There are two ways to handle it. Either it counts as stash (but only once turned back into yarn -- sweaters are just sweaters), and you get to count it as stash out when you finish the hats, or it doesn't count but you don't get to count the outgoing hats either. Not counting it coming in, but counting it going out isn't fair, and doing it the other way around is just silly.

Recycling sweaters is how I get most of my yarn now. I've found a good amount of wool, lots of angora, an alpaca blend sweater, some cashmere, and one gorgeous sweater made of lace-weight camel! It's a great way to save money and get yarns that you may not be able to find otherwise. (Especially for financially-challenged people like me! *laughs*)

I plan to knit a bunch of scarves out of some of the sweaters I get, then sell them at a flea market. Half the proceeds will go to the Empty Stocking Fund (an organization in my area to help underprivileged families at Christmastime), and whatever scarves don't sell will also be donated to the Fund.

Ah Polly, how long before you get fed up of knitting so many hats in the same colour? But good for you.

Sarah

I must say I love your tutorial! ^^ On Monday I am going to a second-hand shop in pursue of jumpers to be turned into wool again!... (I wonder what my husband will say... He told me not to buy any more wool till I knit the stash I have... Well, but it'll be jumpers, not 'wool', technically speaking... at least, at the beginning of the proces... ^^)

I really enjoyed reading this post. Thank you. It was like a lovely little story with a beginning, a middle, and an end.

That's a really great idea that I've never considered before.

This is a great post! My mother loves to shop at thrift stores and was trying to enhance my yarn stash, but she chose a fine-gauge mohair sweater to frog! She made about 30 mini-balls from it and nearly went insane in the process!

You'll go mad if you think too hard about the sweater-to-stash factor. I'd say just let it go. ;-)

I love that shade of orange, by the way. :-)

I have wanted to do this too. Thanks for the tutorial. My biggest issue has been the unraveling of the existing yarn. Can you show us where to start? I need help from across the pond! Recycle is the name of the game.

Oh no ! Definitely not stash if it's actually in sweater form Polly ...... the unravelled yarn tho' I think probably does qualify ! I admire your stamina on the unravelling front. You have enormous patience. Either that or masochistic tendencies ?? ;0)

I've unpulled many a 20 year old sweater (many being ones I've knitted). I found that it was better to wash them before you start if they are in any way not clean (dusty, dirty or otherwise stinky). I just really hated handling the yarn before it was washed. Someone asked about weighting the bottom of the skein - my kitchen jugs have handles that are open at the bottom like big hooks. If they're not heavy enough on their own you can put a tin of beans in them.

Very nice write-up, thanks! (And inspiring, too!). Does the yarn drip very much while hanging? Would it be necessary to put a bucket/sink/tub underneath??

What a fantastic organization, I shall be knitting them some hats now that you've brought it to my attention! And well done you on recycling, I think it definitely does not at all count as Stash. Could you drop me a quick mail re: certain knitting related social events this weekend, I am trying to be someone's Social Secretary (if you know what I mean).

Once it's yarn, I think it's stash. But sweaters, either for wearing or for future frogging, are just sweaters.
I hate seeing handknit sweaters in the charity shops. They make me think of the poor knitter who gave a handmade gift that didn't work out... But they are easier to take apart than the machine sewn ones!

I think it has to count as yarn, but maybe you get a credit for all the work that went into making it yarn, rather than just a sweater? Toby made a similar comment last time I recycled a sweater - although I had to hang the wool off the living room curtain pole, so maybe he had a point!

Naw, I don't think it counts. Well, maybe it does. But sweaters you buy and intend to wear shouldn't count.

I think the recycled wool should occupy its own category in the ledger books of yarn in and yarn out...perhaps as an offset or credit against the 'real' yarn-in figures. In my yarn salvaging, I have had trouble with weighing down the hanks after washing them - what have you done? I'm trying to see in the photo - are the hanks attached to the laundry rack by just clothespins?

Charity purchase + hard work = charity donation not Stash by my definition.

Stash is yarn bought for no specific purpose / pattern and kept for years (believe me I ought to know about that).

I think the hubby might need to keep his favourites under lock and key!

Worry not, I would say this is definitely not stash yarn. It is bought with the sole purpose of being turned into hats for the Sailor's Society, what a lovely idea. This of course then excempts the yarn from any such classification as stash, or similar.

I believe that once the jumper is skeined and washed, and the yarn is knitable, then it's certainly stash. Sorry. But you should be able to knit this up very quickly, so it'll soon be ex-stash.

Ha! I have a bag of four sweaters at home waiting to be frogged! Two cashmere, one wool and one silk/angora blend!!! All for less than $10! I bought them for stash, if that helps answer your dilemma. And in the interest of marital bliss, I'd say that hubby's sweaters count only if he's willing to part with them. Beforehand. ;o)

Oh I think the hubby must have been smiling when he asked that. I mean, he knew about having to go to Wales to "visit" relatives... The yarn recycling went well for you - I know you'll create something really cool!