old becoming new

About twenty years ago, we went on a family holiday to New Zealand. While there, we purchased some wool to have jumpers/pullovers/sweaters/jerseys knitted out of. Mine was a gorgeous cream wool, the sort that you might have an Aran knit made from. On our return, my grandmother knitted a beautiful jumper of my choosing, for me.

I loved that jumper. It was pretty and warm. My grandma loved it too.

When I was at university studying graphic design, I happened to wear it on the first day that I ever did photography in a darkroom. I don’t think I realised that I was going to be in the darkroom that day. At the end of the day, I found that the jumper was now stained with photographic chemicals, on the front and on the sleeves.

I was so sad. My beautiful jumper, stained. From memory, there was no easy way to remove the stains. The ones on the front were slightly lightened, but the sleeves remained heavily stained.

But it was too lovely to throw away, especially as it was a souvenir from our holiday, and because my grandma knitted it for me. So it has remained in my wardrobe, pulled out occasionally to wear at home on cold days, or to be worn with a jacket over it, meaning the sleeves are covered.

With our very chilly weather here this week, it has become obvious to me that it is knitting weather. I pulled out the old jumper and decided to breathe new life into it. Partly this is due to a realisation that keeping it as is, though sentimental, is just keeping more “stuff”. By making it new, I’ll be bringing another good piece of clothing back into regular wear, thereby getting more use out of something that is and has always been special.

I chose a new pattern, and have begun undoing the old jumper, and reknitting it in a more up to date style, also cutting out the stained sections of wool.

I DO feel a little sacrilegious undoing all my grandma’s lovely knitting, but I feel good knowing that 20 years on, my lovely jumper is going to start a new life. I really hope that there is enough wool left over (it was a very bulky style, given that it was knitted in the 80s) to keep a small portion of grandma’s bit, not undone. I keep marvelling at the fact that after so long, it doesn’t have any moth holes, and the wool is still in excellent condition (apart from the stains).

And after so long, I’m looking forward to being able to happily and proudly wear my lovely jumper again.