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Fall is the perfect time for Yarn Harvest
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A great selection of yarn given a second life.
Have you ever looked at a particularly hideous sweater and thought, "What a waste of yarn?" Maybe it's a gift from grandma, or just a badly chosen fashion statement from the 80s. Either way, these sad sweaters no longer need to be considered a waste. Local business Yarn Harvest is recycling these wayward skeins of yarn into something just right for your next project.
Founded by Greg Goeken and Sean Saenger, Yarn Harvest scours yard sales and thrift stores in the Austin and the surrounding areas for second-hand wool sweaters that can be given new life. After sorting, sweaters are deconstructed, with seams unstitched by hand, leaving the yarn ready to be unwound into as many skeins as possible. Then the yarn is washed, using earth-friendly detergents and softeners, to remove kinks. Once it has dried, it's rewound into 126-yard skeins, and awaits a new home in your loving stash.
Recycling yarn from sweaters is not necessarily a new concept. During the Second World War, while some were spinning their own yarn, the wool shortage forced others to unwind old sweaters in order to be able to knit for the war effort. But now, Goeken and Saegar are looking to take this idea and bring it to a new level.
Yarn Harvest has been a while in the making, but is now coming into it's own. Goeken says, "We're thrilled to be open for business. After nine months of planning, preparation, and hard work, it feels like our baby is finally ready to grow." And grow they will. They are hoping to launch an online store this month, as well as an Etsy store. For now, if you want to find some recycled yarn, head on down to South Congress this Thursday for First Thursday, an event which brings together South Austin merchants for a late night of crafts and fun.
The company may be using old sweaters, but they are utilizing new technology to spread the word. You can finds the guys on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Ravelry. They are also blogging about the business, something that is always harder than it seems.
Be on the lookout for this great new local business, because they are excited to see you. Saenger says that a lot of the company's focus is on our fair city. "Yarn Harvest is doing its part to keep Austin crafty, to keep Austin green, and to keep Austin weird."
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