• Creative reuse - Crochet - Hats and scarves - leftover yarn

    Bespoke winter gear

    July 30, 2026 - By 

    Too often, I have leftover small balls of yarn that I want to use without buying more of the same yarn if it doesn’t have a dye lot. Instead, I have been making an effort to create unique looks with stripes or gradient colors that coordinate and aren’t too garish. Taking marled or color striping yarn and combining it with a solid – oatmeal/aran, gray, or other neutral is one way of doing things, but taking similar yarns with subtle shade variations can create an appealing set and also use up yarn.

    The lack of stores that carry washable, budget-friendly yarns you can try in person has made me more creative about trying new ones. Several months ago, I got a few different yarns at a yarn swap during World Wide Knit in Public Day. I was happy to score a ball of yarn that I wanted to try, but didn’t want to pay $10 shipping for yarn that I might or might not like. Now that I’ve tried it, I found that an online shop that I purchase from frequently, which has free shipping with a threshold that I would meet from other purchases carries the yarn.

    There are still containers of larger remainders – half skeins and balls as well as a basket with assorted colors of tiny balls – in my stash that I can’t bring myself to toss. Though I haven’t been on a yarn buying hiatus, I have become more intentional about what I want to buy, try and give away. There is a lot of yarn that I don’t want to go to waste which I am making into eye-catching one of a kind sets!

    Drumroll, please… I have completed 72 sets this year. That’s right six dozen and my goal is 85 for 2026! I might need to change the goal or start on some other projects. Stay tuned…

    Happy crocheting!

  • Crochet

    Reuse or repurpose?

    April 22, 2026 - By 

    The mystery balls that I made were lurking about in my view again. Initially, I made them with the intention of making an afghan. After several false starts, I used one ball to make a couple of sets, then tried using another in a new stitch pattern. Nothing fancy, but the way the colors were stacking looked great. I tried a new stitch pattern for the scarf, and it’s looking great. The set is colorful but in a more subdued manner. While it may not look like or cost hundreds like a high-end designer’s items that use “scrap yarn,” I’m pleased with the outcome, how it will turn out, and mostly that it will keep someone warm.

    The afghan I started may get unraveled and be incorporated into something that I’ll donate this year, since I’m not donating afghans as much. After further examination, I might continue working on it. It’s an afghan – how long will that take – and use it as a gift. I hadn’t looked at it in a while and didn’t remember how much I had actually completed on the project. It may be a keeper. Still, using leftover yarn with a neutral, in this case, black yarn, is a fun way to use up what I have.

  • Crochet

    Lost at yarn chicken

    October 10, 2023 - By 

    A little of this and a little of that… that phrase can be associated with recipes, or crafting.

    In my case, I’ve been matching up different oddballs to branch out from using a color with a neutral but by putting two colors together or two neutrals together. To kick off fall, I just started playing with color, which was also several rounds of yarn chicken since I had a limited amount of yarn to work with for the projects.

    There are things I could have done to get an estimate of how much yarn I had, but weighing or measuring seemed too much like right. Instead, I tried to wing it. For three of four projects that worked exceptionally well. However in the fourth, when I thought I had enough to make a hat, I lost at yarn chicken. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any yarn of the same color, since the two yarns are ones I don’t generally buy, and they were 3 weight, and I usually work with 4 weight.

    Once I ran out of yarn, I looked in my stash to see if there was something complimentary that could be used to complete the hat. I found a little of a darker brown yarn than I used and some multicolored yarn that were the closest contenders. I opted for the multi colored yarn to add a subtle shift for the brim.

    Plan your project and purchase enough yarn. This is what I do when I plan a project ahead of time. Now with my burgeoning stash of leftover odds and ends, I take my chances and see what happens. Basically, I’m making it up as I go along. Using up leftovers keeps the craft fun, though this method can be a little nerve-wracking or anxiety filled for the more timid. For me, it’s exciting to see what will happen or if I need to adapt the pattern as I go. Another bonus is that this method of using an unknown amount of leftover yarn definitely generates one of a kind, unique items.

    Take a chance and play a little yarn chicken… it’s not for the timid. Just remember, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but you have to play to win.

    Happy crocheting!

  • Crochet

    International Crochet Day

    September 12, 2023 - By 

    It seems fitting that International Crochet Day and Mindfulness Day are on the same day – September 12, both are meant to offer relaxation. This is definitely a necessity for those who need to be quiet, and calm given that September 11 is still a difficult day for many in recent American history.

    I’ve been purging items from the craft room to make more room for other yarns – so it’s been a colorful summer – combining lots of oddballs with my favorite neutrals or even combining coordinating colors together. After playing ‘Yarn chicken” too many times, I discovered that I need to select the right stitch for a scarf because some use more yarn than others and wouldn’t make the scarf wide or long enough. Crochet is an evolving craft, and everything doesn’t always turn out well. I have had multiple starts on projects or just abandon something altogether because it’s not right. Giving up is a step that we sometimes overlook. Just because there is something that you want to try, it may not be the right yarn, pattern, or skill level at the time. Never give up, I was discussing a particular yarn the other day with a friend who is a knitter, and she likes it. I don’t – she likes it because it is slippery and glides easily off of her knitting needles, I dislike it for that reason. I’ve tried it and other manufacturer’s varieties and disliked all of the slippery yarns equally. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s not for me and crocheting is a relaxing pastime – slippery yarn makes crocheting a chore. The remaining yarn will go to the donation bin, instead of using the last bit in other projects. [One down, dozens to go!]

    A few hats were donated to a local project for refugees, including one child’s hat that I never found a specific group to give it to before now.

    Here’s a short compilation of completed projects. We are in the last days of summer, but the crocheting continued through the warm months.

    September 12 is also National Day of Encouragement in the US – so I’m encouraging you to find something you like to do, for your own well-being!

    Happy crocheting!

  • Crochet

    Gliding into 2023

    January 2, 2023 - By 

    Before we get too far into the New Year, I need to share my totals for 2022:

          • 115 hat and scarf sets
          • 12 red scarves
          • 36 hats

    plus… a few things made for family and friends.!

     

     

     

    My crochet goals for the 2022 were 25 hats, 100 hat and scarf sets, and 12 red scarves. It may seem like I’m bragging but I’m proud of myself for what I made in 2022.

    Maybe my 2023 crochet goals will remain the same?

    • 12 Red scarves
    • 100 sets
    • 25 hats

    There are a few other non-crocheting projects that I want to work on, so to give me some breathing room… And a chance to live, experiment and play, I’m keeping my goals the same.

    Unfinished: 

    I still didn’t finish the scrapghan that I made the yarn balls for, and I’ve been stashing leftover Puzzle yarn and Mandala Ombre to make a couple of fun throws or lap robes.

    For Christmas I got a lot of Puzzle yarn and I know I’ll have some leftover from sets so throws may be on the docket for this year.

    All I know for sure is that I crochet practically every day, some more days than others and I find it enjoyable. That’s the sentiment I want to carry throughout this new year!

    Happy crocheting!

    Happy 2023!

  • Creative reuse - Crochet - leftover yarn

    How do you use your leftover yarn?

    May 19, 2022 - By 

    For me, one way of using up leftover yarn is to make oddball hats.

    There is never the right amount of yarn for a project. When you buy something just as when you guy a carton of eggs and only need 3 for a recipe, you will have some left over. Depending on the style of the hats and scarf I make, there may be yarn left over. Knowing this, I purposely set aside the yarn that I have just to make some hats to donate to an organization. Some hats can be made with less than 150 yards of yarn while others are quite thirsty and require 200 yards or more. A good rule of thumb is to have about 200 yards of yarn to make a hat. A crochet swirl hat or a half double beanie (or toque) won’t take as much as a hat with front/back post ribbing or cables.

    As I complete some sets, I put the remaining yarn into a bag. Since I’m beyond the halfway point of 100 sets and it’s May, I’m taking a few days to just make hats. Even after making a couple of hats, I have some yarn left and will combine those with gray or brown and use the them to make hats with accents. If you haven’t figured this out yet, I don’t like to waste yarn. When it gets to a very small amount <5 yards, I add it to a mystery ball.

    Making hats with a limited about of yarn is fun because there are constraints… almost like yarn chicken in every hat. Ok, not really. I save the bands for yarn and some will give a yardage. If I have unused full balls, or I can rewind the partially used ones to give me a better estimate of how much I have. I could weigh the yarn to get an idea of how much I have. That’s more accurate, but not as much fun. Instead, I reach into one of the bags and see how much I have, then go through the hat patterns that I have committed to memory and begin.

    I’m impressed with the end results – warm hats.

    There’s still a bit of yarn left in the bag and hopefully I’ll make a dent in the bag once I make 10 hats or so. Then I’ll go back to making sets and continue to add to the bag. It’s an ongoing cycle. Unless I put the remainder back into my working stash because I bought a large quantity on sale and will use it later. There’s always a plan, even if I don’t know what it is when I begin. That’s the creative part.

    Happy crocheting!

  • Hat and scarf goals - trial and error

    Color choices

    March 12, 2022 - By 

    The current batch of sets features two poor choices. I purchased both yarns online from different companies. I’ve used both yarns before and thought the colors would be ok for sets. Generally, I try to use darker colors or grays so the recipients won’t have to worry about the items getting dirty since they may not have access to laundry facilities.

    The first set, the yarn seemed a darker and the more prominent grey and I thought that it would be suitable. The hat was ok but lighter than I anticipated, thought manageable. However when it came time for the scarf, the pattern I chose highlighted more of the white. Love the yarn, Premier Puzzle but won’t buy the color again. [Colorway – Jacks.]

    Another set… The yarn was pink and blues. Again, the pink gradient seemed darker online and I made a mistake. I wanted to try all of the colors in Lion Brand’s Mandala Ombre. The light pink is very light and almost white in some places. Again, I like the yarn but I will steer away from that colorway – Pure.

     

    These two experiences makes me think of a song on a kid’s show I watched growing up – “oops I made a mistake that’s all and making mistakes is never fun… It’s part of growing up.” I’ll chalk these up to learning experiences. Though the scarf that I made in Puzzle is a pattern that I will use again because I’m a big fan of Puzzle and have quite a bit in my working stash. It’s great – machine wash and dry and soft. These learning experiences weren’t bad and even though the colors are lighter than I anticipated, someone may still use them to keep warm.

    Keep moving forward!

    Happy crocheting!

  • Crochet - Donations - hats

    Try something different

    November 30, 2021 - By 

    Why not try something different? I’ve met and exceeded the hat and scarf set goal, made some other items so why not try mittens? A local yarn shop is sponsoring a mitten drive. After watching a few YouTube videos, I got the basics committed to memory and started. The first mitt fit my hand and I immediately started on the second so I wouldn’t have an unfinished pair. I’m already thinking of what changes I want to make for the next pair. Though the mitts fit, I think I’d use a larger hook and make the mitts a little wider, at least for myself.

    A hat pattern that I have memorized this year is The Divine Hat. There are several videos online but Fiber Spider’s version is easy to follow. I’ve made the hat at least 10 times since finding this video in September. Once I memorized the pattern, I have been able to make the adjustments that I need for different yarns and hooks based on my gauge. Once I finish making my holiday gifts, I will make myself a hat in that pattern with a coordinating scarf in some Noro that I purchased because I like the design that much.

    Tests and trials, but no tears – maybe a bit of ripping out stitches but so far 2021 has been a fun and productive crocheting year and there’s still a month to go!

    Happy crocheting!

  • Art of crochet - Crochet - Hat and scarf goals - red scarves

    Summertime possibilities

    July 29, 2021 - By 

    Summertime and the thoughts turn to crochet? Maybe not for everyone, though for me, crocheting is a year round pursuit. This month, I’ve been finishing my red scarf goal and I’m on my twelfth scarf and the goal was 10. Before the end of the year, I hope to complete 5 infinity scarves and a few hats for a couple of groups and 28 more sets.

    Crocheting never gets boring because there is always something to do and watching YouTube videos or looking at patterns makes me thing of different things that I would like to create. There’s always another project to start or new ideas that come to fruition. More complex projects require more concentration and there are times when I just want to mindlessly crochet. Working on a variety of projects has make me seriously consider the yarns that I have in my working stash. Instead of shuffling a bag of cast off yarn from one spot to another, I decided to just put a bit in the donation bag. For the first time in a while, I can say over 90% of the yarn that I have is yarn that I will use…eventually.

    Purging yarn that I don’t like brought others to light. For the red scarves I had enough around the house to make 10 and then I started planning for future projects by putting coordinating colors together. There were a couple of hanks of a yarn that were the same color but not the same dyelot, so I used that as an opportunity to practice my color work. The yarns aren’t close enough in color to continue the work without a noticeable difference but by crocheting two rows of one color and two of another they blend together nicely. I had an oddball of a yarn from a previous project and decided to use it with a coordinating color as an accent.

    While scrolling through Facebook, I saw that the Hat Not Hate deadline had been extended to September 13. I just happened to have a two tone blue yarn and started working on a hat by testing a pattern that I recently saw online. With a little manipulation, the motif that is for an afghan began to take shape on a hat.

    For me, crocheting is like being at a picnic or a buffet, there’s a lot to choose from and enough to go around to make it interesting. I don’t get full and try new things to practice new skills but also go back to the tried and true for a bit of fun.

    Happy crocheting!