Use Your Leftovers- Scrappy Projects (not afghans!) Crochet-along

[alwaysinmyroom]

I visited a favorite yarn store along with fellow crocheter and craftster member indigo_roses.  They had a basket that contained three different yarns to make a scarf...I picked one group that I would never have put together myself to see if i would like it...I DID!!

When I finished the scarf, I thought:  I could put together my own mixes!!

If you guys are like me, you have plenty of leftover yarns from projects you made for swaps, friends, co-workers, family, etc.  And, you probably have yarns that you bought that you have no idea what you were thinking...or a special skein that you can't think what to make with it...and, finally, you probably have tiny balls of a lot of unrelated yarns...



How about using up some of your "forgotten" yarn?   Destash that yarn that you have been storing...You can experiment with mixing things and be quite surprised how an ugly yarn can be made "beautiful"!

You can make a scarf, a hat, a shawl, a bag...anything except an afghan (there are plenty of craftalongs for those!)...

Here is the basic idea:

Find a yarn that reads "solid"
Add a textured yarn, like ribbon, mohair, etc.
Add another yarn that goes with the above

I am going to try to keep my projects to three to five yarns...I don't want it super scrappy...

You can make all even rows or you can just keep adding your yarns when they run out...I plan on doing it both ways...

Anyone want to join it?  Share mixes, stitches, projects?

Here is a start on what I have done so far:

The scarf is single crochet using a J hook.  It is about 100 inches long (definitely use a foundation stitch for this one!)...and I did uneven rows for each of the three yarns (Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light-my "solid", Knit One Crochet Too Doceur et Soie-baby mohair and silk, St, Charles Venus -rayon twist)...these are fun and easy even for beginners...and you can watch tv while doing them!

[alwaysinmyroom]

And, of course, now I am addicted!  I took some zip lock bags and put together four groupings...be flexible...sometime s the yarn does not look good made up!

Here is the second scrappy project I made...a hat and scarf! I used Vanna White bronze & charcoal, Lion Brand bronze"mohair" mix, and a ribbon yarn that I have had for years and years. The scarf is super long (108 inches!)...the hat is a basic slouchy hat with a row of puffs...just wing it!

[peachyinthe916]

This is great! I was just recently trying to use up some bits of yarn to make a slouchy hat.

I'm currently working on making crochet xmas gifts for family. I'll definitely post pics of any side projects like this that I come up with!

[jexxican]

I should stay on top of this thread. I have lots of remnants from my wheel of yarns I plied and had little bits left over. I was thinking about making a scrappy-plied yarn from it but we shall see.

[Alexus1325]

Niiiice! I adore your new hat!

[Kittymom13]

What an inspiring new stitch-along!  Your scarves and hat look great!   

I may have to dig out a few skieins, too! 

[alwaysinmyroom]

OK--winter is fast approaching!  Get out those hooks and make everyone you know a gift set made from scrappy yarns!

I made two more sets and will post pics later tonight!

I decided for every set I make from leftovers, I am going to splurge and get myself some yummy yarn!

Yep--bought 4 skeins this weekend...so much for destashing!

[mluke]

I love the first scrappy scarf! Did you crochet 100 stiches? And after a few rows switch yarns?

[alwaysinmyroom]

Thanks! I believe I did 400 single crochet, then changed up yarn after every few rows...all of the scarves are single crochet and about 10-14 rows wide...I am just making the length sort of based on how much yarn I have...the first scarf is 100 inches...the second one is about 108 inches...

[alwaysinmyroom]

This set is my favorite so far!  I used a ball of novelty yarn that I purchased on ebay on a whim...only 5 more balls to go--what was I thinking?  It was a pink/yellow/brown pompom sort of yarn...



This set is a standard favorite of mine as well--grey and turquoise!  There is some shiny novelty mohair...


I can't believe how my "ugly" yarns are disappearing! YAY!

[craftylittlemonkey]

These are all so gorgeous! Wow, I totally love the colour combos, so nice .

[Brackish Potato]

I love all your sets, always! I'm going to have to get in on this crochet-along! My friends know I crochet, but they don't understand how much yarn it takes to make a sweater or shawl, so they'll see some crazy yarn on clearance or at garage sales and buy one skein for me. I have a lot of odd little skeins lying around waiting for their perfect matches.

[alwaysinmyroom]

Yeah--I have friends that do that...a very nice gesture, but one tiny skein is not enough...and I just don't feel like making any more scrappy afghans!

I am going to try some that have uneven rows...sheep blue and a few others here have made some pretty great looking shawls and afghans just randomly adding yarn whenever they ran out...it can either be very colorful and cool or ugly......but I still want to try it!

[Franstuff]

Ok...I am going to be addicted...  I haven't made a hat in years, and I LOVE the pink black, white, etc..scrappy one you did.  Do you follow a pattern?  I have TONS of scrap yarn.  I used to make scrap afghans in DC quite a bit.  Kinda airy ones.  I would go in rows, and pick a color scheme, like greens or browns.  I did my son a wild one with black in between every row.  I have this very old wool scrap afghan that kinda got me on them.  It is very tight, perhaps tunsian, and I LOVE it.  I also love the standard black and wild colored granny afghans.  I have a vintage one of them also. 

But... one only needs so many afghans, so I like the idea of small projects.  I like to use cotton for my dishclothes, so that means I need something else for the rest.

[alwaysinmyroom]

why, thanks!

I just used a basic hat pattern, using double crochet on most rows, single on some...depending on the yarn...the yarns make the pattern...

On the blue and grey, I used the Divinity Hat---it has a spiral and is very easy and fast...

Right now, I am using my homespun yarn to make hats....my goal is to use up as many leftovers as I can!  I have about six "kits" made up and in plastic bags and will get to them this winter I am sure!

Please post your projects if you try this...it will be addicting!

All hats will be going to good homes and charities...I usually keep one or two for myself.

[kaz814]

What an awesome craftalong!  I have a ton of scrappy yarn that my grandmother gave me now that she doesn't knit or crochet and this is perfect to use it up!

[nisforneville]

My scrappy scarf!



colors used: black border on both sides, then blue, light pink, aqua, brown, gray, purple, white, navy, mauve & lavender

I used this scarf as inspiration: http://crochetincolor.blogspot.com/2011/12/scrapadelic-scarf.html

[alwaysinmyroom]

The braid fringe is wonderful--no hiding ends!  Such a colorful and fun way to use bits of yarn...nicely done, nisforneville!

It is amazing how colors that don't seem like they would go together, look great all mixed in!  I love how you used the hot pink...it seems to just pop, but not too much...the other colors just cool it down a bit!

[nisforneville]

Thanks! I plan to make a few more in this style to destash. I'm not really one to wear scarves, but I love this one so much, I might keep it for myself.

[Eamea]

What a great idea!  How are you compensating for the different sized yarns?  Do you change your hook to whatever size will give you a stitch that's the same size as the row below?  I would think you'd want to avoid something like putting two stitches of skinny yarn into one stitch of bulky so there aren't any accidental increases or decreases, but I'm not 100% sure how to do it.

[alwaysinmyroom]

Thanks! 

If the yarn was too thin, I combined it with another or doubled it...I did not change hooks, but I did change the tightness of my stitches depending on the yarn...I tend to crochet and knit by "feel"?  I have done a few where the rows were getting "wavy"...I compensated by doing single or double crochet as needed to even it out...there are probably a few increases and decreases in there...

Seriously, for the most part, since these were done lengthwise, there were so few rows (6-8)...I don't think an extra or shortages could be noticed unless you inspected the scarf carefully...a few wraps around the neck, a great attitude, and walking fast keeps a lot of mistakes from being seen!

[calluna]

I finally learned how to crochet, which has long been The Impossible for me.  What I lack in experience and skillfulness, I made up for in flashiness with this yoga mat tote:


Small yardage of my handspun yarn I really wasn't fond of, found a suitable home in this project, along with a bunch of leftovers...


The removable strap roughly followed this pattern, but the bag was improvised.

[jexxican]

Yay calluna's crocheting! That looks great. For not being fond of those handspuns it sure turned out great. Good job.

[alwaysinmyroom]

I think it looks great!  The mix of yarns add that bit of funkiness to your yoga mat tote!

I have so many little bits of handspun that I just do not want to throw out, so I am always looking for projects that leftovers can be used up!

Yay, calluna--for learning to crochet!

[craftylittlemonkey]

I love it. I have this tiny little collection of yarn that I haven't been able to let go of that is not enough to do much with. I could use a yoga mat bag though, and I'd love to see that yarn regularly. This might be just the thing, thanks for sharing!

[raennn]

These are all so great looking! especially that yoga mat bag. I need to look around my stash..