Tightwad Tuesday Recycle Your Sweaters!

Homemade Room Freshener

This is so easy and so cheap. Save the peels from your oranges, tangerines, etc. Lemons work too. I dry my peels simply by laying them on the top of a shelf ( way up high ). They take about two weeks to dry completely. When dry break up into small pieces. Put in a decorative container, add a tablespoon or so of cinnamon/cloves/pie spice. Mix well. I place containers of this mix in my bathrooms. They last a long time.

 

Recycled Yarn

I found this great tutorial on how to recycle yarn from sweaters.  http://www.neauveau.com/recycledyarn.html 

The gals and I are always looking for yarn and such. This year we want to learn to knit. I work in our churches clothing closet and often we have stuff that is destine for the trash or out of date. I plan on gleaning from the huge sweater pile we have. Also the sweaters will be going on sale soon at our local thrift stores.

Here are some more sites on recycling yarn.

http://dawnprickett.blogspot.com/2008/01/recycling-sweaters-for-yarn.html

http://crazycatladymel.blogspot.com/2009/01/recycling-yarn-part-one.html

http://crazycatladymel.blogspot.com/2009/01/recycling-yarn-back-at-home.html  Part two from above.

http://www.pattern-knit.com/discount-wool-sources/recycled-yarn-the-secret-to-super-affordable-yarn

Here are two sweaters I plan to recycle. They are both chenile yarn and very soft. They will make awesome stocking caps.

 

Crafts with Used Sweaters

I love this one! http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/other_crafts/recycled_sweater_totes.php

Felted Booties! So cute. http://croq.livejournal.com/906.html

These are fashionable! http://craftaddictions.blogspot.com/2007/11/warm-from-my-fingers-to-my-elbows.html

I could do without all the decoration on this one but love the idea. http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/FEATwin06FK.html

Even the smallest scrap of leftover sweater can be used. This is cute! http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=77711.0

Whimisical Hat! http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=138770.0

Home decorating! This gal has 5 great post on how to use sweaters. http://claveriecruising.blogspot.com/2008/02/sweater-quilt-pillow.html

Great felted Quilt http://recovergirl.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/felted-sweater-quilt-blanket/

 

So save your old sweaters, ask others for their castoffs, and hit the thrift stores right before spring for bagins on sweaters. You could have next Christmas all wrapped up with unique handmade almost free gifts!