And the beanie goes on

TTWC 2007.97-98

All this bottle green wool was recycled from a jumper found at St VdeP in Laurieton (near Port Macquarie). It's old Paton's Jet and knits up beautifully.

We had to go to Laurieton to get Mum's oxygen bottles filled. I'd already made a list of all op-shops in the district from the telephone directory, so we knew there were at least two in Laurieton. At Vinnies we struck pay-dirt. Here was where all the hand-knits on the mid-north coast were hiding. They certainly weren't in South West Rocks or Kempsey, because we'd checked (and bought the two that were to be had).

I can't remember now but we got something like 5 jumpers in Laurieton. Two of them were kid's sized in 12 ply. Neither of them had been worn, or if they had, they hadn't been washed. They were lovely and one had a "Knitted with Love by Nana" tag sewn in. When I unpicked them it was obvious they'd been knitted by the same woman.

I don't usually buy kid's jumpers to unravel. Often they are bought and used as they were intended but these were 12 ply and in Laurieton where no kid would ever need a jumper that thick. Also, I'd knitted all the 12 ply I'd brought with me and was desperate for some TTWC action.

These unpicked and unravelled easily and the crinkle fell out immediately the skeins hit the water. So far I've knitted four hats from this bottle green and there are three more on the needles and one less reusable item into landfill. I like to think that the original knitter would approve.