Gather your old sweaters, start your washing machines, and sharpen your scissors . . .

With this guide to redesigning, recycling, and renewing your wool sweaters, you’ll transform knits that have been felted—intentionally or otherwise—into fun, colorful, and eco-conscious sweaters, bags, and accessories.

In Sweater Renewal, Sharon Franco Rothschild goes green in full color, showing you how to rescue your old woolen knits and give them renewed life as felted creations. With little or no knitting experience, you can refashion blankets, sweaters, scarves, or even hand-knitted pieces into vibrant clothing, accessories,
and home decor. The only requirement is that they are made of wool.
The 25 colorful, cheerful projects in Sweater Renewal incorporate a diverse range of skills—including felting, appliqué, crochet, sewing, and embroidery—and range from Short, Sweet & Simple Projects using felted sweaters, such as a cell phone holder and a Fair Isle digital camera case, to Knitted, Felted & Fantastic Projects that you knit and then felt, such as a purse and a felted scarf. Most can be finished in less than a day, some in a few hours.

Now is the time to go through your attic, basement, and even your closets to look for old blankets and sweaters to create beautiful clothing and accessories.

• January 2010 Indie Next List
• December 2009 Indie Next List
• November 2009 Indie Next List