Are you having trouble finding a use for your extra yarn? It’s a familiar sight: bundles of wool wrapped in tightly wound balls; scraps of yarn stuffed into corners, bags, and drawers; whole wardrobes and cupboard doors refusing to close...

Here are some great ideas for clearing away your yarn stash (to make way for more!):

A lot of what you can do with your extra yarn will be based on how much of it is left. Whether you’ve got multiple balls of the same yarn, half-balls, or just small scraps left, it can all be used to make something special. The following ideas are marked by how much yarn is usually required for each one.

Charity Knitting Donations (Yarn Usually Required: 100g; 100g+)

There are plenty of charities and local hospitals that accept donations of knitted/crocheted items. Many of our knitting club members make warm winter hats which are regularly distributed amongst people who are homeless. We also make blankets for our local hospice and Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

Other ideas include making snuggle blankets and other items for animal shelters, to comfort homeless cats and dogs. Make sure to check with the charity you have in mind for information regarding blanket sizes, free patterns, etc.

If you’d like to drop off any knitted donations for charity, just let me know on 07722 388124 with a call or text message, and I can hand them in on your behalf.

Small Ornaments (2-3g; 25-50g)

These can be a cute addition to the family home – there are plenty of free patterns online that only need a small amount of yarn. Great for special occasions including Easter, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and much more.

DIY Stitch Markers (2-3g)

If you’ve got extra scraps of yarn lying around, these can be great to use as colourful stitch markers when you’re working on other projects (jumpers, hats, anything with an increase or decrease required). Make sure to use a colour of yarn that contrasts with the one for your main project – to make it easy to keep track of your rows and stitches!

Children’s Toys (25-50g)

Making small toys, puppets or animals can be a great way to pass on a valuable skill by teaching your children and grandchildren how to knit or crochet.

Here’s a link to one of our tutorials on how to make a teddy bear hand puppet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2anH-vsfHfc

Blankets (100g; 100g+)

If you’ve got several balls of yarn in one colour, you can start work on a lovely knitted or crocheted blanket as a gift for yourself, a family member or a friend!

Blanket Squares (25-50g)

Alternatively, you could add smaller squares together of different colours to make a much larger blanket! This is a great idea if you don’t have much yarn left of each colour. These squares can be as big as 10” across, or as small as a few centimetres in width.

Practice Squares for New Techniques, Stitches, and Other Skills (2-3g; 25-50g)

Whether you’re trying out a new stitch or skill, or attempting a new lace pattern for the first time, practice squares can be really helpful to iron out any potential mistakes before you start to work on a larger project.

If you’d like to find more information about knitting, or if you’d like to suggest a new topic, follow Jayne’s Wool and Buttons on our social media via the links below! To get in touch with us directly, please visit our contact page.