Etsy: Upcycling and Recyling yarn with Molly Bachelor

Molly Bachelor is a 27-year old architect in Encinitas, California, who has been selling recycled yarns on Etsy since the fall of 2007. Her Etsy shop, C R A F T Y (the fiber rescue project), offers 100% recycled yarns, either unraveled from gently used, high quality sweaters, or handspun from mill ends and other scrap fibers.

left to right: Turquoise Coils handspun, GLAM (a) handspun, OKAPI handspun

Why did you start recycling yarn?

I've been a knitter for awhile now, and have always found yarn and fibers to be the best part of knitting (don't we all!). I started recycling yarn well before I began on Etsy, just doing a bit at a time to save the yarn from a favorite worn-out sweater or add to my stash. I'm always looking for opportunities to reclaim waste materials, so I was glad to eventually learn that there was a market on Etsy for this kind of yarn.

What inspires you?

I'm inspired by the limitless, open-ended possibilities of fibers. It's so much fun as a recycler, because the fiber arts are about working in cooperation with the individual fibers - whether it's twisting, weaving, knitting or whatever. The basic individual fibers are always still there, ready to be reinvented when their time comes.

recycled silk/cotton and cashmere, hand-plied together

What are the most challenging things about recycling/upcycling?

The nature of recycling is that you're working with found materials, so it can be limiting, although I'm always surprised at the variety and quantity of materials available. I generally don't dye my fiber and try to work with found colors, which is certainly a design constraint when spinning. But on the other hand, design constraints can really help the creative process.

left to right: Swamp Princess mill end handspun, Sky (wool/mohair mill ends plied with cashmere), and Elf (handspun wool/mohair mill ends)

Do you prefer to use a drop-spindle or a spinning wheel?

Oh, definitely a wheel. I never really got the knack of spindle spinning. I currently spin on a Fricke single-treadle.

Is there an overlap between your day job and your Etsy shop, or is the yarn an escape for you?


The yarn is definitely an escape from my day job. I love the non-structured simplicity of fiber design as a balance to the complexity and client demands of architectural design.

Etsy Buy Handmade craftyyarn

all photos copyright Molly Bachelor, used here with her permission

Etsy: Upcycling and Re-imagining handspun yarn with Jes Mattingly

left to right: handspun newspaper yarn, Tokyo-plarn,
grocery bag plastic with cassette tape and paper beads, and grocery bag plastic

Jessica Mattingly ("Jes") is a 30 year old full-time clinical psychology doctoral student who uses her Etsy shop, Unique Expressions by Jessica Mattingly (An Eclectic Collection of Innovative Expressions), as her outlet. Jes lives in Chicago, where she spins upcycled yarns out of wool scraps, plastic bags ("plarn"), cassette tape, and paper.

When did you get started on Etsy?

I started back in November of 2005.

What got you started on upcycling/recycling yarn materials?

After I started spinning yarn, I became addicted to figuring out what other materials aside from wool could be spun. I started with plastic bags mixed with cassette tape, then moved on to tissue paper, and then on to newspaper. I've also worked with a fiber made out of recycled plastic bottles, but the fibers are really short and hard to work with.

Who/what inspires your work?

I'm the oldest of eight, and my siblings are a huge inspiration in my life. Also, the need for a creative outlet inspires my work.

handspun "scrappy happy"

What are your favorite parts of recycling/upcycling?

I love the challenge of working with something different. It's like a puzzle that needs solving. I also love the unique appearance of upcycled products. Each one is completely one-of-a-kind. I really enjoy watching the plastic or paper change and evolve as I spin it.

What are the most challenging things about recycling/upcycling?

Well, the materials aren't always the easiest to work with. Paper and plastic are not as flexible as wool. It can be really frustrating when something doesn't initially work, but once I've figured it out it becomes the biggest reward! Also, it takes a lot more time and energy to create something that is upcycled, because it usually involves a lot more prep.

handspun tissue paper

Do you have a preference for using a drop spindle or a wheel for your handspuns?

I started spinning with a drop spindle and used that for about a year before I moved on to a wheel. I now use a wheel for my regular handspuns, but when it comes to paper and plastic, I use a drop spindle. Those materials don't gather very easily around the bobbin of my wheel and they just don't spin up as tightly when I use my wheel.

handspun plarn

Jes also offers a plarn-making service and does custom orders. She blogs at Unique Expressions, where you can also vote in a mini-poll about what she's got in her Etsy shop and check out her Etsy favorites.

Etsy Buy Handmade jessprkle

all photos in this post are copyright Jessica Mattingly and used here with her permission

Etsy: Interviews

'Changeling' handspun yarn, jessprkle.etsy.com
While I continue to rest my hands, I've been checking out some shops on Etsy that I'd like to share with you. As you know, I like yarn, and I especially like handspun and handdyed yarns. For the next few weeks, I'll be posting interviews with Etsy vendors who specialize in upcycling, recycling, and re-imagining yarns, especially handspun and handdyed yarns. I'll be kicking the series off later today and I'm hoping to post a new interview twice a week for the next 3 - 4 weeks (one on the weekend and one in the middle of the week).

The interviews:

October 28, 2008 Etsy: Recycling and Upcycling Yarn with Nikki Ross

September 05, 2008 Etsy: Upcycling and Re-imagining Yarn with M.K. Lawrie

August 23, 2008  Recycling and Upcycling Yarn: The Adventures of Cassie

August 28, 2008 Etsy: Upcycling and Recycling Yarn with Molly Bachelor

August 15, 2008 Etsy: Upcycling and Re-imagining Yarn with Jes Mattingly

Vintage Crochet Baby Dress

Yes, I was a happy, adorable baby - perhaps the lovingly crocheted baby dress wasn't the main reason, but it certainly didn't hurt.

The dress was passed on to my mother by the original owner, and when I outgrew it the dress was passed on to a newer baby, and so I don't have anything besides these photos to work from. It looks fairly simple - probably started from the yoke in a pattern of chevrons and eyelets with increases built into the chevrons. I think it's quite likely I could find this pattern or one very much like it in a vintage pattern book or pamphlet if I didn't feel like working it out for myself, but I have no need for a baby dress at this time, so it can wait.

Virtual SNB Missed Connection

caoutchouc on the knithappens.com Virtual SNB forum - I can't seem to log in to the forum, which is why I haven't gotten back to you - I charted out the increases and I am working on the chart for the decreases.

I'm having some trouble with the stitch legend; the gray squares are the 'no stitch' but the legend shows a blank square. I'm also not understanding why the legend has two listings for knit.