Crafts to Make With Grandma’s Leftover Yarn
Updated on January 11, 2019
In our house, yarn crafts might be the absolute most popular kinds for everyone living here. Besides being avid knit and crochet enthusiasts, we’ve also raised kids who adore making little crafts that use yarn in all kinds of creative ways. That’s why we always hang onto our own scraps and our mothers’, who taught us to knit and crochet originally!
Just in case you like the sounds of using different techniques to make cute, fun things from yarn scraps just as much as we did, if not more, here are 15 of the best ideas and tutorials we’ve bookmarked lately.
1. Crocheted coasters
Are you keen on doing some small, simple crochet projects lately because you just finished something much larger and now you’re looking for a couple little palate cleanser projects while you make decisions on what your next big piece will be? In that case, we’d absolutely suggest taking a look at how Smitha Katti used scraps of yarn in different colours to make these adorable crocheted coasters! We love things that are creative and practical.
2. Decorative yarn balls
If you’ve never tried glue dried yarn wrapping decor then we’re sorry to tell you that you’ve been missing out! Give it a try now by following this tutorial from All Things G&D, which guides you step by step through the process of dipping your yarn in glue, wrapping it around a balloon, letting it dry, and then popping the balloon so you have an awesome structure when negative space inside at the end.
3. Miniature multi-coloured pom poms
Are you looking at your yarn scraps and thinking about how convinced you are that they’re probably too short in length or small in quantity to manage the projects you’ve seen so far? Then perhaps you’ll get along a little better with something like these absolutely adorable multi-coloured miniature pom poms instead! Picot Pals shows you how they’re done.
4. Striped crocheted phone case
Perhaps we got your attention when we started talking about an idea that will let you use yarn scraps in a way that’s both fun and practical but you’re just not sure that you’ll use yarn crafted coasters in your house? Then maybe you’d prefer a soft phone case that will help stop your screen from getting scratched! Take a look at this tutorial to see how My Hobby is Crochet crocheted this one.
5. Yarn wrapped flower pots
In addition to look for ways to use our scrap yarn at basically all times, we’re also always on the lookout for interesting decor ideas for our terra cotta pots! We’ve been on a huge succulent kick lately and we have them dotted all over our house, but we think some of the little planters could use a face lift. Imagine how excited we were, then, when we found this yarn wrapping idea from Celebrations at Home that blends the two!
6. Moulded yarn scrap bowl
Did you really like the idea of doing some glue dipping and yarn moulding like you saw earlier on our list but you’ve made the decorative balls plenty of times before and you can’t help wondering whether there might be another way to use the technique that’s a little more challenging? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Fantastic Fun and Learning made this fantastically unique yarn scraps bowl! We used ours as a fruit bowl on the kitchen counter.
7. Yarn embroidered Mother’s Day card
Just in case you do have yarn scraps but you’d rather use them in a way that’s a little closer to the fibre crafts world, since that’s where most of your DIY skills have always lied, here’s a fantastic idea from CatherineS that will help you make stunning things for when you have gifts to give your loved ones! They show you how they hand embroidered a lovely greeting card using some of their thinner yarn, stitching it right through the paper.
8. Yarn and wire bird
Are you perhaps feeling most interested in the yarn craft ideas that involve wrapping, decor balls, pom poms, and things along those veins, but you’re convinced you can handle a decor piece that’s a little more challenging? In that case, we think this adorable yarn wrapped and embellished bird from Craft Bits might be a little more up your alley!
9. Simple yarn dolls
Has the adorable yarn bird we showed you earlier on our list got you thinking about whether there aren’t other little animals, figures, or toys that you can make from yarn without using needles or a hook? Then we absolutely think you should take a look at how Little House Living made this old fashioned yarn doll in surprisingly few simple steps!
10. Yarn wrapped bottles
Did you love the neat, tidy look of the yarn wrapping that you saw earlier on our list where the miniature terra cotta pots were concerned but you’ve never really been a big plant person? Well, pots aren’t the only thing you can use that effect on! We love the way Cut Out + keep wrapped self striping and ombre effect yarns around old glass bottles, turning them into colourful upcycled art that will bright any space without costing you any extra money at all.
11. Handmade yarn feathers
Are you actually convinced that you can make things from yarn that are not knit or crocheted but that are a little more delicate and artistic looking than a lot of the bright, novelty looking things we’ve shown you so far? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Bees DIY made these stunning handmade yarn feathers that have been moulded and dried to hold their detailed shape.
12. Looped yarn flower embellishments
Sometimes when our yarn scraps are very low but we just can’t bear to throw them out, we make things like these simple little looped flowers outlined step by step on Crafts Unleashed. They’re simple enough for our kids to help with and we like keeping them on hand so we always have something fun to embellish other crafts and projects with.
13. Yarn “painting”
Although there is actually a crafting technique out there where you do combine yarn and real paint in order to make art, this particular idea from Zombies Wearing Helmets just mimics the colours and shapes of a painting using yarn! We love thew ay they spiralled, waved, and layered yarn on a base piece in order to create the shape of a psychedelic sun (and we also love the potential this project has to be anything you please).
14. Yarn pizza party craft
Have your kids always adored multi-media cut and paste crafts more than just about anything else and you’ve been scrolling through despite finding a few things you liked the look of because you’re convinced you can find a yarn based cut and paste idea? Then Art Mama Says is here to answer your prayers! Their tutorial shows you how to make a funny little pizza where the yarn is grated cheese amongst paper vegetables.
15. Fabric and yarn greeting cards
Using scrap yarn to be hair is a technique that has been popular in the crafting world for probably as long as yarn has been around. Just in case you like the idea but you’re not quite up to making the whole yarn doll we showed you earlier on, here’s a cut and paste idea from Family Chic that shows you how to make adorable greeting cards emblazoned with cute characters of your own creating. Make them even more interesting than your drawings already are by giving them dresses made from real fabric scraps and yarn for hair!
Have you made other kinds of awesome crafts from old yarn scraps that you very much enjoyed creating but that you don’t see here on our list? Tell us all about how you did it or link us to photos of your finished work in the comments section!