Recycowl Neck

By Just call me Ruby

This is the first pattern in our recycle / re-use series, showing you ways to keep old sweaters going and how to use up oddments of stash.

Recycowl takes an old shop bought polo neck sweater that‘s past its sell by date and shows how, by using a tiny bit of stash, you can transform it into a gorgeous, glamorous garment.

Materials

1 or 2 balls fancy / eyelash yarn from your stash
The pattern used Schoeller + Stahl Punk (50g / 33m approx) - shade 0022

2 x 50gm balls

and 1 ball standard aran weight yarn
The pattern used Jaeger extra fine merino aran (50g / 87m) - shade 545
100% merino wool

1 pair 15mm (US #19) needles

and 1 old sweater

Instructions

Using one strand of each yarn, cast on 10sts using 15mm (US #19) needles.
Starting with a knit row, work in stocking stitch until work measures 33 inches (83.5cm).
Cast off.

With right sides together, join cast off and cast on seams using the plain yarn. Darn in all ends. At this point, block collar, holding steam iron slightly above work.

Starting at centre back of sweater matched to seam on collar, pin collar to sweater along one long edge, taking care only to pin through one layer of sweater.

Baste in place using contrast sewing thread and long stitches. Try garment on. Once you are happy with position of collar, cut away sweater above collar, leaving about half an inch extra all round as seam allowance.

Turn seam allowance to wrong side of sweater and pin in place.

Turn garment inside out and using a matching thread stitch collar to sweater, sewing through seam allowance at same time.

Remove basting stitches.