Monday, 28 February 2011

So Long...

It's been so long since my last post, I almost didn't know what to say, which is quite unlike me!


My friend, Joan, was staying with me last week and we had a lovely time, visiting all the sights and charity shops in the district!  Her daughter, Alison, stayed with my daughter at the same time, as they came down in Alison's car, together. It seems a good time was had by all!


In the charity shops I got a few sweaters - so I could recycle the yarn.  This is one of my most favourite things!  You take a sweater that cost £3 or £4 and you end with enough lovely yarn to make something new and beautiful.  I have noticed though, that some sweaters these days are made by overlocking (serging) the seams, and, of course, these are no good at all for undoing as you end up with short lengths of yarn, so you have to watch out for these.  I found a lovely turquoise and blue bouclĂ© mixture sweater which looked like this when I undid it...


Recycled turquoise_dkblue before straightening


...and then I steamed it (over the kettle, very dangerous - don't tell Health & Safety!!!!) until it was straight again and ready to re-use...


Recycled turquoise_dkblue


...not sure what I'll use it for, but I find the unravelling etc. very soothing.


I also did a mulberry-coloured sweater, and that is a lovely mixture of 58% silk...


mulberry mixture label


...and feels very soft like chenille.


Mulberry mixture ball


Japanese Flowers


I also had a go at the Japanese flowers that everyone is raving about...


Japanese flower


...but I don't want to make a scarf and I'm not sure what else I can do with them.





4 comments:

Carolyn said...

It is so satisfying to rescue things and give them a second life. Love the colour of the silk blend.

Carol said...

Excellent charity shop shopping, good tip about avoiding overlocked seams.
I've been making the Japanese flowers too, so far a scarf (but it might become something else!) and a small hexagonal quilt. They are quite addictive.
Carol xx

Me and Ma said...

The Japanese floweres are great. I was going to use mine to decorate around the bottom of skirts or dresses for my two youngest girls....

Claire said...

Fab finds at the charity shop, love the yarn colours.
Those Japanese flowers look wonderful, maybe you could make a brooch with them.....

Claire :}