Another Way to Use Up All Your Sock Yarn Scraps

I feel like I’ve been writing a lot lately about projects that are made to use up all your scraps, or that could be adapted to use scraps, because they call for mini skeins and the like.

I have been saying this for years, but I really am trying to use as much of my stash as I can, for economic purposes as much as I just like the idea of using what I have. I like the creative challenge of making a project work with the yarn I already have on hand.

If you happen to have a lot of odd balls in the sock/fingering weight category that at least somewhat coordinate in colors, the All Used Up Shawl might be just the project you need to clear out your stash.

This pattern, designed by Julia-Maria Hegenbart, uses two strands of yarn held together to make a DK weight. Change colors whenever you need to in order to use up all your yarn bits.

The body of the shawl is worked in garter stitch with a deep edging that uses slipped stitches for dramatic effect. It’s an asymmetrical triangle and you can make it any size you like to use whatever scraps you need.

In addition to the shawl itself, you can get a pattern for a coordinating shawl cuff free with the purchase of the shawl pattern, which is available on Ravelry.

This pattern looks so squishy and easy and like it would use a lot of yarn.

This is one where you should definitely look through the finished projects on Ravelry as you are deciding how you want to approach this one. I love the tonal quality of the original, but there are others that use more solid stripes, color blocking, a couple of colors throughout or a wild mix that truly looks like using up oddballs. And they all look great! What kind of magic is that?

[Photo: Julia-Maria Hegenbart]

Scarf Knitting Patterns Made with Sock Yarn

Bag Knitting Patterns Made with Sock Yarn

Hat Knitting Patterns Using Sock Yarn

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use.

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make.

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!).

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn.

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart.

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern.

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.

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