What to Do With Discount Yarn
Great suggestions for using up your discount yarn
You know all that discount yarn you just had to have? The ones that were so cute and only a couple of bucks, so you picked them up even though you knew you'd never have enough to complete a substantial project? If you're like me, you have several dozen pretty, soft, colorful, inexpensive and, on their own, almost totally useless balls of yarn.
Fortunately, there are things you can do with those discount yarns. Here are a few of my favorite uses for mismatched extras -- projects that don't require a lot of matching, high quality, or any kind of consistency in material, color or yarn!
1. Mismatched socks
I absolutely love mismatched socks. Maybe it's the kid in me coming out, but I'm not really happy unless I have one bright pink sock with blue stripes and one that's purple with green polka dots. And since socks are quick and easy to make, I love to make them with my extra discount yarn.
I just start knitting and, whenever the mood strikes me, switch to another color. I wind up with crazy funky striped socks (and my teenage daughter loves them as much as I do -- provided I'm not the one wearing them).
2. Mismatched afghans
Everyone knows how much I love random afghans, and discount yarn is perfect for making them. You can either do the whole thing on circular needles and switch colors randomly -- like with the socks -- or you can create a series of squares with a unifying theme, color, or pattern -- or none at all! Your imagination is the limit.
3. Small Items
As it turns out, a single ball of most discount yarn is exactly enough to make a head scarf, a belt, or a few wristbands. If you like to knit smaller decorative items or jewelry, you won't find much better than discount yarn for throwing them together.
4. Dishcloths
Okay, for this one you do need to watch what material you're using -- if it's something that repels water, it won't be much good. But you can make fantastic dishcloths out of the cute yarn you pick up from the discount bins.
5. Cushion covers
It's a lot of fun to throw together cushion covers from those fun and funky colors you pick up. Even if they're not much use to you, you're bound to know somebody who will appreciate them. Cushion covers don't take much time or effort, and they don't use nearly as much yarn as, say, an afghan.
So don't despair if you're forever digging in the bargain bin -- there are plenty of uses for discount yarn in any size, shape, or color.
