Stitch Up a Cowl Full of Color and Texture

Some patterns just look like they would be amazing stash busting projects. I know the vast majority of the time designers make a project with a particular yarn for a reason, and knitters tend to like having more information about the yarn used in a pattern than “some random stuff I found in my stash.”

All of that is true of the Ellensburg Cowl pattern from Blue Sky Fibers, too, but when I look at this project I see a stash buster.

It’s hard not to imagine all your little odd balls going into this generous cowl, which features slipped stitches, stripes, textured stitch patterns and a bit of stranded knitting, too.

The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn, including one hank that’s about 123 yards and a bundle of colors, each of which is only 12 yards, so it would be easy to find odd balls and leftovers in your stash to make this project with. In all it uses eight colors, and makes a cowl that measures about 9 inches high and 45 inches long. That size is perfect for wearing as one long loop or twisted around your neck twice for extra warmth.

It uses a size 8 US circular knitting needle and is rated for advanced beginners.

This kind of project is super inspiring to me as a designer and a person with a lot of stash I want to use, because it shows you how a bunch of different colors can look harmonious in the same project. Of course that’s easier when you’re using a bundle of yarn that’s made to coordinate, but you can do it with balls from your stash as well.

This pattern is available as a free download (but you will need to set up an account to download it) from Blue Sky Fibers.

[Photo: Blue Sky Fibers.]

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Every knitter has a stash. Some of us have a neat little basket. Some of us have a “please don’t open that cupboard too quickly” situation. So a book called Knitting Stylish Stuff from Your Stash already feels like it understands the assignment.

Written by Erica Berntsen, this book is all about turning leftover yarn, odd skeins, and those slightly mysterious yarn purchases we were definitely going to use “one day” into stylish, wearable projects. The book includes 20 scrappy knitting designs and focuses on making the most of what you already have, with a practical zero-waste approach. It’s published by Landauer Publishing and runs to 168 pages.

What I like about this book is that it doesn’t treat leftover yarn as second-best. Instead, it leans into the charm of mixed colours, textures, scraps, and creative combinations. That’s where stash knitting becomes fun rather than just economical. You’re not simply “using things up”; you’re making something with personality.

The projects are aimed at knitters who want fashionable, useful pieces rather than another pile of tiny odds-and-ends projects that never leave the craft room. It’s a good fit if you enjoy relaxed, creative knitting and don’t mind experimenting a little with colour and yarn pairing.

This would suit knitters who:

have too much leftover yarn and want realistic project ideas
enjoy scrappy, colourful knitting
like sustainable craft projects
want stylish stash-busting patterns
prefer practical makes over fussy novelty projects

I’d say this is especially appealing for knitters who already have a little confidence and enjoy making creative decisions as they go. If you are the sort of person who likes everything to match perfectly, scrappy knitting might make you twitch slightly. But if you love a good “let’s see what happens” project, this book will probably be right up your alley.

For anyone working through this book, it’s worth sorting your yarn stash first by weight, fibre, and colour family. A digital kitchen scale is surprisingly handy for checking how much yarn you actually have left, and a few clear storage tubs or yarn bags make the whole process much less chaotic. The book itself is a natural Amazon book recommendation, and Mary Maxim is a useful place to look if you need extra yarn to pull a stash project together.

Knitting Stylish Stuff from Your Stash is a clever, practical, and refreshingly useful book for knitters who want to stop saving yarn scraps for “someday” and actually turn them into something wearable. It’s creative without being wasteful, stylish without being intimidating, and a lovely reminder that your stash probably already has more potential than you think.

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