Anyone want to join me in a woollen upcycle challenge?

[Dunners]

Anyone else want to join me in a challenge to transform plain/tired woollies into something fabulous?

Check out your local Sallies/Op shop, garage sales, or even your own wardrobe, find a tired woollen garment & upcycle it into something fantastic. Ideas I've thought of to help get the cogs turning:
* embellishing a plain item
* unravelling for the wool and knitting up into something else
* cutting up and refashioning into another item - e.g. an adult jersey into kids longies & vest
* felt a woollen item, use that felt to make something e.g. felted flowers, purse, finger puppets, cushion cover, etc

I bought a plain, black, hand knitted vest at the Sallies yesterday for $3. I'm just about to search on Etsy for some ideas to jazz it up a bit.

Anyone keen?

[Darny]

yep, I'm in, how long have we got though? Super busy right now

[Gaia]

Great idea
I'd love to join. Have a ton of wollies here waiting to be transformed.
Will see if I can get something done before we go away otherwise I will save it for my July projects.

[Gaia]

oops...double post

[Claire]

Hehe.. Great timing! I just cut out an old woolen jersey of DH's to make a dress for Missy.
Gotta get onto it. Should only take a few minutes to sew with all the original hems

[Gaia]

Maybe it can be an ongoing project over winter.
No time frame
That would suit me

[Nutbar]

I always feel its so wrong to cut a woolen item (only cause I'd wreck it)...like one of those, oh no! do I, don't I? Eek,where to make the cut?!

[Gaia]

Time to be brave

I have always felt it a sin to purposely felt a beautiful jumper

[mumtotwo]

stupid question i know but .....when you cut into a jersey , how do you stop it from fraying / unravelling ? do you have to overlock the edges ?

[Claire]

Hehe.. Great timing! I just cut out an old woolen jersey of DH's to make a dress for Missy.
Gotta get onto it. Should only take a few minutes to sew with all the original hems

scrap that
I just made it and it looks absolutely terrible
Oh well the original jersey was covered in holes so it wasn't like I ruined something useful

[mama anne]

Maybe it can be an ongoing project over winter.
No time frame
That would suit me

And me

[Dunners]

No deadline at all, just thought it would be inspiring to see what others come up with (when they have the chance).

My Etsy trawling wasn't so successful, so I shall have to be more creative on my own

[mumtotwo]

I'd be keen to try if i can get over the fear of cutting into a jumper only to have it fray everywhere ......but I don't have an overlocker - do i need one for this type of thing ?

[Dunners]

An overlocker would certainly make it easier, but not impossible I would just zig-zag the raw edges (like they used to in the old days before domestic overlockers ).

[Darny]

If you choose the right kind of jersey it won't fray as much too (like one I've washed which is well felted ) - some of the machine made ones are more like merino fabric - knit rather than knitted IYKWIM, and they don't unravel so easily so are easier to work with (probably a lot of the womens quite thin jobbies in the op shops would fit the bill)

i'm thinking a lined hoodie or sweatshirt might be a goer if I can find the right jersey - lined because my kids don't like wearing wool unless it's merino fabric.