I’ve learned from experience not to try to unravel either mohair projects or those with lots of ends woven in. I’ve found it impossible to extract the yarn without too much cutting and then ending up with far less yarn than I originally had. I give those to charity if I don’t wear them.
Years - decades! ago I undid a knitted suit: long short sleeved ribbed jumper and plain mini skirt. It was to make myself a big baggy sweater. It all worked very well. Don't think I'd do it now. I did it because I was a very hard up student. My father referred back to it many times with approval of my frugality. Also I didn't like the suit much.
I bought loads of recycled denim yarn when I was just beginning because it was beautiful, so many variations of blue and white and I thought it would be cool. It is really quite hard to work with: stiff, splitty and then quite saggy in the finished garment. Perfect if you’re going to something dressed as Neo in the real world! My lovely husband wore it until a few months ago when I snatched it and unravelled it. I am remaking it on smaller needles and looser tension, also in different patterns on each stripe. I think it looks more intentional but I wish someone had told me that recycled denim is not beginner friendly…
I frogged a tunic sweater made of soft cotton yarn that did not fit properly. After carefully reconditioning the yarn I made a baby blanket and lots of Knitted Knockers (for mastectomy bras) that I donated. It was worth the effort.
I've also frogged a used sweater bought at a thrift store. Loved the yarn hated the sweater. It took quite a bit of soaking to relax the yarn but it was worth it.
I've frogged items that don't fit any more. I wind them into skeins, soak in Eucalan and then dry on the washing line with a cable tie and another one on the bottom with a heavy metal washer attached to it. It pulls the kinks out. I've also done this with shop bought sweaters.
I made a jumper for myself. Looked awful on me. So it was unraveled & made into a blanket. It's one of our most used. Also undid a couple of my early shawls. I don't use them. Best thing I ever did. Made me feel less wasteful about the things I had made.
If I had of put the jumper in the op shop I bet someone else would have undone it.
The first shawl I made turned out *way* too small because it was my first time knitting lace, and I was a fairly new knitter, so I thought the designer's recommendation for large needles was a mistake 😅
Eventually after accepting that it couldn't be worn as-is, I frogged it and made it into a cowl/hat set
I had good intentions with a beloved sweater my daughter outgrew. I gave it my best shot to frog and it was disastrous. I ended up throwing everything away and then felt bad because of the waste. I should have donated the sweater to someone else. I will be more thoughtful about frogging in the future. Is the work to frog going to be worth it? I've donated two items to Anne Vally's swap shop that goes live in May. I'll probably never try to reclaim yarn again!
Yes, yes, yes! I usually frog and repurpose yarn from clothes, shawls, and cowls I don’t wear (as much as I thought I would). I’ll say going into projects with this mindset has made me a more diligent knitter, as I am careful about neat joins, weaving in ends, and care of my garments. I do have a limit, though, and agree with those who won’t unravel mohair; life’s too short for that chaos!
I made a boomerang shawl out of a beautiful dappled green Malabrigo 4ply. Wore it once to a friend’s wedding and it was impossible to style - wouldn’t sit properly, flopped and slipped everywhere and drove me nuts all evening. So I’m unraveling it and making a light, delicate asymmetrical poncho with a simple lace edge. Which will hopefully stay put. And will take ages probably. But at least I’ll wear it with my many, many dark sack dresses…
I got bored with a shawl I was knitting so I unraveled it reskeined it and washed it. Then looked for something else - and ended up buying more wool so I could hold it together to get what I wanted. Sigh.
I'm wondering if I can repurpose old socks into new socks. My washing machine was out of action so I took a load of laundry to do at my daughter's. Unfortunately, all my wool mix socks shrank. 😭 They have absolutely no stretch left in them. I don't know if it's even possible to frog them.
I just finished knitting a linen tank top that came out absolutely the wrong size and I’m going have to frog it. The linen will probably just end up getting used for wash clothes.
I’ve learned from experience not to try to unravel either mohair projects or those with lots of ends woven in. I’ve found it impossible to extract the yarn without too much cutting and then ending up with far less yarn than I originally had. I give those to charity if I don’t wear them.
Oh goodness, yes. Anything too hairy is just not worth the effort
Years - decades! ago I undid a knitted suit: long short sleeved ribbed jumper and plain mini skirt. It was to make myself a big baggy sweater. It all worked very well. Don't think I'd do it now. I did it because I was a very hard up student. My father referred back to it many times with approval of my frugality. Also I didn't like the suit much.
I bought loads of recycled denim yarn when I was just beginning because it was beautiful, so many variations of blue and white and I thought it would be cool. It is really quite hard to work with: stiff, splitty and then quite saggy in the finished garment. Perfect if you’re going to something dressed as Neo in the real world! My lovely husband wore it until a few months ago when I snatched it and unravelled it. I am remaking it on smaller needles and looser tension, also in different patterns on each stripe. I think it looks more intentional but I wish someone had told me that recycled denim is not beginner friendly…
I frogged a tunic sweater made of soft cotton yarn that did not fit properly. After carefully reconditioning the yarn I made a baby blanket and lots of Knitted Knockers (for mastectomy bras) that I donated. It was worth the effort.
I've also frogged a used sweater bought at a thrift store. Loved the yarn hated the sweater. It took quite a bit of soaking to relax the yarn but it was worth it.
I've frogged items that don't fit any more. I wind them into skeins, soak in Eucalan and then dry on the washing line with a cable tie and another one on the bottom with a heavy metal washer attached to it. It pulls the kinks out. I've also done this with shop bought sweaters.
You're a smart cookie 👍🏼
I made a jumper for myself. Looked awful on me. So it was unraveled & made into a blanket. It's one of our most used. Also undid a couple of my early shawls. I don't use them. Best thing I ever did. Made me feel less wasteful about the things I had made.
If I had of put the jumper in the op shop I bet someone else would have undone it.
I’m on the verge of doing this with a sweater I made. Either that or felting it and making a pillow out of it.
The first shawl I made turned out *way* too small because it was my first time knitting lace, and I was a fairly new knitter, so I thought the designer's recommendation for large needles was a mistake 😅
Eventually after accepting that it couldn't be worn as-is, I frogged it and made it into a cowl/hat set
I had good intentions with a beloved sweater my daughter outgrew. I gave it my best shot to frog and it was disastrous. I ended up throwing everything away and then felt bad because of the waste. I should have donated the sweater to someone else. I will be more thoughtful about frogging in the future. Is the work to frog going to be worth it? I've donated two items to Anne Vally's swap shop that goes live in May. I'll probably never try to reclaim yarn again!
I have. And I’ve also gifted plenty of other knits when they aren’t right for me but are perfect for a friend.
Yes, yes, yes! I usually frog and repurpose yarn from clothes, shawls, and cowls I don’t wear (as much as I thought I would). I’ll say going into projects with this mindset has made me a more diligent knitter, as I am careful about neat joins, weaving in ends, and care of my garments. I do have a limit, though, and agree with those who won’t unravel mohair; life’s too short for that chaos!
I'm up for repurposing ANYTHING! Thinking atm about the one crochet sock I have made, and wondering if I can be bothered with the second 😂
I made a boomerang shawl out of a beautiful dappled green Malabrigo 4ply. Wore it once to a friend’s wedding and it was impossible to style - wouldn’t sit properly, flopped and slipped everywhere and drove me nuts all evening. So I’m unraveling it and making a light, delicate asymmetrical poncho with a simple lace edge. Which will hopefully stay put. And will take ages probably. But at least I’ll wear it with my many, many dark sack dresses…
I got bored with a shawl I was knitting so I unraveled it reskeined it and washed it. Then looked for something else - and ended up buying more wool so I could hold it together to get what I wanted. Sigh.
I'm wondering if I can repurpose old socks into new socks. My washing machine was out of action so I took a load of laundry to do at my daughter's. Unfortunately, all my wool mix socks shrank. 😭 They have absolutely no stretch left in them. I don't know if it's even possible to frog them.
I just finished knitting a linen tank top that came out absolutely the wrong size and I’m going have to frog it. The linen will probably just end up getting used for wash clothes.