By Claudia Ostrop
Creative Ideas, Organization Tips, and Ways to Share
If you love knitting or crocheting, you know the challenge: every project leaves behind leftover yarn—sometimes just a few yards, sometimes entire skeins. Too good to toss, but not enough for a big new project. Over time, those leftovers really start to pile up. So, what can you do with these little treasures?
We’ve put together some inspiration and tips for you: creative, practical, and sustainable ways to make the most of your yarn scraps. Whether you're looking for fresh ideas or just want to bring more order to your stash—read on!
Organizing Yarn Leftovers: How to Stay on Top of It
The more projects you’ve had on your needles, the faster your pile of leftovers grows. To help you keep things under control, here are a few tips:
Sort by Color, Fiber, or Weight
Let’s be honest—throwing all your yarn scraps into one box might be quick and easy, but it’s not very effective. Who hasn’t spent ages searching for that one specific leftover skein that must be in some box somewhere?
Our tip: stay organized!
It makes the most sense to store similar yarns together. For example, you could group all mohair and fluffy yarns, or yarns with similar weights or fiber content. Even if two yarns have the same yardage, cotton and wool often don’t work well together - fiber properties matter. By organizing your stash so that similar yarns are stored together, you’ll not only know where to look, but you might even get inspired for a new project!
If you have a particularly large collection, sorting by color can also be helpful. And it’s always a good idea to keep at least one label—so you can still identify a leftover skein even after a long time.
Storage Solutions
Clear plastic bins with tight-fitting lids are perfect for storing yarn—whether leftovers or new supplies. You can see what’s inside at a glance, and moths (and dust) stay out.
Plastic zip bags also work well, especially for smaller amounts of yarn—and if you treat them gently, they’ll last quite a while.
Tiny scraps you just can’t part with? Wrap them around cardboard cards or strips—neat and space-saving.
(By the way, we dedicated an entire blog post to proper yarn storage not too long ago!)
Keeping a Yarn Journal
If you want to personalize your yarn stash, consider keeping a journal:
Either the classic way on paper or digitally—like on Ravelry—where you can record all the yarns in your stash along with the quantities you have.
Admittedly, if you're just starting out and need to catalog your existing collection, it might take a while depending on how much yarn you have. But once that’s done, and you make it a habit to log both new purchases and leftovers right away, it becomes a simple task with a big payoff.
Small Projects, Big Impact
There are countless ways to get creative with even small amounts of yarn. You can go for quick, small projects or combine several matching yarns into one big, colorful piece.
Knitting and Crochet Ideas for Yarn Leftovers
Even with small scraps of yarn, you can knit or crochet beautiful items. Striped designs are absolutely perfect for using up leftovers—even if a pattern was originally designed for just two colors, you can add more shades as you go, depending on how much yarn you have left. Or turn a solid-color design into a fun, multicolored striped version.
We’ve picked out a few of our designs that are ideal for stash-busting. Just make sure the yarn weights and yardages are in a similar range.
The “Desert Shade cowl" features alternating brioche stripes—why not swap out one color at a time, or even both?
The “Rippling Waves shawl" is a great canvas for lots of colorful stripes.
The “Mana shirt" is full of good vibes—and could definitely be even more vibrant!
Headbands, wrist warmers, or scrunchies—there are plenty of patterns that only need a small amount of yarn. You’ll find knitting and crochet patterns for accessories in our shop or on our Ravelry page.
If you’re knitting for kids, the “Bobi neck scarf" uses very little yarn—you might even have enough leftovers to make several!
Or try the “Vilma play pants" - they’re originally striped in two colors, but why not go full rainbow?
You’ll find lots of adorable children’s designs in our shop or in the two Collezioni Kids magazines.
Love to crochet? How about the “Gan phone pouch"?
Or the “Aja knot bag"?
Whether it’s hats, scarves, gloves, socks, or sweaters—knit or crochet—most designs can be turned into great stash-busters with stripes, color blocking, or intarsia. Just make sure the yarns are similar in weight. You can also hold thinner yarns double to match the gauge of thicker ones.
For cotton leftovers, classic potholders are always a great option—crocheted or knitted. Or how about granny squares? These colorful floral blocks are quick to make and can be joined into patchwork blankets of any size.
Embroidering and Mending with Yarn
Tiny yarn scraps are perfect for embroidery. Especially when embellishing knits, felt, or coarse fabrics, you don’t necessarily need embroidery floss. Yarn can be used to add beautiful accents to garments or textiles. And simple floral motifs are surprisingly easy to stitch! Maybe our Vanina Cardigan will inspire you?
Also worth mentioning: the wonderful trend of visible mending, where repairs are intentionally made visible and become a charming design element in their own right.
Crafting with Yarn Leftovers – Creative Decor Ideas
Everyone knows pompoms—the big, fluffy balls are a classic hat topper. But how about making lots of small pompoms and stringing them into a garland? Or turning them into keychains or gift wrap decorations?
The same goes for tassels—it never hurts to have a few on hand.
Small crocheted triangles can be turned into lovely bunting, perfect for a kid’s room.
You can also create festive Christmas or Easter decorations from yarn scraps—like knitted ornaments or crocheted Christmas trees.
Another great way to use even the tiniest scraps: felt balls. Wind small, tight yarn balls and secure the end by threading it through the center with a yarn needle. Place the mini balls (ideally made from 100% wool, not superwash!) in a laundry bag and run them through a regular wool wash cycle. The finished felt balls can be sewn together into coasters, for example.
Donate Yarn – Pass It On with Purpose
Sometimes, the stash just gets too big. But before you throw anything away (seriously—tossing yarn? Unthinkable!), consider giving it away.
Preschools and schools are usually happy to receive yarn scraps for crafts or creative clubs.
Senior centers often welcome yarn donations too—many residents still enjoy knitting or crocheting but may not have access to materials.
There are many charities and community projects that knit for people in need or host crafting sessions with refugees. Donated yarn is usually very welcome here as well.
It’s always a good idea to check in advance to see if there’s a current need.
Small Skeins, Big Possibilities
Yarn leftovers—whether just a few yards or nearly full skeins—are far too valuable to be left forgotten in a box. Whether you knit, crochet, embroider, or just love being creative, with a little imagination and organization, even the tiniest scraps can become something beautiful.
And by donating or swapping, you can bring joy to others and help conserve resources.
So: dig out those yarn leftovers, get inspired, and get started—your next mini project is waiting!
What do you love to make with your yarn scraps? Share your tips and ideas in the comments!
