My husband has this saying: “Good… Fast… Cheap…: Pick Any Two.” And for most everything in life, I agree. Now, though, there’s one possible exception: Making scarves and other creations from old wool sweaters. My workshop yesterday at Crispina ffrench’s Pittsfield studio was wicked fun. And I’m telling you, Crispina’s technique, which is detailed in her new book — The Sweater Chop Shop: Sewing One-of-a-kind Creations from Recycled Sweaters — is amazingly easy — with a big-time payoff.
It even fits within the Retro Renovation ethic, because it is based on taking old (err: “vintage”), 100% wool sweaters, washing and drying them in hot/heat so that they shrink and “felt” up… then hand-stitching them together into scarves, blankets, pillows, sweaters, toys, and more. Like: You don’t need to worry about fraying edges with felted wool… cut your pieces, design, stitch & run. It’s EASY and almost impossible to make anything that doesn’t look fabulous. It was great fun to be able to learn how to make felted wool creations directly from Crispina ffrench… but if you aren’t planning a trip to Pittsfield, Mass., any time soon, I highly recommend her book. Very gratifying. Thank you, Crispina. I have a bundle of holey sweaters agitating right now.