Do-it-yourself winter wardrobe
Are you looking for an inexpensive way to stay in fashion this winter? Consider felting.
Felting is a process of shrinking old wool sweaters, then using the material to create new, fashionable pieces of clothing. It is an eco-friendly way to recycle old clothes and turn them into something new.
Felted sweaters can be used to create a variety of pieces of clothing, accessories and décor, but here are a few basic directions for felting sweaters and creating a scarf and glove set to keep you warm this winter.
Felting a sweater:
1. Use any wool sweaters that are at least 80 percent wool — 100 percent works best. You can find them at a thrift store, or use some old ones taking up space in your closet.
2. Put each sweater in a pillowcase and close the top with a rubber band. This keeps any mess in the pillowcase and out of your washer. Wash on a hot cycle with low water for the longest possible cycle. Use a tiny bit of liquid laundry soap.
3. To shrink the sweater, dry with high heat. You may need to do this twice. You know your sweater has been felted when you can’t see any individual stitches.
Once you’ve washed and dried the wool sweater, any item made from it can be washed and dried in a regular cycle without the pillowcase.
Turn a felted sweater into a scarf:
1. Decide on length and width of scarf and cut wool accordingly with a rotary cutter, a fabric ruler and a cutting board — remember that once you shrink the wool, there is no unraveling and the wool has an edge, which doesn’t need any finishing.
2. Using a sewing machine and invisible thread, use a zig-zag stitch to piece together strips of material.
3. Using ribbing (the bottom of a sweater) on the ends gives them a nice, finished look.
Fingerless gloves:
1. Use the sleeves of any felted wool sweater. Decide on length you want your gloves.
2. Cut the sleeve to the desired length.
3. Make a slight hole for the thumb to fight through, then try on for placement and try to avoid the seam. I like to use the buttonhole stitch around the hole for a finished look.
4. To make leg warmers, use the same pattern as the gloves, omitting the hole.
– m.van911@aggiemail.usu.edu