Yarn Recycling Resources

In my previous post I removed a turtleneck from a knit sweater and crocheted a new neckline (although this new neckline is still a work in progress). In order to do this, I used some skills I picked up in my yarn recycling practice.

I learned yarn recycling from putting together instructions from various places on the web. I owe a great debt to local friends including C.C. in Durham and to these sites:

Neauveau Fiber Arts, which still has the best unraveling-a-sweater instructions on the web;

These instructions from Knitty Gritty which show how to take out a turtleneck and put it back in (for knitters, not crocheters). For crochet instructions, see my previous post.

See also Cloudy Crochet's post on recycling yarn.

In future posts I'll talk more about fun ways to recycle yarn and how to use it.

Here's the yarn I salvaged from the turtleneck of the Club Monaco sweater: hank's worth that I wound on my winder as I poached the turtle. (To use it in a future project I'll wash it gently, dry it, etc. More on that later.)

Here's another thrift-store sweater recycling project:

Ugly Turtle No More - a Reinvention Project

I bought this Club Monaco 100% wool turtleneck at a thrift store this past week intending to poach the yarn. It's very very soft for a non-fancy wool. But then I was captivated by a nifty snap at the bottom hem, and gave the thing another gander. It had some strange crusty stuff on it from it's previous life, but nothing I couldn't wash off, and the fabric was in perfect condition. I slipped it on and voila--excellent sweater hiding beneath a dreadful turtleneck.*

(*My significant-other-person MAP insists that turtlenecks have their valuable place. He would refer my readers to his freshman year French teaching assistant at UNC, Miss J., who apparently redefined the meaning of "romance language" for her young male students via the snug turtlenecks she would wear to class.)

No problem, I thought. I might not know how to knit, but I sure know how to take knitting apart. I removed the turtleneck and then wound the yarn onto my ball winder.*

(*MAP has named the ball winder "Harry.")

Then, starting at the back where the stitches were in nice, lined up loops, I crocheted through each loop using a 2.75mm hook and the poached turtle-yarn. (This is the only turtle-poaching this blogger approves of.) Working in a circle, I made five tiny rows. The wool still needs to be blocked to smooth out the work, but now there's a scoopneck I'll wear.

The turtleneck had been sewn on abruptly and left some jagged edges in the front. Because the knit loops weren't lined up, but rather fell diagonally, I folded over the rather tattered material and just, well, invented a row of crochet stitches across the knitting. This seemed to work fine.

***If anyone has any better ideas for this step in the process, PLEASE post them. Or please post if you have any ideas for how I might do up this neckline.*

(*If anyone suggests "scalloping" I'll delete the post. No turtles. No scallops. Okay?)

A Welcome Post

If you have stumbled upon Fiber Smarts, then you haven't found much besides this post. Sorry.

I've taken many pictures to upload of current yarn recycling projects (and links to excellent recycling instructions too); pictures of rehabilitation projects; and pictures of my speciality, the crochet Harlequin Bag I designed based on a model my friend Rinku brought back from India in 1998.

To come are book recommendations, patterns, queries, and philosophizing, with a focus on crochet.

See you soon.

Tutorials

• Bust Darts (what they are, how to do them)
• Photographing Knitting (step 1, camera and lens considerations)
• Plarn - Plastic yarn from Plastic Bags (Version 1, Version 2)
• Tarn - Yarn made from old t-shirts
  
• Recycled Yarn from Old Sweaters (Part 1, Part 2)

Fiber Facts

The regular blog column "Fiber Facts" presents the scientific side of fiber. Most of these are written by our science specialist, Jordynn. If you have a topic you would like her to research and write about, send us an email.

Here's a list of previous columns, arranged in alphabetical order by topic.

• Corn (How it is made into yarn)
• Felting (How does it happen?).
• Knots (Why yarn tangles).
• Lanital (Milk Fiber).
• Mercerized Cotton (What is this process?)
• Silk (How it's made).
• Viscose (What is it?)
• Whalebone Swifts (What are they?)
  

Katie's Patterns

Scroll around in the screen below to view all of the patterns that are available via my Ravelry designer page.

I have also published an eBook of patterns. Click the link for more info!

Knitting Like a Professor

Errata

No matter what we do, it seems errata are as inevitable as the sunrise.

Here's how we at the Knitty Professors deal with errata.

First, if you have purchased a pattern from us and discover an error, PLEASE let us know about it. In fact, the first person to find a particular error in a pattern receives a FREE PATTERN from that designer. Just email Jordynn or Katie to let us know what you have found, and tell us what free pattern you would like in exchange for your excellent proof-reading. [If the errata is here on this page, then it has already been found, obviously.]

Second, we will publish errata here on this page. When we do pattern updates, we will make the change on the published .pdf of the pattern AND email those who have purchased the pattern so that they can download a free updated copy.

Here are some errata we are aware of at the moment.

[Page last updated 12-6-2013]

Chopin Cabled Handwarmers

[updated 12-6-2013]

Cable Round 5 should read as follows (changes in bold): p2/[k2, p2]/[k4, p2], k4, C8B, p2, k to end of round.

Nella Cropped Cardigan

Under "Separate Arms," substitute the following text for the text that is there:

S1, k to first marker, remove marker, place all sleeve sts on scrap yarn until next marker, remove marker, k to next marker (this is the back), remove marker, place all sleeve sts on scrap yarn until next marker, remove marker, k to end.

Liliane Sweater Coat

"Work Raglan Increases" Section should read as follows:

- **Continue to slip the first st of all rows**
- On WS, k 30/34/38 sts for the front, pm, k 16/18/20 sts for the left sleeve, pm, k 30/34/38 sts for the back, pm, k 15/17/18 sts for the right sleeve, m1 st, pm, k1.
- Row 1 and all RS Rows: Slip 1, Work in BR until 1 st before first m, kfb, sl m, kfb, repeat for next 3 markers.
- **Note: on the first "row 1," you will kfb into the first st of the row, then slip the marker, then continue as written. This will set up the front left increases.
- Row 2 and all WS Rows: Slip 1, knit all sts.
- Continue increasing in this manner until you have 23/27/31 total increases. End on a WS.

Vera Rubin Cardigan

The pattern notes indicate that there are "hip increases" in the pattern--but this is incorrect. The pattern includes waist decreases only, no hip increases. However, if you would like hip increases, you could substitute kfbs for the k2togs/SSKs of the waist decreases, once you past the narrowest part of your hips.

Tenley Sweater

• Under "Detailed Instructions" for the cable round, it currently reads that S, M, and L should all be worked the same way. This is incorrect. Size Large should be worked the same as size XL.
• The hip increases are currently written to be worked just inside the side markers on the FRONT side of the sweater. They should be actually be worked--just as written--on the BACK side of the sweater, just on the other side of the markers--a 3 st shift on both sides of the sweater.

Jane Goodall

The Jane Goodall pattern as written indicates 5” of negative ease. This should read 5” of positive ease (give or take a few inches). So, if your bust measurement is 45” the 48” size would be appropriate. The goal is to have a few extra inches so the sweater will be loose fitting.

Simple Gull Socks

Under "turning heel":
Row 1: (RS) Knit until 8 sts rem, k2tog. Turn.
Then add these rows:
Row 3: K until the 1 st before the small gap left by the last k2tog, k2tog. Turn.
Row 4: Purl until 1 st before the small gap left by the last p2tog, turn.
Repeat Rows 3-4 until you can do no more.