What to Do With Leftover Yarn - Darn Good Yarn

What to Do With Leftover Yarn

Do you have leftover night at your house?  That night where every container comes out of the fridge and half of them are science projects! At my house, leftover night is rarely responded to with cheers of joy. Actually, when I announce leftovers for dinner I quite often hear protests that we need to go out for pizza!

Is that how you react to leftover yarn? Are you caught between just chucking that hunk of wool or leaving it in the back of the closet, to be forgotten just like that very green food in the back of the fridge? Rejoice that you have these little snippets of fiber and put them to use! There are things to be made with this odd lot of leftover yarn and here are a few suggestions.

Let's Bag It

yarn bag with car keys and keypad inside

This clutch is sweet and the pattern uses some of our chiffon ribbon if you have that kicking around. If not, think about what bulky yarn would work well with a size N to P crochet hook. This free pattern works up easily is perfect for using up a little of your leftover yarn. 

bag over a stone

Sari silk is one of our most popular yarns and the downloadable pattern for this knit purse is so cool! Add or make a strap, add a decorative button or conversation piece,  and away you go. You know you have odds and ends of sari silk somewhere in the back of that closet; mix and match that yarn for a nifty little satchel. Don't feel you have to buy anything because you can make your strap out of a belt around the house and we all have random buttons!

yarn bag over a chair

And who doesn't love a draw string bag, made out of recycled silk no less?  This bag screams unique so add some of our felt balls or whatever doo-dad your creativity leads you to. Just know with this practical use for leftover yarn that you have cool in the bag! We have some other great purse patterns for some super cool little purses and some larger things, too!

Oog-Ums

This easy crochet and braid pattern is a sweet way to make a bracelet with just a few strands of leftover yarn. If you're like me, I hate to throw out small scraps of yarn but honestly, I rarely ever go back to them. I call them "oog-ums" and I save my "oog-ums"! That was until my granddaughter decided she love to make bracelets. Instant tiny stash buster! Random hemp pieces works well for bracelets, too.

Got Hemp?

hemp yarn over a shirt

Speaking of hemp, where is yours? We all buy hemp with great intentions and make one project and relegate our leftover hemp to the back of the closet. That closet is feeling full and this idea for a hemp belt is so in style. It can also be made with other fibers if you don't find hemp in your stash. Or you could always pick some hemp up from Darn Good Yarn!

scrubbies made out of hemp yarn

Busting that hemp stash may be easier than you think!  A hemp scrubby pattern is the perfect project for using up this fiber. The scrubby can also make a great gift idea. Crocheted scrubbies paired with a natural soap, sounds like a great house warming gift to me! Here you are coming up with a wonderful homemade gift and using up some more of that leftover fiber. Perfect!

There are a gazillion ideas out there on how to use up your odds and ends of yarn.  I really love this collection of ideas from Buzzfeed.com and who would have thought of making cards with leftover yarn? And, diyncrafts.com has some great yarn leftover projects, too. For you or for gifting, using up that stash is quite possible with so many options!

small pink yarn rug with slippers

I just couldn't resist just one more leftover idea. Our reclaimed cotton makes an awesome little welcome rug. While this photo is in ruby tones, you could bust your stash and use a variety of colors. While this project is a bit bigger in size than some of the other suggestions, you could really make a beautiful rug and bust some of your cotton stash, too. I love to roll out the welcome mat for friends and family; when it's a homemade rug it shares the love and warmth that went into every stitch!

Cleaning Out The Leftovers Can Be Fun

Make a square! Make several squares! See where it takes you. You may have a yarn bomb or you may have an afghan. It might be a scarf  or a coaster. Its time to dig deep in the back of the closet and use up that leftover yarn. And the best part of all? If you use up some of your stash, you will certainly need to get more yarn! Don't you just love leftovers?