5 Easy Yarn Scrap Projects - Fun Ways to Recycle Yarn

Recycling is just what we do, and here at Darn Good Yarn we support your efforts to do so too! Many years ago, people used everything they had available to them, it was just how life was. In New England, we would call it "yankee ingenuity." We hear that history repeats itself, and surely the phrase "waste not, want not" has come full circle. Dictionary.com states this for example, "I just hate to throw out good food—waste not, want not." This proverbial saying was first recorded in 1772 but had an earlier, even more alliterative version, "willful waste makes woeful want (1576)."

Keeping waste from landfills is how our Sari Silk Yarn line got started in 2008. Darn Good Yarn has kept thousands of pounds of sari silk from being thrown away! As we grow, we still look for recycled materials that can be loved into having a second life! Kinda like reincarnation but we just get the fiber to you, and you create that magic! Today, I want to share with you a few ideas for using our fibers.

1. Wrapping packages can be incredibly unique and creative. A great way to use up a hunk of Sari Ribbon is by tying a unique and eye catching bow, or pick up a Sari Ribbon Sampler for some serious color options for bow tying! This adds a thoughtful, personal, and sustainable touch to the gifts you're giving this year. After the gift is unwrapped, the ribbon can be used for a curtain tie, a hair tie, or even to stake up those tomatoes!

   

2. Make your own Upcycled Purse. I love when I can reuse or re-purpose anything. This purse is one of my favorite ideas because the purse is made of Recycled Sari Silk, with a strap from another old purse. Talk about ingenuity! Look around your closet or in your local thrift stores for interesting strap options when you make your very own Around the World purse.

   

3. Make a mixed media project. Have you ever considered painting with yarn? I never know what to do with the itty bitty leftover scraps of yarn that are too small to be stitched. Using those pieces to create art for the home is a great way to play with color and recycle your scraps. Don't be afraid to get abstract with this one too, the sky is the limit with this project!

   

4. The Wrapped Sari Ribbon Necklace is a great accessory option to help use up those last few yards of your sari silk ribbon yarn. We've even got a handy tutorial for this super simple project, so anyone can add this necklace to their jewelry box. Plus, you can get creative with this one, using different styles of knots will use up more yarn and add some interesting texture to your one of a kind piece!

   

5. >Make a flower crown. When I was little, all I wanted was to become a magical forest fairy, now I can get at least part of the way there with my Yarn Flower Crown! Even the smallest bits of yarn can be reimagined into a beautiful bouquet to rest regally on your head. A simple braided chain will help keep the crown secure and the flowers attached. It's never been more fun to use up old scraps!

   

Still looking for more ideas for recycling some things around your home? Plastic bags and other products can be cut up into "plarn" (plastic yarn), then knit, crocheted, or woven into an awesome new item. I'm just a beginner weaver but this just reminds me to keep it easy and to try to use recycled materials in my crafting of any type! What neat idea do you have for recycling with your projects?