50+ Stash Busters To Use Up Those Bits Of Yarn

If you crochet or knit, chances are you have accumulated a large stash of yarn with partially used skeins in a variety of colors, many too small to use for most projects.

Instead of gathering dust in your craft cupboard, here’s a list of free projects you can make featuring a variety items, some useful while others are more decorative or just for fun.

If your skills are at the beginner level, small items like these are great for practicing new stitches or techniques (and reading patterns too).

So far there are just over 30 projects listed below, I’ve separated them into two groups (crochet, knitting) for easier browsing.

I’ll be adding more goodies to this collection as I find them so you may want to bookmark this page for future reference. Have fun!

PS: Interested in thread projects? You’ll find a few vintage patterns at the bottom of the page (for a bread tray ruffle and a bun warmer).

Crochet

Nesting Cups: Beginner friendly, these cuties can stash buttons, paper clips and other random nick knacks.

Chair Socks: Helps protect floors, these are made with two different colors and a size 3.75 hook, begins with a magic circle.

Granny Covers: Made with fingering sock yarn, these are sized to fit a jar or cup with a 6 cm diameter, 20 cm circumference and 9 cm high.

Jar Covers: Here’s another design for jars, this has a straight rather than scalloped top rim.

Ice Cream Sweater: Fun project to make for ice cream lovers, this little cozy will be sure to protect hands from the cold.

Keyboard Duster: A handy little guy, this can be used to clean keyboards and small spaces around the home.

Cup O Joe: Keep a double roll of toilet paper dust free and “out of sight” with this quick project.

Curtain Tie-Backs: Pretty flowers in assorted colors are scattered along ties.

Envelope Pouch: Finished size measures 6″ x 6″ (flap closed), ideal for holding stationery or delicate items when traveling.

Knob Covers: Three different designs available (mushroom, flower and cat), uses the Bosnial technique so they’re nice and tight.

Winter Berries: A smooth rock cozy? Sure, why not! These would make great paper or pattern weights.

Felted Door Knob Organizer: Pattern via free pdf download, this features a little pocket to hold keys or other small items.

Flowers: Made with a fingering weight cotton or cotton blend and a 2.5mm hook. You’ll find several more ideas here.

Dishcloth: Nice and scrubby, you’ll find several more patterns here.

Purse Organizer: An insert to keep totes and purses organized (two pockets on the ends and two in the middle).

Hanger Covers: For standard wooden hangers, can be worked in solid or multi-color patches. More ideas on this page.

Coffee Cup Cozy: Made with worsted/light worsted, more patterns on this page.

Dish Scrubby: (Tawashi) More ideas are found on this page.

Granny Square: These are an excellent stashbuster and can be used to make so many things. You’ll find more designs here.

Baskets: Made with worsted weight cotton with stripe in a different color or hemp twine.

Butterflies: These can be used to embellish any number of things, starts with a magic circle and stitches used are ch, dc and tr.

Boot Cuffs: If you like the look of socks or legwarmers peeking above your boots but find they’re too warm to wear, these cuffs are a great solution.

Broom Handle Duster: Made with either cotton or acrylic worsted weight so they wash up nicely, this slips over the broom handle so you can reach up into those high places.

Flask Carrier: A simple project that can be easily adjusted to fit any size thermos, features a handle for easy toting.

Simple Bows: Use these to embellish hair accessories, as appliques or whatever else you like.

Granny Bottle Cozy: Made with 4-ply worsted weight acrylic or cotton, sized to fit a small 8 oz. water bottle.

Mini Doll Handbags: Four different styles to choose from and you can embellish as you like with bits of ribbon, buttons and beads.

Foaming Soap Cover: Can be embellished with a fabric flower if you like, you’ll find a bunch here.

Spa Soap Coats: You can make these to hang vertically or horizontally.

Facial Scrubbies: Nice for washing face or removing makeup, made with 100% cotton yarn and a size J or 6.00mm hook.

Boot Liners: Features a stirrup so they stay in place, can be folded over the boot edge or pull them straight up.

Treasure Bags: Small drawstring bags that can be used for a variety of things.

Water Bottle Holders: The strap can be made to whatever length you like, easy to adjust for assorted bottle sizes.

Boot Cuffs: Has a lovely scalloped border around the top and embellished with a wooden button.

Door Bumper: Keep doors in drafty rooms from slamming shut with this nifty bumper, easy to remove as desired.

Wristlet / Clutch: Large enough to stash your cell phone, sunglasses and keys. Has a small strap for carrying.

Knit

Gift Card-igans: Just the right size to hold gift cards, these little pouches are worked on straight needles (US #6) and have a button & loop closure. Pattern via free pdf download.

Mug Rug: Finished size measures 4″ square, uses leftover sock yarn and features a fun fringe on either end.

Key Sweaters: Make tiny sweaters in different colors for each key so you can see at a glance which one is which.

Playing Card Holder: Nice little buttoned case to hold standard playing cards or collectible card sets.

Checker Square Garter Dishcloth: Finished size is a generous 10 1/2″ square, more patterns are found here.

Phone Case: Fun pop tart design, beads are used for the sprinkles. More ideas on this page.

Posey Pincushion: Three tiers of flowers, you’ll find more here.

Crayon Bookmark: Worked flat on straight needles (US #4), more bookmark projects are on this page.

iPod Hoody: Cute or what! More projects found here.

Balls: Made with bits of worsted weight, stuffing material (scraps, batting, plastic grocery bags) and worked on DPNs.

Miniature Bag: Complete with miniature skeins and wee needles. Use this as an ornament or embellishment.

Punchinello Caps: Two tiny pom-pom caps are made with fingering-weight wool on DPNs and connected with a braided cord, these fit snugly over corks as needle protectors.

Sweater Soaps: Nice gift-worthy idea, covers for homemade bars of soap. Made with 2 strands of wool (will felt with use).

Cabbage Rose: A sweet little item that you can use to embellish hair accessories and any other items you wish.

Tea Toters: Make these cute little buttoned pouches to hold bags of tea with scraps of worsted weight.

Mason Jar Cozy: Giving a gift of homemade jam or preserves? Here’s a nice idea to dress up the jar a bit.

Olive Oil Drip Catcher: Has a ribbed cuff folded down to add an extra layer of absorbency. Pattern via free pdf download.

Drawstring Pouches: Ties closed with ribbon, worked on DPNs and finished size measures about 4″ x 6″.

5 Petal Flowers: Three sizes available (small, medium, large), the centers can be embellished with buttons, beads or other bling.

These are not only a great way to use up your stash, the items you create are actually useful :).

Bun Warmer Linen: Vintage Crochet Edging

Supplies Needed:

• J.& P. COATS BIG BALL BEST SIX CORD MERCERIZED CROCHET, Size 30: 1 ball of White; or
• CLARK’S BIG BALL MERCERIZED CROCHET, Size 30: 1 ball of White
• Milwards Steel Hook No. 10
• 1 piece of linen (14×14 inches square)

Gauge: 5 sps or bls make 1 inch; 5 rows make 1 inch.

Corner
(Make 4)

Starting at “A” on chart, ch 69.

• 1st row: DC in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across (22 bls made). Ch 5, turn.
• 2nd row: Skip first 3 dc, dc in next dc (sp made over bl), (ch 2, skip next 2 dc, dc in next dc) 20 times; dc in next 2 dc and in top of turning chain (bl made over bl). Ch 3, turn.
• 3rd row: Skip first dc, dc in next 3 dc, ch 2, dc in next dc (sp made over sp), 2 dc in next sp, dc in next dc (bl made over sp), make 9 more bls, 1 sp and 8 bls, 2 dc in next sp, dc in 3rd ch of turning chain. Ch 3, turn.
• 4th row: Follow chart across. Ch 3, turn.
• 5th row: Follow chart across, ending with a bl over last sp (1 bl decreased at end of row). Ch 1, turn.
• 6th row: Sl st in first 4 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in next sp, dc in next dc (1 bl decreased at beginning of row), follow chart across. Ch 3, turn. Follow chart to “B”. Now repeat last row of chart 26 times more. Break off. Sew 4 corners together to form a square.

Edging

• 1st rnd: Attach thread to any corner, ch 8, dc in same place, * ch 2 and, working along side, dc at base of next dc. Repeat from * across side to within next corner piece, (ch 2, skip 2 ch, dc in next ch) 21 times; ch 2, make dc, ch 5 and dc in next corner and complete other sides and corners the same way. Join to 3rd ch of ch-8.
• 2nd rnd: Sl st in next sp, in same sp make sc, ch 2 (dc, ch 2) twice and sc; * ch 2, in next sp make (dc, ch 2) twice; sc in next sp. Repeat from * around, working corners as before. Join and break off.

Pin edging in place on linen. Cut out material in back of corners and edge, leaving 1/4 inch for hem. Sew neatly in place. Starch lightly and press.

Source: Vintage pattern sheet from J. & P. Coats

Bread Tray Ruffle

Here’s a pattern for a bread tray ruffle (and ruffly it is!) from a vintage pattern magazine (1948):

I’ve uploaded it in a pdf file for anyone who’d like to have it: Bread Tray Ruffle (pdf file).

For starching doily instructions, here’s what they advised:

Directions for Starching Doilies

Starch: Dissolve 1/4 cup starch in 1/2 cup cold water. Boil slowly over a low flame, as it thickens stir in gradually about 1 1/4 cups of cold water. Boil, stirring constantly until starch clears. This makes a thick pasty mixture.

As soon as starch is cool enough to handle, dip doily and squeeze starch through it thoroughly. Wring out extra starch. The doily should be wet with starch but there should be none in the spaces. Pin center of doily in position according to size and leave until thoroughly dry. If steam iron is used iron ruffle after it is dry. If regular iron is used dampen ruffle slightly before pressing. Pin folds of ruffle in position and leave until thoroughly dry.