Piles and projects

DC and I are constantly editing our closets -- it's amazing how much stuff piles up!  There's a bit of sadness and nostalgia for me in giving away my clothes, especially when I remember when and where (in time, place, and life) they were acquired.  But I hear that's what hoarders say, too, and that's why they can't let go.  So I am curbing the sentimentality.  About a month ago i prepared a couple of bags of clothes and shoes to donate to Beach Cities Interfaith Services.  There's a collection box at DC's church so they were easy to drop off -- a key part of purging being not just assembling the items, but actually taking them away.

[bye bye, clothes and shoes!]

Along with the clothes to donate, I assembled another pile of clothes to refashion.  These include trousers to hem, fabrics I especially like, or ones that I want around, but in different form.  I plan to make a patchwork quilt out of some of DC's old shirts and my grandpa's old pajamas -- conveniently coordinating in blues and browns.  My timeline, though, is three months.  If I don't get on it, they're out.

There's yet another pile: sweaters and scarves to frog or felt.  I'm planning to felt some good wool scarves that have little moth holes in them, and making a tea cosy or coasters or potholders and stuff.  Some of the sweaters I'm going to felt and make into bags or sofa pillows.

[sweaterstack]

Here is one former J.Crew sweater, unravelled.  Each strand is actually six or eight strands of laceweight wool held together: quite bulky.  I made a couple felt balls with the strays, and am left with four rather large balls (front, back, and two sleeves' worth).  I'm going to make some home slippers, probably in crochet as it works up much more quickly and will be more durable.

[stack o' wool]

I've already started with some old t-shirts, too.  Just a bunch of strips right now, which will be pulled to curl up and be more stringy/yarny.  Then: weaving? winding? I haven't decided yet.  I have a fuzzy image in my head; let's see if my hands can work it out. 

[t-shirt strips]

That's quite ambitious crafting, don't you think?  Wishmeluck!