Recycle Sweaters: Make a Throw or Pillow
Old wool sweaters make great gifts when felted and pieced into throws and pillows.
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What You Need
- Old wool sweaters
- Liquid dishwashing soap
- Matching sewing threads
- Seam stabilizer
- Felted wool fabric (optional)
- Pinking shears
- Pillow form
- Yarn and large-eye needle (optional)
How to Make It
Felt the Sweaters
- Gather sweaters that are at least 80 percent wool. The number of sweaters needed will depend on the desired size of the finished throw or pillow and the size of the sweaters after shrinkage. We used approximately 12 sweaters for a throw and two sweaters for a pillow. Use sweaters with patterns or designs for interest, such as the reindeer rectangles for the throw and the skier rectangle for the pillow.
- Sort the sweaters by color. Place sorted sweaters, turned inside out, into the washing machine set to hot wash/cold rinse; add a small amount of liquid dishwashing soap. Add a few lint-free items such as old T-shirts or jeans; they provide friction as the machine agitates to promote the felting. If desired, remove the sweaters two or three times during the wash cycle and rinse in cold water, squeezing out excess fluid; extreme temperature changes help to speed the felting process.
- Remove sweaters before the entire spin cycle is complete and roll in a towel to remove excess water. Shape and allow to air dry. Repeat the felting process until stitches are no longer visible. The felted sweaters should be dense and thick. If the knitting stitches show more than you like, repeat the process. If necessary, hand felt for additional firmness and smoothness by rubbing the item on a washboard with hot water and liquid dishwashing soap or rolling it between palms. Let dry; trim excess fuzziness with scissors.
- Remove the sleeves from the sweaters and cut along the inner arm seams to lay flat. Cut the body of the sweater along the side and shoulder seams. Lay the felted pieces on a flat surface to cut the shapes needed.
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