1.2.12

reconstruction



I Shrunk The Hand Knits........... There. It is said! 
Mum - I am sorry!



I'm a knitter. A - not especially often and very slow knitter - but a knitter non the less. I know how much work and love and not-particularly-cheap yarn goes into a child's jumper. I know that when it is a gift it is made with thought and generosity and a whole-lotta time.
I know that wool hand knits require hand washing. HAND washing!


I now know that the hand wash setting on the washing machine does not mean that the machine has hands...... no no no - that machine does not have hands, so don't you go believing that when you read it. And, even though that machine is only attached to the cold water tap - it can heat itself up All On Its Own. It's true.
I also know that even when the grubby hand knits that have been sitting in a pile for days, weeks.... waiting to be hand washed because well - 
there are lists upon lists of things that are waiting around to get done and it's only the basics that ever seem to get a look in -
that actually, It Really Is Best to let that pile remain a pile for as long as deemed necessary, than be thrown with ignorant trust and faith in everything 'n anything written (setting: Hand Wash) into said washing machine that does not come with hands - and get...... shrunk.


But surely there are ways to redeem such naivety (laziness)?
Re-construct. Recreate. Recycle. Redeem.


                                                     


Even in the midst of Summer our girls like to take a hot water bottle to bed....yeah, go figure. 
Anyhow Harper Blue needed a cover for hers. 
Done.
And all that lovely work that my mum created has not gone to waste. It will still be snuggled into and loved - every night - yep, even when the temps hit 30.


And there is still plenty more for pieces to be made into small cushions for both the girls.
Redeemed? maybe...

Any recreations or redemptions been going on at your place this week?

18 comments:

  1. What a great refashion - such a cute water bottle cover! Now the pieces can be used all year round - not just worn in winter!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  2. the bottle cover looks really organic and earthy. well done.

    have been guilty of same.
    x

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  3. holy heck, truly? you did this? well, i could have managed the miswashing but i'd never have managed the recreation. it's a beautiful notion to save something like this.

    xo
    erin

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  4. Oh goodness, I better show my husband this post, often he doesn't understand why I make such a big deal about hand washing certain pieces of clothing. Thank you sooo much for sharing your experience and I must say you've done a great job at making use of those beautiful hand knitted pieces <3

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  5. Oh, my heart was just breaking reading that, yikes, I also thought my washing machine had hands! Beautiful refashion, I am sure they love them. xxx.

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  6. Oh dear... nothing worse than shrinking something precious! Glad yoou were able to re- make them into something useful :)

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  7. I hate to say it, but I'm so guilty of the same naivety. It's gut-wrenching. But your recreation is fantastic!!! And now they get to cuddle with grandma's love every night instead of once in a while. :)

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  8. Oh, I gasped out loud when I saw. But at least you remained clear-headed enough to create something new. I'd have been too busy weeping and throwing things, probably, to come up with such a good idea.

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  9. oh i've done that more time than i want to remember. but YOU! you so creative. your rescue it with the best possbile way. lovely : )

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  10. oh nooo! i would have shed a few tears. i 'only' crochet, but also totally understand the work that goes into such pieces. i would have hated telling the maker. eek
    but excellent repurposing job!

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  11. really.nice.save! i've done the shrinking thing too and it is just the worst, but i never would have thought to make something else with them (shrinking done pre-sharing-of-marvellous-ideas-in-blogland).

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  12. So cute and clever. I've ruined a few things in my time too. It's when my woollens "sneak" into a normal wash that I end up with problems.

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  13. This has happened to me before too but I was never so creative then to have made something out of a mistake. I'm sure your mother would be happy to know that all her hard work is still being loved. :)

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  14. Awww - lol. This is why Frenchie does the laundry in our house and not me. Good save!

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  15. Awww bummer...screwing up sometimes is the only way I learn!! And I love what you came up with!!!
    xo

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  16. I was going to say the shrunken hand knits would make great doll/teddy bear coats, but I read on and was thrilled to see how you creatively turned a scary situation into something so cool. I haven't done much re-ing around here lately. But, my fabric pile of no-longer-fits pile is growing so, who knows. Maybe in the coming weeks we'll see..

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