My Aunt Connie loved to knit. She made countless hats, scarves, afghans, and baby sweaters over the years, and they were all so beautiful. She used a lot of yarn, and always purchased all of the yarn for a project before she started knitting. Connie wanted the yarn to be of one dye lot to ensure that the finished item had no unexpected variations in color.
Aunt Connie was very good at judging how much yarn she needed for her projects. But the yarn came coiled in skeins of a certain size; she invariably had some left over when the item was completed. So, what can you do with the leftover yarn? She sure wasn’t going to throw it away!
By the time I began to learn how to crochet, my aunt had accumulated a lot of leftover yarn. So I had a really good idea: Crochet a scrap blanket. I used her leftover wool — any color and any amount — and made the crocheted version of a crazy quilt! It was a great way for me to practice my stitches and use up all of her leftover yarn.
My latest project was a pretty little scarf I made by connecting crocheted squares, called “granny squares,” and I did have some wool left over. But I don’t feel like making a blanket now, so I started a “scrap scarf.” It is the same principle as the scrap blanket but a much, much smaller version. Once completed, I could keep the scarf in the car for those frigid winter mornings. (Hey, if you are cold who cares if it matches anything?)
There are all kinds of projects that you can do with leftover scraps of yarn — from crocheting tiny ornaments for a Christmas tree to making a bow for a gift. You could even make yarn stamps — a fun craft for children.
And if you don’t have any use for your leftover yarn — or fabric scraps — you could donate them to a crafting group or quilting club in your area. They may be just what someone needs for their project!
Feature image by jwdenson from Pixabay
This post was originally published on November 13, 2019.