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east campus garage sales: new fabric and yarn!

Last year I barely made a dent in the east campus garage sales. I had no idea how big they were. I took my husband and daughter to the textile sale and by the time I made my fabric purchase, my family was ready to go.

This year I went with my friend Kelly. We shopped all morning and got some great deals! I bought lots of cool fabric at the textile sale and some really nice clothes for refashioning. I did get a few other odds and ends, like a cookbook and some baking pans, but I know you just want to see the fabric, right? Here’s a small sampling of my favorites.

hillestad textile saleI got a mix of textures. These feel like canvas.

hillestad textile saleThese feel more like traditional upholstery fabric.

hillestad textile saleIsn’t this cool? It’s yarn sewn to fabric! I bought yellow one, too.

hillestad textile saleI can’t forget this total deal, even though it’s not fabric. Sweater in progress plus all remaining yarn for 25 cents. Yes, 25 cents. It’s superwash wool.

I’m going to wait to post the clothes, because you’ll see them in the “before” pics when they’re refashioned.

I think this was my last garage sale of the season. Today the air feels a little cooler. The sun is setting earlier, too. I feel like a squirrel who has worked all summer on a healthy stash. Now it’s time to stay in and start sewing!

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crochet tote finished!

crochet tote bag

I was so excited to finish this last night. I really love it. I plan to use it for my next big project: my Manos del Uruguay blanket. I’ve been squirreling away sale and ebay Manos for the past two years. I finally have enough to make a blanket. Now I just need to figure out which pattern. I want something that can be done in blocks rather than in one piece. Suggestions?

project notes: Garage sale yarn (still have quite a bit leftover). Vintage buttons from my stash. Attic24 crochet bag pattern.

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no vacation yarn for me

kearney yarn store

Wooly Mammoth Yarn Store, Kearney Cruise 2009

I’m kind of surprised I didn’t buy any vacation yarn yesterday. I’ve found so many exciting garage sale deals this summer, that going in and just buying yarn seemed kind of boring. There’s no thrill of the hunt. There’s no adventure in bargaining. I did go in and look around, though. I’m not crazy!

I also looked around the antique store, but everything seemed so expensive. I guess that’s another side effect of thrifting. I kept thinking, “They want how much?!” After that, I decided not to go to the fabric store. Instead, I sat under a tree in the shade and crocheted some granny squares with my freecycle yarn.

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project done: crochet jar jacket

crochet jar jacket

I love this little jar jacket. If you remember, the yarn was from a garage sale. I’m so glad it was wool, because it was worn in so many places. I did a lot of splicing it back together. It makes me think that it is recycled from something, but the wool is so straight. Usually recycled wool is wavy from being knit. Did someone actually take the time to unravel, steam out the kinks and then sell it? Or was it so old that the kinks just fell out? I wish I knew its history.

It turned out a little big, so I wound up putting it around a larger jar. (Smuckers natural peanut butter, if you must know.) I also had to crochet with two strands held together because the yarn weight is so fine.

stash: I have lots of yarn left to make this crochet bag. You can find the jar jacket pattern here.

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recycling sweaters from my stash

I’ve had a shift in focus over the past few months. I’ve been slowly moving away from felted wool bags to try new things. I’m not completely abandoning them, but I need room for my new adventures. This hit me over the head on Saturday when I found some really nice things at a local church garage sale. I have a small amount of storage space, so whenever new stash comes in, other stash must go. I packed up three bags of sweaters, which I’m putting up on freecycle today if you are interested. Some are already felted!

recycled yarn

I’m spending most of the long weekend sewing and last night I needed something to help me unwind. Ha! I’ve always wanted to unravel a sweater, so I grabbed one from the giveaway pile and went to it. It was very relaxing. I find desconstructing  just as exciting as making. My mind starts racing with the possibilities: a baby blanket? matching scarf and hat? thick, wooly socks?

I have no idea what I am going to with this yarn. I certainly don’t need any more in my stash. There are knots at the end of every color change. I was thinking it would be cool to work them into the design. Something in seed stitch might be nice. What do you think?

recycle: There are so many beautiful wool sweaters that have been discarded. Try unraveling one for your next project. Where else can you get yarn to make an entire sweater for just a few bucks?

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thrifty yarn ideas

Hey all you knitters and crocheters! Vickie Howell has posted some creative ideas on how to keep those needles and hooks going in this crazy economy. My favorite suggestion is recycling sweaters for the yarn. I tried this once, but had a tough time picking the seams. I wound up giving it away to someone with more patience. Next time, I’ll check out the seams more carefully. You can read her entire list of ideas here.

resource: Vickie has lots of eco-friendly project ideas. I’m saving my Amy’s burrito wrappers to make this cute purse.

Bean bag update: I finished these, but it’s too late for a photo shoot. I wound up making little change purse zipper pouches. They are so cute! Details after I get some pics.