I discovered that if I use circular knitting needles to knit long winter scarves, I can use bits and pieces of yarn in all colors and textures to knit up unique scarves that when used creatively can be very beautiful. I leave about eight inches of yarn at both ends and use this for the tassels at the end adding minimal yarn when done. I usually try to do about 2-3 rows with each yarn using 3-4 different yarns. Varying the textures and colors adds interest to the scarf. Using at least one really soft yarn will add to the cozy feel.
Also I found if you use a needle about two sizes bigger than the yarn calls for it will be a softer and more flexible scarf which makes for a nicer feeling on cold mornings. Knitting scarves has become a lot of fun for me now that I have more purpose.
Source: Inspired by a book I bought last Christmas: Scarves and Shawls for Yarn Lovers: Knitting with Simple Patterns and Amazing Yarns by Carri Hammett
By susan
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I enjoy making afghans for a charity group called Project Linus. I make large granny square afghans out of the scrap yarn and add to my squares as I get new colors from the donations.
My grandma was a big crocheter, and was always getting left with small, 1-3 inch balls of yarn she had no use for. I came up with a way to use the small balls of yarn.
I just saw an interesting tip on how to use up excess yarn by making baskets. Well, I use my excess yarn by making drinking glass sweaters. They are excellent for sweating glasses in the summertime.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I was lucky enough to receive 4 large trash bags full of yarn. All different colors and textures. Mostly left over scraps from previous projects. I'm looking for crochet projects to make that take very little yarn. Especially Christmas ornaments/projects.I did start to make a old fashioned Black and Brights Granny Square afghan. Making sure to only use the scraps marked acrylic so when washed a wool scrap wouldn't shrink up and ruin the throw. Open for ideas for the home, holidays, fashion, pets.Can't stand to see anything go to waste.
You are a woman after my own heart! I don't crochet but I have seen some little dish cloths that were crocheted. These would be lovely in your kitchen.
You could also crochet some lap robes and dontate them to nursing homes or hospitals.
Try:
www.crochetpatterncentral.com
You will have lots of ideas....
Hope it helps....
You can alway crochet or knit, whatever do, make some blankets, bout 18x20 " and donate them to you local vets office or the humane society. They are always needing blankets, ect for the cages. Rose
Go to www.freepatterns.com and you will find a lot of patterns that you can copy. Also, you can go to www.hats4thehomeless.org, www.newbornsinneed.org, and www.h4ha.org (Hugs for Homeless Animals) and get a lot of ideas.
I bought a jumbo hook and using 6-10 yarns at a time, crocheted a rug. You can mix different weights too. When one color ends, just attach another color. I kept the same color family in two, in others I changed so the colors formed bands. I made lots of potholders and hot plate trivets, and some placemats too. I also have made several afaghans where the center used different colored scraps, but another color was bought and a final row was crocheted around each piece to join them together amd marry them--you'll be surprised at how many patterns you'll find when you start looking.
A gift of striped or granny square potholders, a thick crocheted trivet, a crocheted dish cloth, and a kitchen towel with a crocheted border would make a great gift.
I think the same as you when it comes to my yarn stash. If the yarn is 12 inches or longer I crochet it into something and if it is less than 12 inches it goes into my "found stuffing" bag. I throw out NOTHING. I also unravel and "reclaim" yarn from damaged Afghans or apparel as per the how to instructions I found on the Internet. I recently received 7 garbage-sized bags of mixed yarn from personal stashes of known friends and family. But a friend purchased 1 bag for me at a yard sale. I call yarn from an owner unknown to me "Orphan Yarn" and I wash it before I use it per the how to reclaim instructions. I do this because I am unsure of how it was stored, (I have a dust mite allergy) how old it is and also to make sure it is in good condition. I then attempt to match it up by weight and texture.
Check the charity websites - they have free patterns for chemo hats, children's hats, scarf's and mittens, baby clothes, afghans, lapgans, walker caddy's for seniors, the less fortunate can use it all. There are usually gently used to new clothing collection agencies, for the homeless and needy in every city.
Also I have been advised, animals are color blind and have more need for comfort than a color coordinated cage pad. My vets office and local animal shelters are probably overstocked by now with "Chi-Baba's" I have made from faded, but oh so soft, reclaimed yarn. You can create your own pattern or find them on the Internet.
Blend your colors, make it up, hand it out. It may not fill your pockets but it will fill your heart.
Dee, I would like to know more about the chemo hats and lapghans for the patients. please email me for the info. PLEASE d l rick @ bellsouth . net I was wanting to do something like that for the St Jude children or something like that and don't know how to contact such organizations. Thanks so much.
Headbands, you can also crochet pieces of scraps over soup cans, they make nice pencil holders. Make a scarf from scraps in a striped pattern, plastic bag holders for the kitchen. I've seen one from the Crochet dude site and also I think the Bernat site, free patterns there. Well, that's a few.
Crochet pretty motifs for practice with your scraps to use in other patterns as well. This will give you an idea of your skills in that particular pattern. Crochet small toys like the amigurami, food toys etc. The possibilities are just endless.
for very small scraps that are about 4" long, I use them as stitch markers in a project when I don't have a stitch marker or safety pin. I get a crochet hook use it as a latch rug hook and use it the same way as if you were going to make a latch rug. Just make sure you use a contrasting color so you can see it.
for very small scraps that are about 4" long, I use them as stitch markers in a project when I don't have a stitch marker or safety pin. I get a crochet hook use it as a latch rug hook and use it the same way as if you were going to make a latch rug. Just make sure you use a contrasting color so you can see it.
Check out these photos.
I decided to make a prayer shawl that used some of the Lion Brand yarn stash I have accumulated while making various other prayer shawls. As you can see from the stash photo, my palate leans toward the earthy colors.
