Here’s a post that’s packed with fun ways you can repurpose your yarn scraps, and reduce waste!

7 ways to use up your yarn scraps

Garlands

Garlands are a great way to add some color to a room, or to decorate for a special occasion. Why not try knitting some simple, triangle shapes for a woollen take on traditional bunting? Or you can download this fun, FREE Crochet Cupcake pattern to make a sweet treat-inspired garland - get creative and mix yarn colors to make all kinds of flavors!

Click to download the pattern 

Bows

A quick and easy item to knit, with so many uses; which makes them ideal for using up yarn scraps. You can download this FREE Bow Pom pattern that uses Stitch & Story’s Chunky Wool, or use any yarn and needle combination to make larger or smaller sizes. You could use the bow to decorate a hat, jumper or cushion cover. Maybe attach it to a dog’s collar, or make a garland. Get creative! Here are a few more ideas for what you could do with your bows:

Pom Poms

Who doesn’t love a pom pom? They’re one of the quickest ways to use up yarn scraps, and are incredibly versatile. You can mix colors, yarn thickness, and fiber type, to create varied and totally unique pom poms. Karina at @missbananacrafts used yarn scraps to make variegated pom poms for her Stitch & Story Sprinkles Hats. Pom poms look great attached to bags or baskets, added to cushion covers, hung as decorations, or even used for gift wrapping.  
You can make your own pom poms using circles of cardboard, take a look here for our easy tutorial, or you can use pom pom makers: 

Tassels

Like pom poms, tassels aren’t going out of style any time soon. They’re a great way to add a little something extra to your knit or crochet items, while using up scraps of yarn. At Stitch & Story we love a tassel: Check out our Skye Tassel Throw crochet kit, and Maggie Tassel Cushion Cover PDF knitting pattern! In addition to adorning throws and cushion covers, tassels look great on scarves, baskets, or combined with pom poms to make decorations. Why not try mixing different yarn fibers and thicknesses for added texture?

Wet Felting

Wet felting is a technique particularly suited for any woolly yarn scraps you have laying around. With just some water, dish soap, and a bit of friction, you can turn your scraps into flat shapes and create unique coasters, or perhaps some hanging decorations! This is also a fun thing to do with kids, that doesn’t get too messy!

How to make felt shapes

You will need:

• Cookie cutters in different shapes
• Dish soap
• Some cold water 
• Scraps of wool yarns (approx. 1 inch or 2.5cm long)

Step 1

Start by teasing your strands of wool apart. Place a cookie cutter on a plate and fill with your teased wool scraps.

Step 2

Add a little water to dampen the wool, then add another layer and gently push it down. Add a drop or two of dish soap - you don’t need much! - and, with your fingers, start poking the soap and water into the wool creating friction. Keep pushing and poking until the soap is spread evenly, and the wool starts to mat and felt. The more friction you create, the more the wool will felt together.

Step 3

Once you are happy the wool has felted enough, carefully remove it from the cutter and gently rinse out the soap, squeezing out the excess water.You can then reshape the wool in your cookie cutter if you need to. Lay it out to dry, and there you have it!

Wall Hanging

Let your imagination run loose! All you need is a stick or wooden rod to hang the yarn from, either by knotting, or looping and weaving the yarn. Experimenting with different yarn weights and textures, braiding, and wrapping can result in a really unique piece of wall art. You could even add other leftover craft supplies, such as beads, to give it some extra zing!

Swatches

Perhaps the least exciting, but most practical way to use up yarn scraps is to make swatches with them. Yarn scraps are perfect for trying out a new knitting or crochet technique, or experimenting with different hook or needle sizes before starting a new project. Swatches give you a chance to test your gauge (how tightly or loosely you knit or crochet) before you start a project.

Show us what you make with your yarn scraps! Share your photos with our community of crafters on Instagram and Facebook.