Use All Your Yarn Scraps on This Great Cardigan Knitting Pattern

I am perpetually trying to use up all my little leftover yarn bits. I also have a goal to knit a sweater every month this year (well, or crochet, as I’m working on my first-ever crocheted sweater this month). But I don’t feel like I have a sweater quantity of anything, so I have to figure out ways to use odd balls and leftovers to make it look like they are meant to go together.

Bohemian Scrapsody is a great example of how to use leftovers to make a cohesive looking project. Designed by Winter’s Weather Knits, this oversized cardigan fully embraces the mixed-up look by having you hold multiple strands of yarn together as you knit.

It comes out to a worsted weight kind of gauge, which you can get with a DK and a sport weight yarn held together, or mix and match as you need to use the stash you have. Of course you’re also changing colors whenever you need to, and the reverse stockinette side becomes the front, which mixes it up even more.

You can make the ribbed edges and cuffs all in one color if you want for a more cohesive look, or leave it all scrappy.

The project is designed to have 4-6 inches of positive ease and comes in nine sizes, up to a 63.5 inch chest circumference. It doesn’t include buttonholes but you could add some of you wanted to.

The pattern is suitable for advanced beginners with knowledge of working flat and in the round, short rows, Kitchener stitch, mattress stitch and picking up stitches. The pattern also uses an Italian bind off and includes a tutorial for that technique if you’ve never done it before.

This cardigan has a sweet boho look and will definitely help you to use up all those little odd balls! You can get the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Winter’s Weather Knits.]

As we get into the part of the year with a lot of food-forward holidays, it might be time to start thinking about knitting some new things for your table. While a few of these are more fall/Thanksgiving focused, just changing up the colors would make others work for Christmas, or keep it neutral and use them all year long.

What got me started thinking about this was the lovely and simple Fresh Bread Dishtowel, a free pattern from Purl Soho. Worked in a lovely cotton and linen blend, the towel is mostly stockinette stitch with a bit of texture on the borders.

You could use this same kind of pattern to make anything from placemats to a table runner, but let’s look at some specific patterns for those kinds of projects as well.

The easy moss stitch table runner from Glass Bird Knits is beginner friendly can can easily be modified to fit your table (or, again, to make placemats instead of or in addition to a runner). This version is worked in macrame cord, but you could also use bulky yarn.

Emielle Design has a garter stitch runner pattern that’s made with braided cotton cord for a lot of texture without a lot of work. But be sure to take a lot of breaks when knitting with cord because it can be rough on your hands!

I also love the diamond pattern on the Hamilton Table Runner from Wyndlestraw Designs. It calls for a DK weight cotton and linen blend yarn and comes in three sizes with different widths and lengths. The pattern has both written and charted instructions.

Amy Marie’s Table Pumpkins (on Ravelry) is a fun mosaic knitting pattern that would be great to use as a table runner through the fall and for Thanksgiving. It uses a worsted weight cotton yarn in two colors, and you can make it as long as you like for your table.

The no cable knit placemats from Yarn Culture Studio have a fun faux cable look that would be great for the table through the fall and winter.

Or here’s another pattern from Wyndlestraw Designs, this time for an easy knit and purl stitch placemat pattern that looks different but still good on both sides. It calls for worsted weight cotton and comes in two sizes for placemats, but also has instructions for coasters, a hot pad and a table pad all using the same stitch.

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