Get Started on Stash Busting with Ziggy Triangle

I think that many knitters have as a new year’s resolution or goal to use more of their stash whenever a new year rolls around. I say pretty much every year that I’m not going to buy more yarn (unless, you know, I really need it for a project) and even when I’m not accumulating much, it still feels like I’m not making much of a dent in what I already have.

If you’re looking for projects that can help you use stash — whether it’s little bits of leftovers or whole skeins — I’ll be sharing more of that sort of stuff as we head into the new year and beyond. But for now, I’ve got the Ziggy Triangle by Leila Raven, which is perfect for using a solid yarn and a multicolored yarn, or a solid and a bunch of odd balls.

The pattern was designed for sport weight yarn but it’s easy to customize if you want to make it with different yarn. This would be a fun one to use your advent calendar minis or whatever bold yarn you have on hand.

It features a lacy zigzag pattern, and the designer recommends a smooth and colorful yarn paired with a more neutral, fuzzy yarn so you get a contrast in textures as well as in colors.

Because this is worked as a triangle, you can make it any size you want, just make sure you know how much yarn went into the first half so you leave enough for the second half (you can weigh your yarn before you start and through the process to see when you need to start decreasing).

As written the pattern makes a sweet little neck kerchief, but again, you can always make it bigger if you want, if you have more yarn or use a heavier weight yarn instead of the sport weight.

You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

[photo: Leila Raven]

Next Pattern:

Some knitters have trouble coming up with projects they can both knit and wear when it’s warm outside. Especially if you’re not ready for garments (thought tank tops and summer tops are great first garment projects!) it might seem like there’s nothing to do when it’s hot outside.

One way to remedy this situation is by knitting headbands. Headbands are great any time of year to keep hair out of your face and make you look a little more pulled together without any effort. Wider headbands double as ear warmers when it gets colder, but skinnier ones are great throughout the year.

A couple of great examples are from designer Elly Donner, who has a set of headband knitting patterns on Ravelry you can buy individually or as an ebook. Homebody, shown here, is worked in garter stitch (the ties are crocheted but you could also use I-cord), while Slipstream uses slipped stitches and garter ridges, and Sounds of Spring has little cables. The patterns use DK weight yarn and are a great way to use a little leftover yarn from another project.

I also recently came across the lovely Plush Braided Headband by Yevgeniya Li. A free pattern on Ravelry, this wider design is covered in lush cables for a sleek and fancy look. It uses worsted weight yarn and you can customize the length for a perfect fit.

Celeste Knitwear’s Spikelet is a simple twisted headband with columns of eyelet lace to keep it from being too heavy. It’s worked flat and sewn together to make the twist, and uses DK weight yarn. It has three sizes available.

This skinny lace headband from Lusi Knits is another cute choice. It calls for fine weight cotton yarn, but you could use heavier yarn if you have it on hand to make a wider headband (or use any fine yarn you have available). It uses ties to customize the fit.

And if you want to go super basic but still really cute, try the easy ring headband from Lulu Pattern. The sample is knit pretty wide, but you could make a narrower version if you want, and the little ring turns it from a plain loop into a bow with very little extra work. It calls for worsted weight yarn but you could also use whatever weight you like for this one to change up the look and size.

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