Recycling - From Sweater to Rug

 

I believe the reason Hutterite women love thrift shops is that most of them are...well, thrifty - they love to find great deals on some piece of fabric or yarn, rescue it from a shelf or rack, and give it a new and beautiful life. Not that the piece they purchase isn't beautiful, but at that point, many times it has lost its usefulness as a garment or afghan. Along comes a Hutterite women who envisions the colours in a pretty crochet rug for her home. The shop is happy for the sale, the woman is happy about the good deal and more importantly, abandoned article will once again be a prized possession. And the earth is smiling too.

The rug in the picture was made from old sweaters, that had been unravelled and then crochet into a rug. There is nothing better to place by the door - it not only offers a splash of colour to the entryway, but is absorbent, keeps most dirt of the floor and best of all, it's easy to wash. The re-purposed wool will serve as a rug for many years.

I know many Hutterites make gorgeous rugs with new wool and use intricate patterns, and I love those as well. But I'd rather see something old become something new.