Thanks Marci from Overcoming Busy for inspiring this post! She asked me, “where I get sweaters to recycle?” My reply: thrift stores and friends.

I began reading about various sewing projects a bit back, and found the idea of working with simply natural fibers very appealing. We tend to consume so much that is manufactured, produced, and synthesized these days that I feel I have lost touch with “real, natural, and pure.” So, I started felting wool sweaters for my sewing projects.

I find sweaters to recycle primarily at thrift shops in my area. Go on the Internet and Google “thrift store” and your locality. I frequent 4 stores near me. Each thrift store has “sale days”. On Monday’s I get 25% off my order at one store, and on the fourth Wednesday of every month, sweaters are $1 each at another store I love. So, go on sale days…it makes every project cheaper. Oh…and go early…sometimes I arrive 5 minutes before opening only to find a line of customers waiting outside!

I head straight for the men’s sweaters first. XXL size. You can reclaim the largest fabric pieces from these large garments. Pull-overs are best, and remember cardigans give you smaller pieces. Select sweaters that are 90%+ wool, are relatively hole-free (or at least have only holes you can “work around”) and are stain-free. Sweaters that are less than 90% wool will not felt as well in the wash. Too many holes is a sign of moths and you don’t want to be bringing these into your home. The stains, well, if they are there, they are probably going to stay there. If you can applique over them, or cut them out, buy it.

Secondly, I head over to the woman’s sweater section. I usually find more cashmere here and more varied vibrant colors. Cashmere, I am told, doesn’t technically felt, but it does shrink and fluff-up very nicely in the washing machine. Woman’s sweaters are usually more expensive, and smaller, so select your fabrics budget-wisely. I like to use one nice bright color to accent a darker grey-black piece. The bright read sweater may have cost $6 where as the other three grey-black XXL sweaters may have cost $2.50 each. All together, it turns out to be a very spend-thrift blanket/throw project.

* * * Thrifty recycling and budget-friendly sewing…I love it! * * *

Other places to find sweaters:

• Your grandmother’s attic…or your closet.
• Your friend’s closet. I tell everyone I am sewing recycled sweaters and that I want theirs…but somehow I don’t seem to know too many people with cashmere they are bent on getting rid of…
• Yard sales, consignment stores, church sales.

Do you have other secret places you thrift?

Next up….a sweater felting tutorial (for those of you out there that want to start sewing your newly thrifted stash asap.) Keep organizing, and keep creatively crafting.