Ideas for your yarn scraps

Opening a yarn countdown calendar every day leading up to an event can be lots of fun, but what do you do with lots of small amounts of yarn? Here are a few suggestions, and all of them will also work with yarn scraps, which, let’s face it, most knitters have in abundance! If you add a bit to your project every time day, by the day of the big event, you might even have completed your project!

Simple stripey socks 

This is my preferred way to use up scraps. I use a basic vanilla sock pattern, and alternate a main colour with contrasting stripes. I’m not a big fan of clashing colours, and I find that adding a neutral main colour really pulls all the other yarns together. You can use whatever basic sock pattern you like; I usually make a tube and add either an afterthought or Fish Lips Kiss heel.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fish-lips-kiss-heel*

 

Pixel rise socks by Kemper Wray

 

Pixel rise socks by Kemper Wrap - Image copyright Kemper Wray

A friend has made several pairs of these and they look great, and like they’re a lot of fun to knit! One thing to look out for though is that the colourwork portions will reduce the stretch of the socks, so you’d be wise to go up from your usual sock size.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pixel-rise*

 

Pixel rise cowl by Kemper Wray

Pixel rise cowl by Kepmer Wray - Image copyright Mari Chiba

If you’re concerned about how colourwork socks might fit, or have larger scraps, why not try knitting the cowl version instead?

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pixel-rise-cowl*

 

Sprocket socks by Megan Nodecker

 

Sprocket socks by Megan Nodecker - Image copyright Mega Nodecker

These socks were everywhere at the end of 2019 and I think they look great! Again, you might want to go up a size to compensate for the reduced stretch, but these socks are a great way to either use up leftovers, or a mini skein set.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sprocket-socks*

 

Mitred square blanket

I’ve had an ongoing mitred square blanket for a few years now. It spends a lot of time in hibernation, but occasionally I pick it up and add a collection of squares – last year I added one square for every day leading up to Christmas. There are loads of patterns, but I used the one by Georgie Nicolson and it’s totally customisable for your yarn weight and the size of size of your scraps. Georgie’s blog post also contains other ideas for making blankets with your yarn scraps.

https://www.tikkiknits.com/blog/knitting-blankets

 

Granny stripe blanket

Granny stripe blanket by Attic24 - Image copyright Attic24

This one is great if you have lots of tiny scraps – you can add scraps of any length and just keep crocheting. You can even join all your scraps together at the start and make a magic ball! Lucy from Attic24 is my go-to recommendation for new crocheters, and she has a great tutorial for making a granny stripe blanket.

https://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/granny-stripe-blanket.html

 

Another crochet option

Battenberg blanket by Sandra Paul - Image copyright Sandra Paul

Like the idea of crochet, but prefer squares to stripes? The Battenberg blanket by Sandra Paul might be the project for you. Made of lots of tiny squares that are joined using neutral squares, this is a good project if you have lots of yarn scraps that are roughly the same size. You don’t have to worry about having to sew all the squares together as the blanket is joined using a join as you go method.

https://www.cherryheart.co.uk/2018/12/battenberg-blanket.html

 

A chunky, scrappy jumper

Metropolis by Tanis Fiber Arts - Image copyright Tanis Fiber Arts

Maybe you want to go the whole hog and make a jumper with your yarn scraps? Tanis Fiber Arts has a free pattern for a top-down chunky weight sweater, and a blog post on how she modified it to use up scraps of yarn. You might want to plan your project out a bit before you start, but this would be a great way to use up lots of scraps or partial skeins!

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/metropolis-3

https://www.tanisfiberarts.com/blog/2019/11/marled-metropolis

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What are you planning to do with your yarn scraps?

If you want tips on how to make your own yarn advent calendar, why not check out yetserday's blog post?

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*Ravelry links may cause issues to people with photosensitivity, proceed with caution.