Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Are You Ready for Some Stash Busting?

by

stash busting As I’ve been reading the comments on this week’s giveaway about crafty resolutions, I noticed that a lot of people want to finish more projects and work from their stash. I can’t help you much with the finishing (I’m the worst when it comes to UFOs), but it occurs to me that I can help with motivating you and inspiring you to use more of your stash.

So, starting today and on through the rest of the month, I’m going to be focusing a lot on how to organize your odd balls and skeins, sharing projects you can make with a little or a lot of your stash, and helping you store yarn and keep your stash more under control in the future. I hope.

Through this process I hope you’ll share with me how it’s going, what you’re working on or how you intend to use your stash in the future. This should be a lot of fun!

To get started, go to the dark places in your house where you keep your stash and get as much of it in one place as you can. This may be the hardest part, just seeing it all together and trying to figure out how to sort it and what to do with it. Don’t worry, I’ll be with you every step of the way.

Who’s with me? I’ll bet most of our stashes could use a spring (even though it’s still winter or summer) cleaning.

Stash Busting? Try Knitting a Zero-Waste Shawl

Stash Busting with Knitted Toys

Getting Started Stash Busting: Whats in There?

Wrapping up Stash-Busting Month

 

 

Comments

  1. One of my favorite ways to stash-bust is to join a KAL (knit-along; or CAL/crochet-a-long) and resolve to only use yarn that is already in my stash. I’ve also used up a few leftover skeins by making hats which I plan to donate to charity.

  3. I’m ready! My stuff is hiding in different places around the house…. this way my other half doesn’t know how much i have. 😉

  7. I’m in! I promised the hubs I won’t buy any more yarn until I use what I have stashed in my craft room…and the garage lol

  8. I’ve been working through my stash – particularly ends of balls – for about three months. As soon as I clear some, a friend gives me more! I have been knitting squares, scarves and hats for Syrian refugees.

  10. I also told my husband I wouldn’t buy any new yarn until I made a dent in my stash. I have lots of small balls of yarn and need some ideas. Looking forward o it.

  11. I have started doing this but stalled upon realizing how many different weights of yarn I have…that don’t work well together on lots of projects. Any solutions for remnants of diff. weights (sock, worsted and bulky mostly)?

  12. Me too! Count me in! Knitting is t my only stash–I have a ton of great fabric and felted wool as well. So this is the year of any UFO.

  13. I’m afraid that if I really got it all out in one place at the same time, my family would sign me up for “Hoarders”!

  14. Prior to reading this I had gathered my stash……. Scared seeing it all in one space! I’m in…..

  15. Well, now that I have recovered from the initial shock horror thoughts of exposing my stash…are we talking the whole stash, I mean the “really, really special, exquisite, dream of making something beautiful with it stash” too?…gulp..I’m not sure I can cope…..:-{

  17. My cleaning lady isn’t allowed in my craft room because she thinks I “might have that disease those people on TV have”–hoarders. She’s lucky we can pick up the rest of the house enough for to be able to clean! I have yarn in my closet, under the bed, and in bins in my craft room–I’ll never use it all up. sniff…sniff…I’m beginning to think I should just give it all to Goodwill.

  18. I’m so excited to see all this enthusiasm! And no, you don’t have to go through all your stash at once, and you don’t have to show my a picture. This is about encouraging you to do what you can, and what you’re comfortable with, and to make it exciting and fun to get in there and discover some projects you can’t wait to knit!

  19. I’m in as well. Like a few others, yarn isn’t my only stash. Yikes. I could sure use some creative ideas to use it up, or at least make a dent in it. Thanks for putting this together. I’m looking forward to your posts!!!

  21. My MIL makes scrap quilts. Hers are made up of one row of each color at random. They turn out beautiful. Even though hers are crocheted, you can still knit them, too. Just a plain stitch.

  24. This sounds like a good plan. I have so many great yarns but they hang out in plastic totes and don’t become anything. I have a lot of fabric and a lot of spinning fibers, too, because I handspin yarn. This all sounds super!

Have you read?

8 Knitted Crown Patterns for Children and Adults

There is something rather wonderful about a knitted crown. It takes a little yarn, a few pointed peaks and suddenly someone is in charge of the birthday cake. Whether they should be trusted with that responsibility is another matter entirely.

I love small knitting projects that invite a bit of fun, and these knitted crown patterns have plenty of possibilities. Make one for a grandchild’s dress-up basket, start a handmade birthday tradition, or knit matching crowns for a family celebration. And yes, there are adult sizes too, because being the person who organised the food should surely come with some royal privileges.

A soft knitted crown also makes a lovely alternative to a cardboard party crown. You can choose a favourite colour, coordinate it with a costume, or make something special enough to bring out year after year. Mustard yellow has that classic storybook look, but dusty pink, forest green and jewel-toned purple would be beautiful too.

These crown knitting patterns include children’s and adult options, along with designs that can be adjusted to fit. Some are worked flat and seamed, while others use circular knitting techniques, so there is a nice mix depending on what you enjoy making.

Our Free Knitted Crown Pattern for Kids and Adults

Start with our own free knitted crown pattern for kids and adults on CraftBits. It’s a lovely starting point for a handmade birthday crown or an addition to the family dress-up collection, with children and grownups both invited to join the royal household. I would choose a colour the wearer already loves—there is no rule saying every crown has to be gold.

Sheep & Stitch Crown: An Adjustable Design with a Video Tutorial

The knit crown pattern from Sheep & Stitch uses worsted-weight yarn and straight needles, with a video tutorial to help you follow along. You repeat the pointed sections until the crown fits, then join the ends, making this a useful option for children or adults without relying entirely on an age label. I especially like the video support for knitters who prefer seeing the shaping happen before trying it themselves.

Jubilee Crown Headband: Baby Through Adult Sizes

Marianna’s Jubilee Crown Headband is a free DK-weight design with baby, child, teen and adult size options. It’s described as quick and easy, making it an appealing choice when someone announces they need a costume rather closer to the event than you would have preferred. I would keep the smallest versions simple and let the yarn colour provide the decoration.

Hobbii Knitted Crown: A Cosy Ribbed Headband

The free Knitted Crown Headband from Hobbii, designed by Katharina Müller of My Favourite Stitches, combines a ribbed band with crown points. It includes baby, child and adult sizes and is knitted in the round with two yarns held together. This is the one I would look at for a crown that doubles as a playful ear warmer—very useful when your little royal insists on wearing their costume outside.

Elegant Knit Crown: Two Stretchy Size Options

Kathryn Andrews’ Elegant Knit Crown is a free Ravelry download with a small toddler/child size and a large teen/adult size. Worked from the top down in worsted-weight yarn, it uses a small amount of yarn and relies on stretchy edges to accommodate a range of heads. It’s a handy option for using a treasured leftover colour that isn’t quite enough for a hat.

Simple Knitted Crown: A Grownup Birthday Crown

Nicky Barfoot’s Simple Knitted Crown is a free DK-weight pattern with seven points and an adult-sized fit. The listed finished circumference is 50 cm, designed to stretch to a 55 cm head, so check that measurement before choosing it as a gift. I like this option for a grownup birthday celebration, especially in a beautiful cotton yarn that lets the shape take centre stage.

Crowning Glory: A Flat-Knitted Crown for the Family

The free Crowning Glory pattern by MrsMeeseMakes is knitted flat and seamed, with the circumference adjusted through the number of points you make. The designer gives guidance for baby, toddler, child, teenager and adult versions, making it a flexible choice for a family set. This would be my pick if you enjoy straight-needle projects and want to check the length as you go.

Paintbox Yarns Party Crown: Child and Adult Versions

The free Paintbox Yarns Party Crown uses aran-weight yarn and includes separate child and adult instructions. The listed finished circumferences are 44 cm and 50 cm, and the pattern is rated intermediate. I would make a coordinated pair in different colours for a birthday child and their favourite grownup—matching enough for photographs, but easy to tell apart when the party gets busy.

Choosing the Right Size for a Knitted Crown

Measure around the wearer’s head where the crown will sit, then compare that measurement with the pattern’s sizing notes. A finished knitted circumference may be smaller than the intended head measurement because the fabric stretches; that is different from choosing a size that is simply too small.

For an adjustable design, check the fit before sewing the ends together. You want the crown to stay put comfortably, especially if its owner plans to spend the afternoon dancing, running or issuing important instructions to the dog.

Yarn choice matters too. A springy wool blend and a smooth cotton can behave quite differently, even when both carry the same yarn-weight label. Follow the pattern’s tension guidance and think about how the finished crown will be washed.

Make It a Birthday Tradition

My favourite idea is to knit a crown that comes out every birthday. Choose a colour that will grow with its wearer, tuck it away with the birthday candles, and let it become one of those small family things everyone remembers.

For children’s crowns, stitched details are a lovely way to personalise the design without adding loose decorations. A little embroidered initial or a few contrasting stitches can make a simple crown feel very much their own.

And if you happen to knit yourself one while making the children’s versions, I think that is entirely reasonable. Someone has to supervise the kingdom—and keep an eye on the cake.