All knitters and crocheters acquire yarn. Before reaching SABLE stage (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy), it's a good idea to work through some of the rogue skeins.
All knitters and crocheters have a stash of yarn – the only difference between them is one of scale.
Some have cupboards bursting because they buy yarn when the price is reduced and it’s too much of a bargain to resist. Others simply have their leftovers; the odd balls and half-balls that weren’t quite needed to complete a project.
However you came by your stash, and whatever its size, every now and again it’s useful to work on one or two projects to use it up and prevent it from taking over your home.
Small projects
These are perfect for quick completion, and can help you show your generous side.
Hats/gloves/scarves – Start knitting early for Christmas, and your gifts can cost you nothing except your time. These are great for using up one or two skeins of yarn.
Baby clothes – Again, these are good for using up small amounts of yarn, and don’t have to be in pastel colours; babies (and their parents) love brights too. Natural fibres are best for baby clothes.
Household items – Leftover cotton can be used for dishcloths. Textured yarns make great cushion covers, and pretty oddments can be used for very small items, such as napkin rings. The good old-fashioned tea cosy uses only a ball or two of yarn, but can make a very welcome gift.
Charity knits – if you run out of friends and family to give these small items to, then your local charity shop will always be glad of them, and your work can contribute to a good cause. Ideas for charity knitting can be found here.
Medium projects
Clothing - Combine elements of your stash to create interesting and original garments. Ensure that the yarns are all of the same type, thickness and weight (unless you’re using their difference as a design feature) and then make your favourite sweater. Blocks of colour work well, as do stripes. If you find that you are over-run with (for example) double knitting yarn in various shades of blue, then use the darkest at the bottom, and work your way up getting lighter as you go, to give your garment a “dip-dyed” effect.
Large projects
Throws, Afghans and Blankets – These are the best stash-eaters. You can try out new stitch patterns and techniques as you construct your squares (or other shapes). If you find that your blocks come to slightly different sizes, simply knit or crochet small “filler” panels to put into the gaps, creating an extra dimension to your design. Then just sew or crochet the blocks together and snuggle up under them on a cold winter’s evening, while you plan your next trip to the yarn store.
So, no matter how much yarn you have, there is always something that can be done with it. Either make a new item to a classic, well-loved pattern, or search for something new to make. Sites such as Knitting pattern central and Crochet pattern central are full of free patterns and ideas for eating into your yarn stash.
The copyright of the article Using Up Your Yarn Stash in Knitting & Crochet is owned by Lesley Arnold-Hopkins. Permission to republish Using Up Your Yarn Stash in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Giant square afghans use up left-overs & are very popular with children
-- & college dorm students; these resemble the Mexican yarn-wrapped
sticks called "Oyo de Dio."
Aug 26, 2008 7:47 AM
Lesley Arnold-Hopkins :
Thanks for your comment. I have already put an article onto Suite 101 about
Afghans - you're right, they are a great way to use up leftover yarn.
Aug 26, 2008 10:55 AM
Guest
:
Another idea...I work in a non-profit chemical addiction treatment facility
and have begun teaching our clients some basic crochet. They love having
something to do in the "down" time and due to their illness many
have really never completed much that they start. This gives them
something simple to work toward and has used ALL my left-overs. Please
consider donating your left-overs, any amount, any kind, any color would be
very appreciated! Thanks! rjmc83@fuse.net
Aug 26, 2008 6:02 PM
Guest
:
I have an ongoing afghan (crocheted), it is 200 stitches long, I change
colors every 2nd row (light/dark), doesn't matter what colour. I do about
40row strips at a time - when I have enough strips to make a
twin/double/queen size afghan, I crochet the strips together with a black
wool and trim the entire afghan in black as well. It never ceases to amaze
me how wonderful it looks (no matter what kind of wool or what colour you
use). The best thing is that by crocheting this in strips, it is completely
portable (until you are ready to put together). You can just do basic
stitches each row or try out a new stitch each time you change the wool,
anything goes! I do my knitting/crocheting in airports, at work (on my
lunch hour), at arenas before and after my sons' hockey games etc etc. or
in the car when someone else is driving. Never an idle moment. I've made
so many afghans I can't begin to count plus my stash never takes over my
stash. You can also do this in granny squares, or knitted squares etc.
whichever is your preference. I also do this with baby wools but I make the
strips shorter. Hope this helps someone use their stash.
Aug 26, 2008 7:48 PM
Guest
:
I know this post is about using up your yarn but I have a very good idea
for storing it too. Have you seen those space saver bags at Walmart and
other stores (the ones you use your vacuum on to take the air out of the
bag)? I found out that they reduced my "stash-space" by almost
1/2 and are nice and compact fore storing in a closet and because they are
see through you know what you have in each bag. Just thought I'd pass the
idea along.
Randi
Aug 26, 2008 8:03 PM
Guest
:
I plan on using some of my yarn stash making hats for homeless people, for men, women and kids.
Aug 26, 2008 8:07 PM
Guest
:
My biggest suggestion for using up all those left-overs, and believe me, I
am at the SABLE stage at my young 40 yrs old, is to STOP buying it and
start using it now!!! These are great ideas for different sized projects. I
have found several patterns for beautiful scrap afghans and scrap rugs.
These patterns are very colorful and usually combined with black yarn, so
you do have to buy black if that is not a color you have plenty of!!
Aug 26, 2008 11:10 PM
Guest
:
Hi those are great ideas but I don't just a stash I have loads of yarn and
I'm pretty happy with my yarn given to me by generous people. I've traveled
and some have been bought. I'm just a liitle unhappy that it has taken my
closet plus. But Sorry to say I'm addicted to my yarn. I love
crocheting and getting free pattern and have purchased some too. What
to do with loads of yarn when you can't let it go? should I seek help like
an AA. lol thanks
Aug 27, 2008 8:14 AM
Guest
:
Another great way to use your left over yarn is to make Granny Squares. I
like to keep a small basket next to my chair and when I finish a project
and have left overs I try to make my granny squares right then. That way
when I need a quick gift for someone I can put my squares together and I'm
set. Christine Cooper
Aug 27, 2008 8:19 AM
Guest
:
I started a crochet group at work. I invited beginners as well as
experienced crocheters. I bring in my left over yarn and we crochet
preemie baby caps for UCSF medical center in San Francisco. This not only
uses my left over yarn but it also feels good to teach my craft to others
and we all love donating what we make to the little babies. Christine
Cooper
Aug 27, 2008 10:01 AM
Guest
:
I have found an afghan pattern called "Scraps of Beauty". I've
used up my extra yarn to make this both in adult size and baby size. It's
two rows of each color, the first row is a dbl/trpl chain over the two
prior rows and the second row is just double crochet all the way across.
I'm using shades of white/cream alternating with whatever other colors I
have left. It looks really cool!!! The pattern is in Afghan Book 2/Leaflet
#102 by Leisure Arts. An easy way to use up old yarn!!
Nancy
Aug 27, 2008 10:14 AM
Guest
:
I just made a adult medium sweater with my stash with a pattern designed by
Tatyana Mirer,using my left over Lion Brand homespun and some Caron Black.
I am so proud of my sweater and the compliments that someone brought the
sweater.
Aug 27, 2008 10:40 AM
Guest
:
Another great idea is DONATE!! I have seen many websites with charity
patterns that do have a place to donate yarn for the knitters/crocheters
who want to help but can't afford yarn.
Aug 27, 2008 11:11 AM
Guest
:
I use my stash to chrochet lap robes for nursing homes. When I come to the
end of a hank of yarn ( NOT ENOUGH FOR MY PATERN) I pick up my lap robe I
am working on, add the left over yarn, till it is gone, The residents don't
care about the colors that are blended, they just want to be warm, then go
back to my pattern, I really don't have a stash, I use the yarn
immediately.
Aug 27, 2008 11:22 AM
Guest
:
At our child care center, we have just started a kindness project, offering
free items to cancer victims. Everyone will help in some way, including
students, faculty and families; I will be using my stash to make soft hats
plus an afghan to auction off for the project. Peace
Aug 27, 2008 2:28 PM
Guest
:
Thank you so much for this advice. I have so much stash it is taking over
my home. I have just started knitting some childrens purses and hope to
distribute them around to see if they will sell. I am now unable to go to
craft shows due to my disability so I will try this. If they do not sell,
I will send them to charity.
I have over 150 crochet squares,
different sizes, from afghans I have made. Your idea of fillers is great
for this and that is what I will be working on this winter.
Looking forward to more information and fantastic ideas.
Aug 27, 2008 4:06 PM
Guest
:
I use yarn to make sweaters, sometimes 2-3 colors are put together to make
a sweater. The pattern is available through "Guidepost"
magazine(or can use any pattern desired, either knitted or crocheted). I
then ship boxes of sweaters to Guidepost and they distributed them all over
the world where needed. Some even stay in the US. A friend and I started
by buying yarn, now friends and members of our church snatch up all the
yarn they can at garage sales, and they donate it to our project. So far
this friend and I have made about 170 sweaters in the past 3 years. I do
this while watching TV at night. Keeps hands busy while doing something
useful.
Aug 27, 2008 6:45 PM
Guest
:
over the years as my grandparents passed away and parents downsized i
inherited garbage bags full of yarn of numerous colors,types,thickneses,
and of course amounts of each. My solution was -RUGS. using 5 strands of
yarn(4ply sport weight) i would simply use a single crochet and knot a new
color on as one ball would end. since i normally would only change one
color at a time the change was very subtle and seemed blended. It always
reminds me of a Monet painting of the field of flowers. I sometimes would
even have 2 or 3 strands of the same color with only 2 accents. some i
kept to theme others were allowed to evolve. I even mixed heavy rug yarn
(counted as two strands--or 2 strans of bab y yarn to equal one sports
weight). My finale was a five foot square rug made of whatever was
left(some as amall as three feet). one caution these rugs are thick and
heavy I had to take the last out to the laundrymat to wash before I got My
large front loader. M of MO
Aug 28, 2008 10:27 AM
Guest
:
I collected yarn through the years and was shocked when I went to move out
of my house into a two bedroom apartment and discovered how much I actually
had and joked I could have opened my own yarn store. I separated it and
gave quite a bit to a cousin (she was helping me go through things for my
move and she is on SS and doesn't have money to buy much yarn) who loves to
crochet and then organized the rest into Rubbermaid tubs and marked the
ends of the tub (on duct tape) what colors were in each one. Even after
giving alot of it away, I still have tons of it here so I'm going to divide
my stash again and take some to the nursing home and let the women there
enjoy it. I'm also going to make lapghans and take them over there for
some of them to enjoy. Appreciate your list of ideas and appreciate
everyone sharing ideas with us.
Carol
Aug 28, 2008 11:16 AM
Guest
:
I am making two scrap afghans from the Big Book of Scrap Crochet Afghans.
One is sqaures with light/dark of the same color surrounded by black
(Grannys'Attic). This make me pull out ALL of my yarn and color sort it. So
each square is half light green/half med.-dark green, or pink and red, etc.
This is using up a ton of smaller bits of yarn. I am concurrently making
the Rainbow Rings afghan from the same book. It's interlocke rings, each of
which takes about three yards of yarn. I found stuff in the stash from
college in the 80s!
Aug 28, 2008 11:24 AM
Guest
:
sabrena: I had my own stash now I have my moms 2,Hubby says I will not
need yarn for years(little does he know)with 7 kids and 6 grandkids there
is always something to be made Blankets, socks, toys
Aug 29, 2008 5:58 AM
Guest
:
I like the idea of making rugs and allowing the colors to evolve throughout
the rug. I have tried something similar to this with smaller throw rugs
for next to beds. But I've not paid too much attention to the colors until
I was done... and that was a mistake! If I ever try it again, I think the
best thing would be to start with one color (different shades), as I change
colors, try to use up all of that color first before switching to different
colors.
One other thing... these rugs work up really fast!
Also, if you don't have any rug stabalizer to put on the back, they won't
move if they are over carpet (like by the front door or inside the bottom
of closets) or if they are put on top of a rug that does have stablizer to
hold it.
Aug 29, 2008 7:39 AM
Guest
:
Consider donating the extra yarn to www.Carewear.org or
www.CraftyAngels.com or www.projectlinus.com - we always need supplies and
work together to share the yarn
Aug 30, 2008 2:20 PM
Guest
:
Another place that I give some of my stash to is our women's shelter. So
often they come with only the clothes on their backs and they appreciate
either learning to knit or crochet just to have something to do. I also buy
extra hooks and needles in several sizes and donate these items, too.
Aug 30, 2008 3:28 PM
Guest
:
I like to crochet pads with my leftover yarn for pet shelters. It gives
the animals something comfortable to rest on when they're in cages awaiting
adoption. It's awesome cuz the animals couldn't care less what
colors/textures you use. Just do a search for the Snuggles Project, which
gives you patterns (including knitting & sewing) & recommendations
for sizes, as well as a directory for shelters which accept Snuggles. (You
could also contact your local shelters to see if they would accept this
type of thing.) You can also donate old rugs & towels if you have any
hanging around. The people who work at the shelters are always so excited
& appreciative.
Sep 2, 2008 12:49 PM
Guest
:
I have a large yarn stash made up mostly of discounted or clearance yarns
that I just couldn't pass up! I have purchased about 8 3-drawer clear
plastic bins and organized the yarn according to type. They are now in
what we call the yarn room, completely organized and lining one wall of my
room, but visible so I can plan my next project while I sit on my rocking
chair and watch TV. My computer is also in this room, with notebooks and
patterns and books on how to best use up the stash. My favorite projects
to make are double or triple strand baby sized blankets for local animal
shelters. The dogs lay on cold concrete all day, so these thick little
mats offer a little warmth and comfort to those pets that do not have a
place to call home. There is a great website called snugglesproject.org
that offers more information on this wonderful way to use up yarn. And the
animals don't care about different colors or slight mistakes! Great for
beginners and children to make. Easy to do while watching TV or waiting at
the doctor's office or even at work on my break. Best done in a simple
single crochet or a double crochet so there aren't small openings for
little paws to get caught!
Sep 4, 2008 7:05 PM
Guest
:
Guest - I have 4-14 gallon containers of "stash", I'm the one
buying those items on sale because they are just too good to pass up. Now
all I have to do is get working, working, working on my projects...and
postpone any more buying! I usually make baby afghans and hats and scarves
and donate them to my church knitting/crochet group for those folks who are
in need.
Sep 10, 2008 6:12 AM
Guest
:
I use left over thread to make bookmarks. Any mile-a-minute pattern with
any steel hook will make a pretty lace bookmark.
Sep 12, 2008 7:29 AM
Guest
:
Some very good people we should never forget..... A good charity I
don't see mentioned is to donate afhgans to wounded soldiers. A local
knitting group member "caught" me knitting and asked me to join.
I will get more info and let everyone know.
Sep 14, 2008 4:00 PM
Guest
:
Yarn Stash? Boy! Do I have one! My walk in closet is full of the large
plastic-lid totes! I made up a system of the 3-drawer cabinets by sitting
one on top of the other. There are 6 of them! Plus There are the under the
bed size on top of them. Then there is all the bags (large size) of yarn I
just haven't got to yet! Maybe I'll have time to get it all put away this
week,or next, or--well, you know what I mean. I did get to putting all of
the printed patterns put in the plastic sleeves and organized them,too,
this afternoon. One thing at a time!! Marsha Sheppard
Sep 18, 2008 11:18 AM
Guest
:
And don't forget local animal shelters need mini blankets for the babies
that come into be adopted!! I just do simple patterns, either a simple sc
ripple, or just a simple sc or dc, make them to be about 15" by
20", and I change colors only when one runs out. I put the left over
balls I have into a paper bag and draw the colors at random. They end up
almost looking like a tortoise shell cat in color. As long as they have the
same weight and washing instructions, no problem. I also make sure to wash
them with vinegar first, to set the colors and get out any chemicals left
from the dying, etc process. AS ALWAYS, INCLUDE WASHING INSTRUCTIONS BUT IT
IS BEST TO USE ACRYLIC, OR SOMETHING SIMILAR THAT IS EASILY WASHED. Happy
Hooking to all!
Sep 22, 2008 6:48 PM
Guest
:
When mom was alive between her and I we would joke about how much yarn we
had, that we could open our own shop. I have used much of it for afghans
for nursing homes, mittens, hats, scarves for the Christmas Sharing Tree,
CADA House and Santa Anonymous. I just keep plugging away at the stash.
Dec 22, 2008 8:12 AM
Guest
:
These are great ideas! Where my Grandma lives they have "Gladys
Knitting Group" and they love all of my extra abundance of yarn I
donate to them!
