July Cashmere Shopping in Lincoln Park

I went to Chicago in early July to witness the birth of my third granddaughter, Kate. 

Welcome good Kate, sweet Kate!

On the way to Kate's first checkup, my son-in-law dropped me off at The Brown Elephant Resale Shop. Proceeds there benefit the Howard Brown Health Center.

Another afternoon, I slipped away to the White Elephant Resale Shop which benefits Children's Memorial Hospital. (That's another thing I like about unraveling--it's such a win-win for everyone along the recycling chain.) This shop is within walking distance of my daughter's house and it's so much fun walking around in Lincoln Park and feeling part of this vibrant and trendy yet classic Chicago neighborhood.

Because Lincoln Park is an affluent neighborhood and because Chicago has such cold winters (my daughter describes them more colorfully), I always find great sweaters there.

Here are my latest finds . . . they'll appear in my Etsy shop in mid-August.

J Crew 100% Lambwool

Drying after hanking and washing.

This punchy pink sweater yielded six 150-yard hanks.

This luscious sweater yielded 450 yards of lace weight cashmere.

I combined three strands to create a
more substantial fingering weight yarn.

Alexander Julian 100% Shetland Wool

The flecks of tweed in this wool are gorgeous.
 I'll have six 165-yard hanks available.

I got a good deal on this cashmere
top because the shoulder seam was torn.

I'll only have one 115-yard hank available
of this lovely turquoise lace weight yarn.

I'm really excited about this Peruvian sheep's wool sweater. I usually don't unravel multi-colored sweaters, but I imagined they could be separated and used to make smaller Fair Isle projects in these same beautiful colors.

I was right!
The colors separated nicely and I was able to create
four Fair Isle kits. Two small kits from each sleeve
and two large ones from the front and back.

It doesn't get much better than this in the unraveling world.
Ann Taylor Cashmere in a fingering weight neutral.
I call it "oatmeal."

I'll have five 150-yard hanks available.