Left Over Yarn Ideas

Best Ideas For Left Over Yarn

I hate to throw anything away ! As a knitter and crafter, I hate to throw those bits of yarn that I have left over from my projects. So I keep them in a basket. Recently, I had decided to get them all together and create something with them. Call it crafty recycling .

There are plenty of free patterns all over the internet. Decide what project you would like to make and in your browser type-free pattern for ..........

Why Should You Use Up That Stash Of Scrap Yarn

More than likely if you are a knitter or crochet artist, you have bits of scrap yarn laying around your home. You have been saving it, but the question is why? There are lots of reasons to sit down and use those bits:

1. The space they take can be used for other things
2. They will not cost you a penny to create something from them
3. It can cause some creativity to make something out of nothing
4. Reduces waste and is good for the environment

Storing those left over yarns scraps is easy.

• You can take some new or clean clothes pins and wind the yard around the clothes pin and secure if the piece is small
• Wind it in a ball .
• Wrap it around a piece of left over cardboard
• Store it in a jar by color and display it
• Use a shoe bag to store small balls
• Store pieces or small balls of yarn in different size zip lock bags

• You could also store them in baskets or plastic containers, You can store them by color or by the type of yarn that they are. Choose the type of storage that matches the way that you think. Do you think in colors, by materials or by brands. It's up to you !

  
  

Super Easy Way To Store Yarn Bits

Storage Idea For Small Balls Of Yarn

Free Patterns For Dishcloths

• Knitting for Beginners - How to Knit a Dishcloth | AllFreeKnitting.com
  If you wanted to learn how to knit, this is the perfect project! Using only 3 basic stitches and including a complete step-by-step video.
• Knitted Dishcloth Patterns: Handmade for Your Kitchen! - Countryside Network
  A few things were certain on every visit to my gramma’s lake cabin each summer, and one of them was knitted dishcloth patterns in the kitchen.
• Free Dishcloths Crochet Patterns | LoveCrochet
  Discover Free Dishcloths Crochet Patterns | LoveCrochet at LoveCrochet. We stock patterns, yarn, hooks and books from all of your favorite brands.
• Waffle dishcloth or facecloth
  Easy to do knit project with just 2 basic stitches

Ice Cream Sweater

Crochet a perfect holder for your pint of icecream

Make a holder to keep your Ben and Jerry's ice cream from numbing your finger. Easy to make, it's a really cute gift or money maker. Why not take an empty clean pint of ice cream and place a gift card for your favorite ice cream shop?

1. ch 16, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each sc across to end.

2. ch 1, turn. In blo, sc in each sc across.

3. Repeat row two 35 more times.

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4. sl st sides together. Finish off, weave in ends, turn inside out.

Make A Trivet

Cotton Yarn For The Waffle Cloth

These would be your basic yarn. Add your left over yarn as a strip.

All you need is one ball of cotton yarn for this pattern, plus any left over yarn for some stripes. You also need a set of size 6 knitting needles. This pattern is great for anyone, especially beginners. I plan to make a bunch up for Christmas and add some nice soaps for the ladies

Project Treasury Using Left Over Yarn

• Hexagon Trivet - protect your table in a pretty way! | Jessie At Home
  Trivets keep my table safe and make me feel all grown up. You know, "I'm so awesome at adulting, I have pretty trivets for my hot homemade food!"
• DIY Yarn Ball Pom Pom Bookmark | Easy DIYs | Design Mom
  Make a Yarn Ball Pom Pom Bookmark for all the book lovers in your life. Follow this easy, simple DIY with step-by-step photos featured by top lifestyle blogger, Design Mom.
• Tiny Hats Winter Ornaments
  Create tiny hat Christmas oenaments
• Top 10 Most Creative Smartphone Makeover DIY Projects - DIY & Crafts
  
• Ravelry: Illuminate Your Sock Yarn Lanterns pattern by Abigail Grasso
  Make a colorful lantern with your left over yarn scraps
• Knitted Chair Sox
  For those of us with laminate or hardwood floors, these chair socks are a perfect idea for use with our furniture with legs !
• Knit Pin Cushion Pattern
  Great little gift made out of left over yarn

Knitted Chair Socks

I cast on 16 sts on US 7 double point knitting needles(or you could work it flat if you like and stitch it up later) and worked k2, p2 for about 1.75” – 2” in length and then I worked k2tog (knit 2 together)around and reduced to 8sts, and then cinched it up through the remaining 8 sts.

These are stretchy so they are easy to slip on chair legs

Crochet And Knit Rugs

Uses For Left Over Bits Of Yarn - My Personal Uses For Left Over Yarn

• Use them in place of ribbons on gifts
• Make Granny Squares
• Knit or crochet blankets for Barbie or other dolls
• Business Card Holder
• Leave small pieces by a bird feeder to help them build a nest. The scraps should be less than 1/2 inch.
• Donate your yarn scraps to a local daycare. They an use them in art projects
• Use yarn like ribbon to wrap a gift
• Wrap your yarn around a wooden block and use it to stamp patterns
• Wrap some letters with yarn scraps

Crochet Round Face Cloths

Crochet face cloths are so easy to make. These are so easy to make with just a little yard. I have made these as gifts so many times. Best to use 100 % cotton on these.

Yarn and Cardboard Snowflakes

How To Make Cardboard Snowflakes

These snowflakes are so easy to make ! They are a great project for children and -parents too.

Supplies

Cardboard

Pieces of scrap yarn

White craft glue

Scissors or craft knife

1. Draw a snowflake pattern. Cut the pattern . Trace it onto a piece of cardboard. You can also use an electronic cutting machine to cut a pattern.
2. Cut the pattern with a sharp pair of scissors or a craft knife.
3. Using white craft glue,place the yarn scraps on the cut snowflake pattern. Get creative with your patterns and colors. Allow to dry.
4. Punch a hole in the top of the snowflake if you want to hang it.

You can paint in the snowflake in white before you add the yarn.

Make A Yarn Pom Pom

It is easy to make yarn pompoms with left over bits of yarn. The only thing that you need to make these pompoms is a good pair of scissors.

1. Cut a piece of 8-10 inch pieces of scrap yarn.
2. Hold the edge of the skein or ball of yarn in your hand.
3. Begin wrapping the yarn around your fingers.Make it snug, but not too tight.
4. Wrap the yarn around your fingers at least 90 times. Wrapping it more will make a fuller pompom.
5. Cut the yarn away from the ball/skein.
6. Carefully slide it off your fingers.
7. Lay it down over the 8-10 inch piece of yarn
8. Using the ends of the 8-10 inch yarn piece, tie a knot around the middle of the 90 wrapped loops.
9. Slide the scissors through the yarn loops and start cutting the loops. Do both sides of the pompom
10. Snip your pompom until the ball is round and even.

Crochet Some Easter Eggs

Winter Hat Christmas Ornament

You do not have to be a knitter or crochet artist to create these delightful hat ornaments. With just a few bits of yarn, you can create ornament hats in all types of color combinations.

Supplies

Toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls- the cardboard insert

Scissors

Marker

Measuring tape or ruler

Yarn Scraps

1. Flatten your cardboard tube with your fingers
2. Measure sections that are 3/4 of an inch and mark each section with your marker.
3. Cut the sections where you marked
4. Cut your strands of scrap yarn about 14 inches long. Does not have to be exact. Fold each strand in half and set aside. Cut as many strands as you can.
5. Slip the yarn (still folded in half to the inside of the tube.Pull the ends of the yarn through the loop.
6. Keep going all around the piece of the tube. Make sure that you have enough strands to cover the tube piece. But be sure not to squash the cardboard.
7. Squish all the yarn pieces through the tube. That makes the brim of the hat.
8. Taking an extra strand from your supply, tie a double knot one inch from the brim.
9. Trim the top of the tied strands to make a pom pom at the top of your hat.

Winter Hat Ornament Directions

How About A Mug Rug?

More Mug Ideas

• Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cozy | AllFreeKnitting.com
  This Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cozy is an easy knitting pattern that just screams fall. In addition to being adorably-autumn, this coffee cozy knitting pattern is so easy that it's perfect for beginners. It's knit in simple garter stitch.
• The N Stitch Mug Cozy - Sunflower Cottage Crochet
  Our latest design: a crochet mug cozy that is quick and easy to make! Learn how to make this which includes sewing on the button.

Scrap Yarn Crochet Basket

More Ideas For Scrap Yarn

Here are a few of my favorite uses for scrap yarn. We could not list all the patterns or directions, but you can easily find them by typing in the name of the project to your browser

• Use it to tie a gift package
• Make a pompom then create a wreath with them
• Use all the yarn to make a lap robe or an afgan for a homeless shelter
• Stuff toys with your yarn bits
• Make a washcloth or dishrag
• Make a potholder
• Use them to make the beard for a gnome
• Make wrist warmers
• Cover a styrofoam wreath form with yarn . Then add crochet flowers or other flowers to create a seasonal wreath.
• Make knitted or crochet potholders
• Male a tea cozy
• Make a crochet butterfly
• Crochet a picture frame
• Crochet a cell phone cover
• Crochet or knit a baby hat
• Crochet a mug cozy
• Make a pair of slippers
• Wrap and glue yarn around a vase
• Yarn covered pine cones-wrap some yarn around pine cones for a cute holiday craft

Use Leftovers To Make Russian Yarn

Create A Left Over Yarn Bowl

Make A Peppermint Jar Hug

Knit A Bookmark

Knit a simple bookmark for your books or to give with a book as a gift

Create A Hair Scrunchie With Left Over Yarn Scraps

I unique ponytail holders for my hair when I go to the gym. Why not use your left over yarn to create your own unique hair scrunchie? Looking for a hair scrunchie pattern? Just click on the links. Any little girl would proudly wear a flower hair scrunchie.

The Magic Ball

This is such a fun idea for those bits and pieces that we all collect. Simple and easy to do. All you do to create your magic ball is to tie all your bits and pieces of yarn together to create a ball of yarn. The "rule" here is that you use the yarn exactly as you tied them together. No re-tying or re-ordering the yarn as you get to it in order to adjust the color order. Consider keeping the yarn tails loose - not woven in - to make a reversible project. Smooth on one side and fuzzy on the other with all the yarn tails. You could wind up with a really colorful and funky project!

How To Knit A Towel Top Using Leftover Yarn

Make A Yarn Stamp

You can add some interesting pops of color to your greeting cards and scrapbook pages. Wrap some yarn around a block of wood. Secure ends. Use some ink of acrylic paint that you dab onto the wool. You could use a craft stick, a paint brush or a dauber. Place on the paper of your choosing and stamp your unique pappern

Make A Yarn Bowl Or Basket

Left over yarn pieces can be made into a delightful yarn bowl ! They look delicate, but are quite sturdy ! You can use one color and make them very orderly. Or you can go crazy with color ! It is up to you !

This might be a messy craft if you are working with kids. The glue may tend to get in places that you would rather it did not. So take precautions

Supplies

Left over yarn

Several bottles of Elmer's glue, depending on the size of your bowl

A bowl in the size of your choice

Saran or plastic wrap

A shallow pan to coat the yarn in

A cookie sheet covered with parchment paper

Directions

1. Turn your bowl upside down on the cookie sheet covered with parchment paper
2. Cover the bowl with the plastic wrap
3. Cut strips of yarn 17 inches or longer depending on the size of your bowl. You will need quite a few
4. Soak the yarn in the glue that is in the shallow pan. Some like to add a little water to the glue
5. Pull out the yarn and drape over the plastic covered bowl.
6. Let the project dry overnight
7. Carefully pull away the plastic and the bowl

You could use the same idea to make a yarn egg for Easter. Just use an oval shaped styrofoam shape. Remember to keep an opening in the front

Create A Coil Crochet Basket

Create A Plant Cover

Crochet A Sunglass Case

Wrap A Present with Yarn

Use your left over yarn like ribbon to create a cozy wrap for your gifts. Make a large yarn bow or a pompom to make a very sweet gift . Great for a baby shower or your special young lady. Use seasonal colors or even their school colors for a graduation gift.

Tie multiple pieces of yard around a package like a rainbow

Make A Headband

Final Thoughts On Using Yarn Scraps

Whatever project you are working in, you are bound to have some yarn scraps. Recycling those scraps makes you s responsible crafter. Plus it makes the money that you spent on your yarn go farther. There is fun to be had using those scraps. Foind a project that gets your creative side inspired and get started.

We would love to hear how you use yarn scraps !

Linda F Correa (author) from Spring Hill Florida on March 16, 2019:

Thanks for your kind comments.

Larry Slawson from North Carolina on March 16, 2019:

Had to share this with my wife. Really interesting ideas here. Thank you for sharing.