wool waste

[chaos]

Hello,

I recently unravelled a couple of Aran jumpers beyond repair, and now have a box of crinkly wool, much of it in short lengths resulting from impatience when it didn't unravel easily at the seam edges!

I think I'll have to throw it away unless anybody can think of a use for it. I have a feltmaker friend who may be interested.

Chaos

[unapam]

That's a tough one! You could stuff it into an old pillowcase and it would be a cosy dog bed.

[4eyes]

If you wrap wool around a warm kettle and leave it for a while it will de-crinkle

[chaos]

The dog bed idea is a good one unapam.
I've thought about cushions, but we already have more than enough.

Hm, the warm kettle de-crinkling method sounds interesting 4eyes. When I next have surplus patience and time I might try it. Have you done it yourself ?

[sweensie]

Hi Chaos
Im a knitter and have several times unravelled jumpers in order to use the wool from them. There are jumpers that unravel easily and jumpers that are machine stitched (ie not handknit) at the edges so dont unravel easily. If anyones interested in finding out how to find the easy ones to unravel, let me know and Ill put together a few instructions for you!
Is the wool pure wool or is it a wool/acrylic mix or pure wool thats treated?
Its just that pure wool will felt but a lot of wools have been treated and as a result wont felt. If there is a label from the jumper and it says hand wash then its almost certainly untreated pure wool.
What you could do with it, if you are trying to get rid of it, is put it up on www.olannban.net, which is a knitters resource for Ireland. You will have to contact the administrator of the site, and put it up as an ad for anyone to take. Someone may be interested in it from the knitting/felting community.
To get rid of the crinkly bits, you need to wash it and hang it, in oder to do that you need to be able to wind it as if into a skein as otherwise you will just have a tangeled mess which will try your patience even more! Wind it around 2 chair backs, tie it in about 4 places with other wool, (to skein it you will then twist it so it twists in on itself, then put one end through another). Wash in warm water with some baby shampoo, dont agitate it too much, hang it to dry and put a weight on one end. Skein it when dry.
probably won't be possible if you have lots of short bits though.:-(
Best of luck!

[chaos]

Hi Sweensie,

Thanks for your thoughts. The wool is handwash 100% pure wool. Both jumpers were chunky hand knitted Arans.
I haven't reminded my felter friend about it yet, but if she's not interested, I may well contact olannban.net. Sounds like a good resource.
I had thought about washing it. I think the shortest would be long enough for short skeins! I haven't made any skeins for a long time, but I'm a weaver so that shouldn't be too much of a task.

Many thanks for all your suggestions.

Chaos

[shonastar]

Hi Chaos,
I read somewhere that you can 'steam' the wool in a steamer to get the crinkles out. Haven't actually tried it but I'll see if I can find the article, it would be worth giving a go!

[CleoCy]

If this happens to anyone else - that is, you have some unwanted sweaters which are not suitable for the charity bin, then wool can re very effective as a base for paths in your garden. The wool will naturally felt in the wet, and a light covering of sand/grit or any other path-making material will hold very well.

Another idea is to wash the sweater in a very hot wash, so that it shrinks and felts, then use it to line hanging baskets. This might also work with the unwound bits.

[misstake]

old jumpers make great cushion covers also i got the surprise of my life when i went shopping in London a few years ago to see them priced at 65 sterling for one cushion Also smaller balls of wool are handy for crochet Now the best ive seen bits of wool used for is a rug She used an old coal bag <washed> and bits of wool and made a beautifull rug for her bathroom This is great for small bits of wool Just ideas lol

[chaos]

Thanks to you all for your great suggestions and ideas.

I also have a few holy and/or forgotten moth eaten jumpers, not good enough for charity.
Sadly I don't have a garden, though I may find a friend who does and would like to try the path underlay idea.
Yes, I know I should make do and mend, but I reckon that recycling those we're unlikely to wear again anyway is as good.