There's something endearing about an old wool sweater that makes it tough to throw away. Even if it's the wrong size and has a hole in the elbow. Now you don't have to. Using a technique called felting, you can remake an old sweater (or two) into a soft and comfy pillow.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Any Sewing Machine with a buttonhole function (We recommend the Janome Threadbanger TB-12)

Fabric and Other Stuff

• Felted Wool (see instructions for felting wool sweaters below)
• 16" Pillow Form
• Decorative Buttons

Before You Start

Felting is a process where you shrink a 100% wool knitted item on purpose. It tightens the weave and makes the felted piece of wool suitable for sewing. Felted wool has such a unique texture, once you try it you'll be hooked. Instead of throwing out old sweaters, you'll be on a constant lookout for them. And after friends see your felted pillow, they'll want you to make one for them.

Where To Find 100% Wool Sweaters

You may be lucky enough to have a bag full of of Grandpa's old cardigans. But if not, you'll need to find a source for second-hand pure wool sweaters. Your best bet is the local thrift store. You don't need them to be perfect, so you can buy the ones in the bargain bins that everybody else has passed over because of holes in the sleeves. If a thrift store won't work, try asking around the homes of family or friends. Quite a few people have old sweaters sitting in a back closet.

Felting Your Old Sweaters

Once you get your sweaters home, you're ready to start felting. Basically, just you break the two main rules for laundering a knit item: Wash the sweaters in hot water and then dry them in the dryer. If it works, your Adult Large sweater will be the perfect size for a kindergartner. If wool doesn't felt tightly enough, repeat the process. Different kinds of wool felt differently, so don't be surprised if this happens. You can felt the wool as many times as you want, until you get the feel you want for the fabric.

Once your sweaters are felted, you're ready to make your pillow. Cut two pieces of fabric from the body of the sweaters, 17" x 17", leaving the ribbing along the bottom of the sweater as your finished edge. (We used two sweaters with contrasting colors.)

At Your Sewing Machine

1. With right sides together, sew the pieces together, leaving the end with the ribbing open.
2. Put your pillow form inside the felted pillow cover and mark where you want your buttons to go.
3. Take out the pillow form and make your buttonholes. Then sew in your buttons.
4. Put your pillow form back in and slipstitch the bottom closed.
5. Enjoy your pillow.

Other Ideas

Purses and handbags are also easy to make from felted wool. And they're very stylish. If you get multiple colors of felt, cut them into squares and sew them into a comfy quilt. You could also make baby blankets, throws, even comforters. Now that you know how easy it is, get out there and start felting!

Other machines suitable for this project include the Pfaff expression 2038 and the Bernina bernette 92c.

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