Why Old Wool Is Worth Rescuing

There is something quietly satisfying about pulling a felted jumper from the bottom of the airing cupboard and turning it into something you actually want in the house. Wool is a remarkable fibre: warm, hard-wearing, naturally flame-resistant and slow to give up the ghost. Even when a jumper has shrunk in the wash, sprouted a hole at the elbow or gone bobbly under the arms, the fabric itself still has plenty of life left in it.

Upcycling is also one of the oldest country skills going. Our grandmothers darned, patched and remade as a matter of course, not as a weekend hobby. Autumn, when the first proper chill arrives and the woollens come out of storage, is the perfect moment to have a go. All you need is a sharp pair of scissors, a needle, some strong thread and a little imagination.

Preparing Your Wool

Before you cut into anything, decide whether you want felted wool or ordinary knitted fabric — the two behave very differently at the scissors.

• Felting (fulling): Wash the garment on a hot cycle with a little detergent, then tumble dry or dry it on a radiator. The fibres mat together and the fabric becomes dense and stable. Felted wool does not fray, so you can cut shapes freely and leave raw edges on show.
• Unfelted wool: Still perfectly usable, but it will unravel. Stabilise it by machine zigzagging or overlocking the edges before you begin, or simply allow for generous seam allowances and enclose every raw edge.
• Check for moths: Give everything a good going over in bright daylight. Pop suspect pieces in the freezer for a week, then wash, to see off any lurking larvae before they find your other knitwear.
• Salvage the good bits: Cuffs, hems, collars and ribbed bands are the most valuable parts of an old jumper. Cut them off first and set them aside — they make ready-made openings, trims and button bands.

Cushion Covers from Jumper Panels

This is the easiest project to start with and the most instantly rewarding. Measure your cushion pad and cut two panels of felted wool 1.5cm larger all round. Lay them right sides together — a sleeve seam running diagonally across a cushion looks rather smart — and stitch around three and a half sides by hand or machine. Turn through, press lightly with a damp cloth, and insert the pad. Slip stitch the gap closed, or better still, leave it open and finish with buttons and a knitted loop made from a strip of ribbing.

If you would rather not fuss with a closure, take the lazy route: cut a single panel from the back of the jumper, allow for a generous overlap, and use the original ribbed hem as a self-fastening flap. Blanket stitch around the outer edge in a contrasting wool for a finish that looks properly handmade rather than home-made.

Hot Water Bottle Covers

A hot water bottle cover is the sort of small kindness that transforms a cold evening, and a jumper sleeve makes it almost effortless. Measure your bottle first — a standard one is roughly 33cm long and 20cm wide.

• Cut a sleeve about 10cm longer than the bottle and wide enough to slip it in comfortably.
• Stitch across the cut end, then turn the sleeve right side out so the original cuff sits at the neck of the bottle.
• Fold the ribbed cuff back over itself — it will grip the bottle's neck snugly without any fastening at all.
• For a tidier finish, add a button and a loop of crochet chain or plaited wool to hold the flap down.

A little dried lavender or a few cedar balls tucked into the base will keep the cover smelling fresh between winters.

Draught Excluders

Nothing beats a well-stuffed draught excluder for keeping a chilly hallway or a rattling back door in check, and they are wonderfully simple to make from a jumper body.

Cut straight across the jumper just below the armholes and again near the hem, giving you a tube. Stitch one end closed. Now make an inner bag from an old pillowcase, a leg of thick tights or a length of cotton sheeting, and fill it with rice, dried lentils, sand or dried beans — something with a bit of weight so it stays put against the door. Stuff the woollen tube around the inner bag with wool offcuts, old tights or toy filling, then sew the second end closed and hide the seam with a row of blanket stitch.

For a door with a taller gap, use a whole sleeve and hang it from the handle by a knitted loop. Add a couple of buttons along the length so it looks deliberate rather than improvised.

Stitches, Trims and Finishing Touches

You do not need a sewing machine for any of this, and the hand-stitched look suits wool beautifully. Blanket stitch is the workhorse — use it to neaten raw edges, join two panels, or simply outline a shape. Whip stitch is quicker for closing seams, while running stitch in a contrasting colour adds a pleasing quilted texture.

For embellishment, raid the button tin. Horn toggles, wooden buttons and odd vintage finds all look at home on felted wool. You can also appliqué small shapes cut from the sleeve of another jumper, embroider a monogram or a simple sprig, or add a patch pocket lifted whole from the original garment. Pinking shears give an attractive zigzag edge on unfelted wool and slow fraying nicely.

Wash your finished pieces by hand in cool water with a wool-friendly detergent, squeeze rather than wring, and dry them flat away from direct heat. Looked after that way, a jumper that was heading for the rag bag will keep you warm for another decade at least.