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Snowcat
New Pal
USA
20 Posts |
 Posted - 07/22/2004 : 09:55:12 AM
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I usually give my machine washable stuff to my grandma. She crochets blankets for AIDS babies. The hospital loves the brigt colors and varities. As for the non-machine washable stuff, I either give it to someone who is edging a garment, trade it for something I want for edging, or like a lot of you, I work on squares for afghans or lap robes to give to family and friends.
"Where ever you go, there you are."
Where ever you go, there you are. |
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joyoppen@comcast.net
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Posted - 07/22/2004 : 10:23:30 AM
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Mittens and/or "TV booties" are a great way to use up leftover yarn. Also those "watchcaps" are wonderful and the homeless shelters are always glad for the contributions.
Joy O. |
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al_spinner
New Pal
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 10:24:28 AM
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| I donate them to children in classrooms who are learning how to knit. Last time I had a huge bag of single or half balls of yarn of various textures, materials and colors that I gave to a woman who teaches underpriviledged kids how to knit...She told me the kids would love to experiment with so many materials. |
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craftedforyou@yahoo.com
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Posted - 07/22/2004 : 10:28:03 AM
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| I use my left overs for hats. My sister and I make caps and socks for our service people so the scraps come in handy for those. |
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knittykat
Seriously Hooked
USA
710 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 10:43:42 AM
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I do many of the preceding ideas as well. If the yarn is pretty, (of course, you weren't knitting with ugly yarn, right?) ball it up and put it in a decorative bowl for an unusual decoration. I stick a pair of handmade needles in it for effect.
In Weekend Knitting they suggest starting a sample with a pair of needles and some of the yarn and encouraging friends and family who are knitters to play with the yarn in the bowl, making you a scarf/thingy which is a memory of all who knitted it.
I also give little scraps to my gerbils and hamsters who like to shred it up and burrow in it (this is for stuff really too small to do anything else, or yarn I decided I didn't like).
Kat in Illinois |
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iknitabit
New Pal
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 11:13:32 AM
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Me too...I make squares out of different stitches I want to try. Gives me a chance to try new stitches in small doses.
"If you are all wrapped up in yourself... you are overdressed!" |
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cmarks
Gabber Extraordinaire
487 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 11:31:26 AM
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A lady in our knitting guild takes her scraps, and brushes them apart, with two dog brushes, and then respins the fiber to make brand new yarn to knit with. How cool.
Peace be with you,
Carol (knitting for my sanity in Alabama)
'Normal' is a setting on the dishwasher. |
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fmarrs
Guardian angel
USA
9776 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 11:41:57 AM
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I have the largest rubbermaid bin made full of partial skeins and leftover skeins. I use it all the time to add to my projects. Last Christmas I made a sweater for one of my grandsons with a medium blue yoke, a navy stripe (both from the scraps bin) and then a darker blue body and sleeves. The problem may be that you don't have enough scraps yet to be inspired. I have even been known to buy leftovers on Ebay. There is also an organizations called "hats for the homeless" that collects knitted and crochetted hats and distributes them. Michaels collects knitted patches, I believe 7" by 9" for charitable work. That is a good thing to do if you want to practice stitches and patterns.
If you are concerned about keeping yarn for repairing knits, take a yard or two of the yarn and weave it into the seam on the inside of the garment. That way it is washed and cared for just like the garment and is more likely to match if you need it for a repair.
fran
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Becky
New Pal
USA
36 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 1:11:05 PM
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| I had a really productive Fall and Winter knitting socks and couldn't bring myself to throw away even the smallest scrap. Eventually I cut the leftovers into random lengths from one to thirty yards, tied them together and rolled them into a massive ball. So far I've knitted a long scarf, a pair of gloves, a pair of mittens, and two more pair of socks. And I still have some left. I guess I'll just keep adding to it as I go. The items are gorgeous and I can't wait to wear them next winter. Just imagine if I'd thrown the leftovers away! |
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wayanvwati3@earthlink.net
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Posted - 07/22/2004 : 2:25:18 PM
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I do various things with leftover yarn, bur right now most is placed with other leftovers until I finish other projects I have going. Once able to I'll use leftover yarn for pillows, sampler type afghans, or maybe some small items such a toys or scrunchies. And since my daughter is learning to crochet some of the yarn now will go to her. And when asked, I will give some to my neighbor's granddaughter or other children in the area for their crafting.
Betty
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chrisknits
New Pal
USA
45 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 2:58:45 PM
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| I ususally use it with other yarns to make baby hats or add as accents to felting projects. Any lenght is usable in some form! |
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Of the Hunt
Warming Up
India
88 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 6:48:06 PM
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A bag of left-over red. A bag of orange. A bag of (OK a half) bag of yellow. A bag of green. 2 bags of blues......... You get the drift. Hats, scarves, selvage stitches, experimental swatches, 1 square of an afghan, the cuffs of a crazy sweater. Leftovers are the DNA, the mitochondria, that move on to the next generation of projects. Sometimes YEARS later.
I've read every response in this thread and said "yes" , "yes" ," yes"! Thank goodness for leftovers.
Diana
Lost in Virginia |
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dragonmom
Seriously Hooked
USA
956 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 9:22:32 PM
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my favorite thing to make is scrap afghans, knit or (gasp) crochet. i've been know to go to the local thrift store and buy bags upon bags of small balls of yarn, some no more than 10 or 15 yards. i have several patterns that call for lengths as small as 30 inches, and those are fantastic! and of course, granny squares can be any color you want them to be! too cool! so left overs are wonderful to me! i'm collecting all the wool i've spun, and have as left overs, and am going to make some felted bag project, i guess. it's a very long distance away, lol, as i don't have much left over wool. the only left over i really had i sent to another poster for her sweater that she was going to wear to book signings. so i'm wayyyyyyyy behind, lol
MInnie
the world is knitted from one beautifully variegated skein. |
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irishmomof9
Chatty Knitter
USA
142 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 03:34:17 AM
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| It's been so refreshing to read all your comments, everyone, and to realize that this bunch of knitters - like women from all ages - is so into saving and renewal of resources. I especially love the fact that so many of us seek to donate the yarn or items made to charitable org's or the needy, ill, etc. We ought to give ourselves a big pat on the back as we continue the traditions of our forefathers (oops! foremothers). God bless! Keep up the good works! Helen Mc |
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maleajoy@hotmail.com
Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 07:17:15 AM
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Hey there,
I have been using scrap yarn to make ipod and cell phone cozies. My pink ipod is in a cozy made from sugar and cream self striping yarn left over from a dishcloth. I'm always on the lookout for tiny project that are such a relief in the middle of a big sweater or afghan.
I love everyone's suggestions, and second the weekend knitting idea of keeping little balls in a pretty bowl or basket in the living room-- good for enticing curious friends into learning how to knit, and insipiring to have pretty yarn as part of the decor. |
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mhyarn
New Pal
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 07:32:30 AM
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A customer of mine just wrote that she had used the Bloom Loom to make yarn flowers and decorated for a baby shower. Her entire theme was "flowers". From the baby afghan she made to the flower bouquets on the tables, "flower" bows for all the boxes , long stemmed flowers sticking up and out of all the gift bags, etc.
She and some friends also helped with a church fund raisers and they have made flower bouquets for table center pieces using colored pipe cleaners as stems, table runners, flower name badges for the volunteers to wear and decorated door prize boxes.
Barb from Michigan |
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SweaterGrrrl
Chatty Knitter
USA
334 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 07:50:14 AM
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I just took a class with Valentina Devine (a lovely lady and a wonderful teacher!) and she doesn't like the connotation of the word "leftover." She said that our yarn is a potential source of our art, and no one would ever say, "what am I going to do with my leftover oil paints?"
SweaterGrrrl
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Ett1234567@aol.com
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Posted - 07/24/2004 : 3:50:50 PM
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| I knit a lot of socks. My theoretical us of all the left-overs is --- someday-- I will design a special pair of socks that are all stripey with leftovers. Will it happen? Well, the yarns are all waiting in a really fine container and..... |
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Sparki
New Pal
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 4:40:49 PM
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You are terrific people. Much of my remaining yarn after a project goes to a quilting group which last year made over 300 quilts (tied with yarn) for various needy groups. Another friend makes hats for preemies.
A neighborhood Girl Scout group wanted to learn to knit, so single balls and partial ones helped there.
Every room in the house has something made from spare yarn, as do the cars, etc. This from someone who didn't start knitting until very late in life. (Inspired by a gal who was in an accident and knitted while flat on her back.)
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Pinky Yarn
Permanent Resident
USA
1045 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 4:49:38 PM
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I dont call them leftovers at all.. they're just part of my stash, usually I save them until inspiration strikes, I dont think id EVER take yarn back to the store if I just didnt use it. They become baby things or a stripe in a hat or something like that usually.
- Katie
"Say what you mean, and mean what you say"
The next generation of knitters :-)
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