aryanhwy | saying farewell

Growing up, my dad had a small set of sweaters that he rotated through on a regular basis (~5, I think). When I went off to college, I surreptitiously took two of them with (I can't remember now if I'd been wearing them before, and it was natural to take them with, or if I suddenly decided "I want to appropriate those two sweaters of dad's, or if he'd stopped wearing them and they were going to go to Goodwill if I didn't rescue them). These two sweaters are ones that he'd taken to college with him -- we have photographic evidence, so they're now reaching the 30+-year-old mark. Today, I pulled one out, and found that, in addition to the slightly frayed wrist-band on one sleeve, Widget had gotten a hold of the wrist-band of the other sleeve and chewed on it; he didn't eat a piece out (as he often does), but there's a cat-mouth-shaped semi-circle bit into it, and it's covered in crystalized cat slobber. I took this as a sign that it was time to retire this particular sweater. Lately, because it's gotten a bit ratty, I've been wearing it only around the house, and not out in public, but it still got pulled out on a regular basis and I put it into the trash with a somewhat heavy heart.

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I put it into the trash with a somewhat heavy heart.

In the trash? No recycling? No repurposing?

Perhaps a Christmas stocking?
http://www.howdoesshe.com/wp-content/uploads/sweater-stockings-10.jpg

Or a pet bed?
http://keetsa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/pet-bed-made-from-old-sweaters.jpg

I've seen the sweater - it hardly rates as rag-worthy anymore :)

Sara's Mom

It's the brown one -- really, it isn't that bad otherwise, other than the frayed cuff and the snags.

Hi Sara's Mom!
You sound like my mom ...

The Netherlands recycles glass and paper, but not fabric-based things. Unfortunately, I already have more Christmas stockings than I need, and I'd rather not make this in to a cat bed since that would just encourage Widget to continue chewing on our clothing/blankets, something that I'd like to train him out of but don't know how.

Waterloo doesn't communally recycle textiles either. I was using the word to mean you recycling it into something else. I'm kind of on a kick that way right now :) Blame my sister-in-law.

Other ideas might be a purse/bookbag (it would have to be lined); a mat bag (for a yoga/exercise mat); a cushion cover; a vest (cut off the sleeves and uses matching bias tape on the armscyes); a teddy bear (or other simple stuffed animal - trickier because you have keep the sweater piece from fraying while you work); a teapot cozy ...

This reminded me of the book: Something from Nothing (http://www.amazon.com/Something-Nothing-Phoebe-Gilman/dp/0590472801), especially making the sweater into a vest.

Normally I'm totally with you about reusing things (the vast majority of worn-out clothes either become rags or go into the stash to be used to patch other clothes), but right now I don't need any more purses/bags, vests (this would only work as a man's vest, given that it's a man's sweater, and Joel doesn't wear vests), teddy bears and teapot cozies involve sewing, so they're right out :), and if I used it to recover the pillow that needs recovering, then unfortunately I'm pretty sure Widget would just continue chewing on it (since the reason the pillow needs to be recovered in the first place is because he's eaten the corners off it).

I understand.

30+ years is a good life. Too bad something you are evidently sentimentally attached to can't be extended.

I still have the other sweater. :)

Really??!!?!

If you have come to hate it, then may it rest in peace.

But sweaters like this often benefit amazingly from being turned into pet beds by being folded, *machine washed on hot* and thus felted. (Yes-- just what you try to AVOID doing to sweaters you plan to wear!) They look much less ragged after a couple of rounds of that treatment.

I don't hate it, it's still a favorite -- but I can tell you that machine washing it on hot won't felt it, since that's how it's been washed almost every time the last 30 years and it's not felted yet. And as I noted above, turning it into something for the cats would likely have the unfortunate occurrence of encouraging Widget's chewing on this type of material.

I'm reminded of the song "This Shirt" by Mary Chapin Carpenter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbL1LptZ8Vc

saying farewell

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the sweater

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This Sweater