “tink “ it back , I nearly threw it across my he room and swore that I will never slip the stitch when they say to . I like when you tell us the make of the sweater because you know that make doesn’t serge the seams . Thank you !

[@Lisamakes]

Oh, that must have been so frustrating! lol. I don’t blame you for throwing it across the room. I can say for sure that Massimo Dutti doesn’t. If you look at my latest video I show one from them. Also Banana Republic. Essentially stay away from really cheap fast fashion brands.

[@pamelafitzgerald6680]

Love it! You are so lucky to have found DK weight. I just reclaimed cashmere but in fingering which is usually what you find. But it was only $7.99. I finished a cowl/shawl using the Age of Brass free pattern and I haven’t reached for any other scarf this winter!

[@Lisamakes]

Amazing! I did unravel a red one in my first video in this series, which I think was light fingering. I held it double, and it’s about a sport weight.

[@swordlily7324]

Wow! This is amazing! I really do love this yarn and your sweater too! If I understood write, you didn't make the unraveled yarn straight and worked with the still-curly yarn?

[@Lisamakes]

Yes, that’s right! When you tension the yarn to knit it’s straight like normal. I then just steam it a bit as I go, and then a good steam or wet block at the end, depending on the piece. Works like a charm!

[@swordlily7324]

​@@Lisamakes Thanks a lot!)

[@fiddleandfiber]

So inspiring! I’m surprised it wasn’t necessary to skein up the yarn and give it a bath to get out the kinks before knitting with it. The sweater you knit looks great!

[@Lisamakes]

I know, right? As you tension the yarn it straightens out, so it doesn’t feel weird to knit with. I will try doing it that way, though, just to compare.

[@anht8305]

for the main body, you may be unraveling it from the side it was cast on instead of the bind off side. I wonder if the original sweater was made in pieces and grafted at the shoulder? the new sweater looks lovely.

[@Lisamakes]

Thank you! Yes, this definitely had a different construction than other sweaters I’ve worked on. The finished product makes it worth it!

[@karynbray1004]

Enjoy your videos. I’m a sewist more than a knitter…I’m curious if your move from Canada to Spain has become permanent instead of temporary?

[@Lisamakes]

Yes! We will be in Spain for the foreseeable future.

[@knittysong]

SO annoying when you have to loop the yarn through the ends of rows. Are you sure that it's not because you started unraveling at the wrong side? I learned that a while back and usually it is the case that if you have to do that it's because you need to unravel from the other end. Maybe not in your case, don't know, but anyway cashmere is so worth the trouble!!

[@Lisamakes]

Hmmm, I don’t think so- but I’ll try that next time and see!