NewlyWoodwards

an unconventional home

Crafting ADD, felting failure and success

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I often tell people that having hobbies is my hobby. It’s like crafting ADD. I start one project and then get interested in something new. I never get great at anything, but I have fun along the way.

For example, I’ve been wanting to learn to crochet for a while (it was a goal in 2009, actually). So, I signed up for a class in January. It was fun and I’ve been trying to make time to practice. And I picked out the most lovely turquoise yarn, it’s yummy. I’m still learning… I cannot quite get the turnaround. (Kellie – can you fly in and help a sista’ out?)

But, then a friend told me about a free motion quilting class. So, the following weekend, I went to that class. We were having fun. Here are photos of Stephanie and I.


But, during the class, a student showed us mittens she made from recycled felted wool sweaters. They looked similar to these lovlies from Etsy seller PlyTextiles.

I know, awesome, right?

Well, by this point I had forgotten all about quilting. Felting sweaters was on my mind. I love the idea that I can make something beautiful and useful out of recycled sweaters from Goodwill.

So, I grabbed the pattern and swung by Goodwill on the way home. I walked out with 10 wool sweaters. 😉 I don’t do anything low-key. I also picked up a fleece blanket to use for the lining of the mittens. Talk about a green project. =)

I looked up instructions to felt, cut them apart and washed them. (Here’s the link to the felting info,  if you are interested like me.)

Make sure to empty your lint tray. Yikes!

This is what I ended up with. Do you think I have enough to make a pair of mittens?

They really shrunk up a lot. The sweaters I found included Express, Lands End, Abercrombie, Columbia….I felt a little strange cutting them up. These are my favorite sweaters that I found.

This is about the point that everything went downhill.

I tried to make these adorable mittens for which I had a pattern. Colossal fail. They were uneven, lumpy and HUGE. I was torked. But, when I took them apart, I figured I’d put something smaller together to practice. I cut these hearts out to make a little hanging for our front door.

Simple and cute. I go the idea from this scarf tutorial at Martha Stewart. This was exceptionally simple. I’d love to see it as a long garland for a drape on a mantle or hutch.

So, I’ll be trying the mittens again this weekend. I’ll let you know how it goes. But at least I got an adorable felted banner out of the deal. And I’ve found other adorable ideas for all these felted sweaters – chains, slippers, stuffed animals, pillows. But, I’m sure I’ll be onto the next craft by then. 😉
Have you upcycled sweaters?

Comments

  3. One more thought – how about a blog challenge – sharing hobbies! It’s a thought. I loved the November and December ‘Dare to Blog’ Challenge and I still visit your blog every week.

  6. We totally need to do a fly-in and have a craft weekend!! We would not sleep! Um, I mean, we would have so much fun!! Looks like you did a great job with the felting, I’ve only tried it a few times. I have a half-felted wool sweater I knitted (it got mixed into the regular wash, opps!) Any chance I can snag the mitten pattern? Is it online?
    By the way, I want to learn to quilt SO BAD!

  9. Oh my gosh…my hobby is having hobbies as well! I can be all over the place – in a good way of course 😉 – so it’s awesome to see that I am not alone!

  13. That sounds just like me, expect I describe it as “Leigh of all Crafts”. I can do a little bit of different types of crafts, but I’m not great at any one. I always make a big head first jump, make one thing and then move on.

  14. I love the new garland! And I think upcyling (it’s really hard for me to write that without put quotes around it as if it isn’t actually real) is so cool!

    And I totally bounce from one crafty interest to another. Sending me into Michael’s is a guarantee that I’ll come out with some randomness and a new found passion is cake decorating! or knitting! or decorating picture frames!

  17. I feel the same way. I go out and buy everything I need for my latest project and by the time I get around to it, I am on to the next best idea. Oh well!
    Your hearts are adorable! And I am jealous of all of the great wool sweaters you found!

  18. Your not alone. I am exactly the same way. I have multiple projects started… I have what I need to finish them, but I am too focused on finishing a different one. Love the sweater idea though.. now I have one more thing to try. 🙂

  20. I would say more of a creative mind than crafting ADD…it would never cross my mind to try half the things you do. You are an inspiration.