Tuesday, 26 May 2009

bagging a bargain



This week I found a fab Irish handknitted Aran sweater for two pounds in a north London charity shop. I periodically do a trawl through all my local shops looking for pure wool sweaters to cut up, felt, embroider and make into toys. Although I am on a crusade to buy handmade and support crafts people, I also love to find a bargain in a second hand shop, as it is participating in recycling and giving to charity at the same time.
This jumper is my best buy since a fab red cashmere number I picked up for five pounds a few years ago. It is a child size, meaning unfortunately I can't wear it, so it won't be too heartbreaking to cut it up and hand sew it lovingly into something just as fabulous. I now just have to decide what to make out of the lovely cabled fabric; initial thoughts are a wooly sheep or a cosy cushion. Will post a picture here when I get round to using it.

4 comments:

Ginger Knits said...

Excellent find. Why is everything I find in charity shops acrylic?

claire montgomerie said...

Most of it I see is too, which is why I get so excited when I see something nicer!

TomatoTea said...

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with! I feel exactly the same as you, i want to support handmade items but love a bargain in the charity shops, which aids recycling :D

claire montgomerie said...

i think there is room for a bit of both - don't you?! ;)