Unexpected Knit Cowl

Sometimes projects don't turn out how you thought they would. When that happens, it can be a bit discouraging. However, finding the unexpected value in a project gone awry can help you to relax and save you a bit of heartache.

Remember this scrap project that I started forever ago? Well, I completely stalled out on it. I got bored. I was knitting round and round and round... and... *yawn*. It did not end up being the giant scarf that I had planned on. So, I reassessed my work and found the value; I turned it into a small cowl instead by blocking it out fairly aggressively.

As it turns out, I really like it this way! It was a good way to use up some nicer fingering weight scraps. It was also a nice mindless project to work on at my fiber group while we chatted. Hopefully I can carry this momentum into other stalled projects.

Have you had any projects turn out differently than you expected?

Striped Knitting Scrap Project

I really like my dellaQ bag. It has become the permanent home of my traveling scrap project, a striped tube scarf that I am knitting. However, you could totally crochet one, too! I have a bunch of fingering weight leftovers just hanging out in the bag with the project, ready to be toted along at a moment's notice. I am simply knitting in the round until each color runs out and then adding the next. You could easily crochet in the round to use up scraps in this way, too. When I'm done I hope to have a long, squishy infinity scarf that is one-of-a-kind.

Reusing Crochet Swatches as Erasers

As many of you know, during the day I work as a teacher. Though I studied psychology as my Bachelor's and elementary education as my Master's, I am currently teaching humanities courses to middle and high school students, with a few younger kids in there whenever the need arises. The one-on-one style school that I work for is dedicated to providing a distraction-free environment where kids who are having a hard time in public school can focus and achieve success.

Though we understand the need for a crisp, clean teaching environment, my fellow instructors and I have found a few ways to make it more personal without distracting students. My contribution to the workplace was...can you guess? Crochet! I don't know about you, but I have an entire drawer of swatches just hanging around waiting to be utilized. Thus, I put them to work as whiteboard erasers!

Now there is a spot of crochet color in each station and my swatches have found a new life. Win-win! How do you like to reuse your swatches?

Yarn Scrap Project: Swatch Bow

What do you like to do with your yarn scraps? There are many awesome large scrap projects out there. Bags and blankets are some popular options. However, sometimes you just want to use up your tiny balls of yarn without all of the fuss of changing to a new ball over and over again. What to do? Today I want to show you my very favorite scrap project. They are girly, they are fun, and they are instantly gratifying: Swatch Bows! Here's the scoop.

Here's my leftover bit of Mountain Colors from the review I did. So pretty! Can't let any of it go to waste.

Start by working up a rectangle. You can make your rectangle in any stitch you desire. In fact, this project is excellent for trying out new stitch patterns. I like half double crochet (pulling through all three loops is just so satisfying), so that's what I worked up for my example bow. When you crochet your rectangle keep in mind that the wider it is in comparison to the height the skinnier your bow will be. Experiment to find out how full you like your bows. After you weave in the ends on your swatch, cut a length of yarn for wrapping, about one yard long.

Pinch the swatch in the center and tug on the sides to shape your bow as you do. 

Position your loose yarn strand under your bow with about five to six inches on the short side.

Now for the center wrap. Wrap the long side around the center over and over until you have about 6 inches left. Move back and forth from left to right and back again as you wrap to make sure that the center is even.

Weave in both yarn ends tightly on the back side of the bow.

Voila! Now you have a sweet little bow. You can use your bows for so many things; magnets, hair clips, pins, embellishments on other projects... endless possibilities! If you're selling items at a craft show these bows are great because they are quick and pretty. Experiment with textures and materials to make all flavors of bows. Yay!

Scrap Projects

Wha-...what's that noise? It's coming from the direction of your yarn stash. Tiny screechy voices are calling out to you. Use us up! We're taking up space! You should feel guilty, GUILTY! That's right, it's an attack of the scraps! All of those half skeins and little piles are coming to get you.

Never fear, for all is not lost. I have a few projects to share that help tackle the scraps. Note that I am not talking about small clippings of yarn, which can be used to stuff amigurumi, but the yarn balls that are too big to toss out and too small to use in a substantial project. Each of the following projects can be hooked up in a single sitting.

This small pouch can be made in almost any size. Whip up a flat piece of single crochet fabric, folding it in half every now and then to see how big you want your pouch to be. When your work is the desired size, decrease on both sides until you are almost at a point. Make a button hole by chaining across 2 to 4 stitches in the center of the row depending on the size of the button you want to use. Skip an equal number of stitches before finishing out that row. Voila! A simple horizontal button hole. Decrease until there are no stitches left and fasten off. Fold the fabric until it reaches the beginning of the decreasing rows and sew up each side with a yarn needle, working from the left bottom corner and wrapping around the edge of the flap until you reach the remaining side, then sew that side together. Turn the whole thing inside out. Sew a button to the body of the pouch under and just a tad bit lower than the button hole, and you're golden.

Want a different kind of scrap pouch? Here's a round one. Single crochet in a spiral round, following the normal increase pattern, without chaining or turning until the base is the size that you want. By the way, if you are new to crochet or you need help with a term or technique that I mention, drop me a line in the comments! I would love to make a tutorial for you. In the meantime, a number of great tutorials can be found on YouTube and the like. Explore the web and you'll find some really great stuff!

Back to the pouch. With the base done, chain three and turn. Work one dc into each stitch around, slip stitch into the top of the turning chain, ch 3 and turn. Continue adding rows of double crochet until your pouch is about one inch shy of your desired height. Work one row as follows: Chain 4, skip 1 dc, 1 dc in next dc, ch 1, skip 1 dc, 1 dc in next dc, and so on until you come all of the way around. Now finish by doing two more rows of double crochet, making sure to stitch a single dc into each dc or ch, and then fasten off. Cut a length of ribbon in a complimentary color and weave it in and out of the double crochet posts of the third to last row. Cinch your bag shut with a bow. You're done! Now you have a place to keep all of the sedatives you no longer need because your scrap panic has subsided.

If those projects were too much of an investment for you, here's a third project that should do the trick. It works especially well with bulky yarn but could also be made with multiple strands of yarn worked together or by using a hook that is one size too small for the yarn.

 This bowl is made by doing half double crochet in the round with the normal increases, turning, and chaining. Continue until the base is as wide as you want it to be, then switch to single crochet and stop increasing, turning, and chaining. Just single crochet around until you run out of yarn or your bowl is the size that you want it to be. That's it! Do make sure that your stitches are tight so that your bowl has good structural integrity. I find that these scrap projects make great last minute additions to birthday gifts.