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Trina
Permanent Resident
USA
1871 Posts |
 Posted - 11/12/2003 : 11:42:06 AM
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I could use some ideas. I am home today,because I woke up with a migraine! While doing chores (as my prescription kicks in), I decided to clean up my stash a bit. I discovered to my horror all these small, leftover balls of wool, acrylic, cotton, chenille, etc. Well, what do you do with them? I thought I could crochet some squares with them, but seeing how I'm a bit slow today (due to my medicine!) that's all I could come up with. Any ideas? Does anyone else have all these little balls sitting in their stash too? HELP!
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
-Langston Hughes |
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crafty1mjw@comcast.net
Seriously Hooked
USA
855 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 11:54:43 AM
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Hi, Trina! I sure do! How about pot holders or thermal pads to put on
the table for hot pots?
craftymjw
Keep on knittin'!
The more, the merrier! |
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jade
Permanent Resident
USA
1543 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 12:55:54 PM
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I used up some stash yarns making scarves. If you have some yarns which will knit up to about the same gauge (strand the finer yarns double or triple), you can make single or double rows of scarves or wraps knitted lengthwise. By that I mean you cast on the length of the scarf and knit the number of rows for the width.
To use small balls you can knit a single row, then attach a second ball and continue. Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls has a design for a ruana based on this idea. This ia pretty mindless and fast knitting and you might be surprised at the results.
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SerMom
Permanent Resident
Canada
6412 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 12:58:13 PM
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All those odd balls that got taken to the retreat?? I decided to play, and started a simple garter stitch scarf. I double stranded the yarn, and I'm changing 1 (one) strand every 3 or so rows, cutting the yarn and leaving a fringe on the edge. It's looking too cool for words - the colours, textures and fibres all work together amazingly!!!
A bit of eyelash every few changes is nice. I'm using bernat cha cha . . . chi chi . . . something.
It's basically brainless, but still fun, 'cuz you have to choose how to arrange your yarns.
Barbara
"I know we've got one SOMEWHERE" |
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Elizabeth
Permanent Resident
USA
1557 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 1:12:58 PM
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I am making finger puppets for my nephews for Christmas - they are fast (1-2 hours for me)and use up small amounts of yarn. I am even saving very tiny strands of yarn (like what I cut off after sewing up a project) and I use these to stuff the heads and arms of the puppets. (Whenever I find a lone strand of yarn I just stuff it into a jar I keep for scraps). I am using the patterns in Weekend Knitting. Yesteray, I made the burro. :)
Elizabeth
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Trina
Permanent Resident
USA
1871 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 1:15:49 PM
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Thanks! These are cool ideas!
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
-Langston Hughes |
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vicky by the bay
Permanent Resident
USA
4768 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 2:01:15 PM
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I have a pattern for a pullover coming anyday that calls for leftovers only! I thought it would be useful someday when I have more leftovers.
Vicky (Queen O'Yarn archivist-QYA) |
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fillyjonk
Permanent Resident
1127 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 2:10:47 PM
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I know! We could all give them to people like Vicky, who have patterns for things made out of scrap yarn.
then the rest of us have room to buy new yarn, to put in the place where all the scrap balls were.
muhahahahaha.
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vicky by the bay
Permanent Resident
USA
4768 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 2:35:36 PM
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NOT!!!! I will have enough of my own soon!!!!
Vicky (Queen O'Yarn archivist-QYA) |
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fmarrs
Guardian angel
USA
9776 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 3:47:44 PM
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I LOVE scraps of yarn. I've even been known to buy acrylic lots of misc. yarns on ebay.............LOL One of my favorite large projects is afgans. I make them in strips by casting on some stitches (I'm not particular about how many usually 5 to 12 inches wide) and start knitting with the scraps. Pure mindless kitting, usually in garter stitch. I deliberately try to make the color areas in different sizes so there is no problem when sewing the strips together. Sometimes I try to space a single color throughout the afgan but usually I don't. I find that most of my color selections look well together and in my case are usually autumn colors. After I have a few of these strips I place them side by side and then sew the strips together. They remind me of some artists work but I can't remember who. I want to say Mondrian but then he did a lot of color blocking and used a lot of black areas and I don't use black the same way.
fran
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Trina
Permanent Resident
USA
1871 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 4:23:39 PM
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Fran, that's a great idea! The only tough part is the sewing!
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
-Langston Hughes |
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carols
Permanent Resident
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 4:25:41 PM
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How about (brace yourself) catnip mice? I've made them for friends and they've been very well-received. There's even a knitting blogger who is having a mouse-a-thon, and all the mice she collects are going to be auctioned off to benefit an animal welfare organization.
Carol
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of troy
Permanent Resident
USA
2474 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 4:40:28 PM
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depending on the size of the 'scrap', there are lots of things to do..
use some as 'samplers'-- cast on 4 to 6 inches, and make foundation of garter, and then 'swatch' patterns (of lace, of stitches, of fair isle, of intarsia... change patterns after 3 to 6 inches, (and or when you run out of yarn..) (pin on scraps of paper with pattern name)
knit for 50 or so inches..
eventually you can sew the strips together.. --but if you 'plan' it, you can have a 'knitting sampler' made with 'pretty, or match yarns--hang the strip-- (line it maybe) or just let it stretch-- it a decorative 'fill in' for a narrow hall, or 'structular pillar', or narrow space between 2 doorways.. and you'll have learned a thing or two..
if the stitch , or fair isle or what every is flawed. don't 'frog' just unknit and ditch! start with a different yarn, and different pattern..
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klfrazier
Permanent Resident
1745 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 4:40:44 PM
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The owner of one of our two LYS's started knitting up easy garter scarves with her scraps. She had a college student walk into the store and pull out a checkbook to pay $55 for the thing.
Kristin
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Trina
Permanent Resident
USA
1871 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 9:08:38 PM
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Great ideas! Helen, I like that idea & will have to give it a try.
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
-Langston Hughes |
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knitnerd
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
423 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2003 : 10:23:20 PM
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Mosaic knitting is a great way to use up scraps. In some patterns you only do four rows with each color.
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kdcrowley
Permanent Resident
USA
4773 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2003 : 12:43:08 PM
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quote:
All those odd balls that got taken to the retreat?? I decided to play, and started a simple garter stitch scarf. I double stranded the yarn, and I'm changing 1 (one) strand every 3 or so rows, cutting the yarn and leaving a fringe on the edge. It's looking too cool for words - the colours, textures and fibres all work together amazingly!!!
Yes I am working on a shawl like this right now, but with larger balls of handspun, or single skeins of stuff I had to have for whatever reason...There is Romney, mohair, metallic, fun Fur, some flag stuff, and others that I just want to use up.
My rule is this is stash reduction, and I can't buy yarn for this....I have to use what I have.
BTW this shawl is absolutely smashing and WILL make me feel like a million. I know, cause the other one does...and the colors are not quite as interesting as in this one.
Kelley
Everywhere you go, there you are! Imagine that.... |
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Danae
Chatty Knitter
Australia
124 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2003 : 6:36:59 PM
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Preemie hats!
I am currently in the process of knitting up all my leftovers and single balls into tiny baby hats. They take only a couple of hours, I knit in the round, so no seaming (yay!), use up all those little bits of yarn, and I get a little happy feeling from knowing that I'm helping someone somewhere feel better. I found some great freebie patterns on the 'net, and I'm not having any problems with unfinished projects from these!
I currently have around 6, when I get a few more done, I'm sending them to the Children's Hospital here in Sydney.
Donna
UFO Queen 
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naldredge@juno.com
Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2003 : 9:38:19 PM
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If you have at partial to whole skeins of similar weight, what about doing a sweater in pieces. The back could have a solid bottom with some thin stripes about 1/3 of the way up and finish the rest of the back in another color. The front could be in an irregular striped pattern broken up with larger bands. The sleeves could be solid. I have seen similar sweaters in stores for upwards of $100 and more!
If that does not interest you what about getting out your trusty book of knitting patterns and doing squares. They could be in just a 1, 2, 3 or every square different...When you're done, donate it to a local charity or maybe even raffle it off!! |
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Crfkt
Warming Up
70 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2003 : 06:00:44 AM
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I've made sweaters from all left overs. Use a simple garter stitch pattern and change colors at will, leaving strings when you attach the new color. Its a great effect, and sometimes I even add strings or add bead to the ends of the fringe. I try to work in a color family so its not too chaotic looking. I have a list of people who want one in their favorite color.
Kathy |
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2003 : 06:45:12 AM
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Is it standard for US knitters to measure yarn by distance? I'm in Toronto, and all the shops here sell by grams(weight).
Monika
"There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness." Gandhi |
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