Thread Lounge

This month we had a chance to catch up with Polly Fitzgerald (pictured above) of Polly Jane’s. She recycles old sweaters into beautiful, one of a kind, handmade scarves. Each piece is beautifully crafted and we are so thrilled to carry her line at Thread Lounge. Here’s what she had to say about inspiration and process:

1. Where are you from? I live on a ranch in the Huasna Valley outside the small town of Arroyo Grande California. We are located on the Central Coast between LA and San Francisco.

2. When did you first start making accessories? I started crocheting and knitting in high school. I started Polly Jane’s and making accessories about 4 years ago.

3. Why did you decide to use recycled materials? I use to make rustic birdhouses out of recycled wood and old hardware and tin from torn down barns. I wanted something I could do that was clean and still recycled.

Polly Jane’s scarves at TL Chicago $40

4. Where do you find the sweaters you turn into scarves? I mostly find all my sweaters at thrift stores, because they have holes in them or people have shrunk them by mistake.
5. What is your favorite material to work with? I love cashmere, felted lambs wool, merino wool and linen. I love them all! I’ve always had an eye for texture and i know my brands. Who makes the best linen or cashmere.
6. What are you looking forward to for spring? I am working on a silk cotton blend scarf for my spring line. Some people can’t wear wool or cashmere, so the silk and cotton is easy to work with and really soft, no fluff! I also make flower pins out of all my sweater scraps with Vintage buttons. It’s a nice change and still recycling into a different fun product.