Recycle!

In my half-arsed and poorly executed quest to avoid buying any more yarn at this time (yes, I'm buying fiber to make yarn, and people are giving me yarn, and I'll admit that I did buy a $6 skein at a yarn shop on Friday... I fail at self-control), I have recently discovered the joy of frogging old projects and turning the glorious yarn that was languishing in some unworn scarf into something new and wonderful.  What has been most amazing so far is the sheer amount of yarn one can harvest from a given project. For example, I had used two massive skeins of a great handspun-lookalike to make a really long, skinny 1x1 ribbed scarf. What was I thinking? Knit in stockinette or stockinette-based lace at a larger gauge, this yarn can stretch through two or three good-sized hats, cowls, or mitts. Just goes to show that there is still a lot for me to learn about knitting!

At the same time, I have also been clearing out my dresser and closet, amassing a giant pile of clothes and shoes that I no longer wear for donating. It must have something to do with the season, but getting rid of old things to make way for the new is really satisfying right now.

Yesterday, I took the next logical step in this cycle of purging, recycling, and reuse, and I took apart an orange cotton/acrylic sweater that I've owned for about 9 years and which I seldom wear.
It went from this

To this

In this fashion

Then I added a bit of this

And a bit of this

Until it was all a bit more relaxed and ready for drying.

It has been hanging up since yesterday morning and it is still damp. When (if?) it eventually dries, I'll be putting it to good use in about six projects. I can't believe how much yarn was in that sweater!
What's your best or worst yarn recycling story? Let's chat in the comments :)