Monday, April 6, 2020

Crochet: Using Those Leftover Yarn Balls

As soon as I crocheted the first afghan for my grandbaby I had thoughts of using that leftover scrap yarn to make a throw. A sentimental way to keep pieces of their blankets for myself. Now is the perfect time to do it and I've made huge progress on my own afghan. I want to share the super-easy idea with you.

using my scrap yarn to make something special for myself

I crocheted afghans with VERY different colors for my three grandbabies. As a result, I kept my idea of using all of the scrap yarn (orange, purple, white, pink, and a variety of "under the sea" colors of tans, blues, and greens) in one project to myself. I adore rag rugs. So I suppose it wasn't a far jump to crocheting a blanket with this odd color combination. It was just a matter of finding the crochet pattern I'd want to use. But this kind of wild color combination...who does that?

Apparently, a lot of people do! 

There is even a name for this particular blanket - Scrapghan.

In searching for patterns, I find that making scrapghans is a fairly popular thing to do. And using a wide variety of colors that may not typically go together can lead to some beautiful projects. In addition, these projects save odd bits of yarn from being wasted and ending up in the local dump.

Personally, I have the best luck with learning new projects via video crochet tutorials. Sometimes it is a bit frustrating finding a video with someone whose teaching style matches my learning style but I've always managed to find someone eventually. If you have thought about using your scrap yarn to make a blanket, Ophelia tells us about her scrap blanket (and uses the Granny Stripe).

Ophelia Talks About Making a Scrap Blanket (Ophelia Talks):


If you are interested in learning the Granny Stripe stitch, I recommended viewing  How To Crochet Granny Stripes, episode 246 (Fiber Flux):




I prefer the look of the "granny stripe" patterns with the different colors of scrap yarns. In addition to creating a wide stripe of each color, the pattern works up very quickly. I also personally think that a granny stitch creates a "softer" blanket than a straight single stitch. I already know that this is a project that will create a functional and meaningful blanket I will treasure.

Related Links:

Colors from Ardin, Harper, and Bentley's blankets
For my grand-daughter's baby blanket, I used the Bernat Pipsqueak yarn. The yarn is unbelievably soft!  And when used with worsted weight yarn, in a lined pattern, the Pipsqueak creates a soothing sensory texture.  To see my Pipsqueak review click here. Notice that in 2017 I was already planning on using that yarn in a project for myself!

In two of the grandbaby blankets I made, I used the Done in a Day pattern by Dabbles & Babbles. I LOVE that pattern. It is easily adjusted for any size afghan and any size yarn. You can see my review of that pattern here

Of the three grandbaby blankets I made, I used the Under The Sea pattern for my grandson who is already on his way to being a marine wildlife expert! You can find my review for that fun crochet project here.


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


5 comments:

  1. LOVE your idea of using your scrap yarn from your grandbabies blankets to make yourself a scrapghan memory blanket, Dawn Rae. It reminds me of the handmade quilts my grandmother used to make using leftover material from the clothes she made my siblings and me.

    I have (naturally) a TON of leftover yarn skeins from my own crochet projects and have been thinking of making a colorful throw rug for myself. Thanks for the reminder that there are fun and easy ways to use up that leftover yarn us crafters seem to accumulate. :)

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  2. Wow! What a beautiful Scrapghan Dawn and what a sweet way to enjoy a piece of each of the baby afghans that you made for your grandbabies. The grannie strip pattern is perfect! I absolutely love this idea! Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  3. What a great idea for anyone who love to crochet. I have so many scraps that I know I could use in this way. Thanks for posting this idea. I guess I just needed a little push. Now I have it, thanks Dawn!

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  4. Wow, I love this idea. I haven't crocheted in years, but anything like this, colorful, gets a ten from me. What a smart thing to do. Crocheting is so addictive too - as is collecting yarn!

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  5. Beautiful gifts! I wish I still had the "scrapghan" my grandmother gave me when I went off to college. That bed covering was an important part of my life journey. One can never underestimate the importance of these heritage gifts. Now, you have me wanting a rag rug. Thanks for sharing your talent.

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