Well it is New Year as I write this article, and the time when so many of us knitters, crocheters and drafters declare that we won’t buy any new yarn until we have used up our existing stash.

However, such a resolution is atually completely boring. Buying yarn is after all a complete hobby in itself. It is so wonderfully soft and squishy, and not buying new balls and skeins can be a tad depressing.

This article contains some ideas for getting rid of your unwanted stash yarn so that you are free to buy some more. Read on to find out some excellent yarn de-stash ideas and tips.

Contains affiliate links.

Ideas to use up your stash and leftover yarn and wool

Knitting Strands of Yarn Together

How you use up your yarn stash will of course depend upon what types of yarn you usually knit or crochet with. The thicker the yarn, the faster it is to use up. A great idea for using up thin wools such as 4 ply or dk (8 ply) is to knit a chunky pattern and hold the thinner strands of yarn together as you knit.

Holding 2 strands of double knitting thickness yarn will make a chunky equivalent, and 4 strands will create the same thickness as a super chunky yarn.

Popular UK knitting Instagrammer, Theknitedit, combines her yarns to produce amazing chunky pullover designs which you can peruse here in her Etsy store. This designer shows how you can create super cool and unique garments whilst busting through your stash.

Another fabulous and very cool knitter, Laeke Bagger, has written a book where she shows you how to more or less create our own yarn by tying strands together and simply knotting them. Close Knit is well worth a read to anyone interested in modern European knitwear design, as well as using up your stash yarn.

Grab A Knitting Pattern Book to Use Up Your Stash Yarn

Of course using up yarn stash and leftovers is not a new topic, and there are countless books dedicated to the subject. If you are serious about making use of the bits and pieces of yarn that you have lying around, it might be worth investing in one or more book to help you on your way.

Here are my favourite books about de-stashing your yarn collection:

• Knitting Stashbusters
• Yarn Stash Wonders
• The Yarn Stash Workbook

Knit a Blanket

Blankets are an amazing way to use up yarn stash and leftover wool. Grab a pair of 10mm knitting needles, and cast on 40 or 50 stitches (40 for baby sized blanket or 50 for a larger blanket) and simply knit. Combine yarns and knit together – it doesn’t matter if the blanket contains different textures or thicknesses of yarns. Create a boho masterpiece, adding in new yarn whenever your current one runs out. Working in water stitch, simply cast off when your piece is long enough, cast off and sew in the ends.

Remember – 2 strands of chunky will give a super chunky yarn thickness equivalent, as will 3 strands of aran or 2 strands of dk yarn.

Use Yarn Leftovers for Small Projects

Small amounts of leftover yarn and odd balls are of course ideal for knitting up small projects. Egg cosies, toys (use yarn scraps for the filling), baby hats, phone socks and so on are such fun ways to use up your stash so that you can buy lots more yummy yarn.

Below are some of my favourite knitting patterns for projects which are ideal for de-stashing your yarn:

Love, love love this Stashbuster Patchwork Scarf knitting pattern. Cosy and warm, this knitting pattern will get rid of your yarn stash in no time.

Also adore the Stashbuster Slouch Hat knitting pattern – this design would make a great gift for someone special and uses small amounts of leftover yarns in different colours to create. Perfect!

If you like vintage knitting patterns, you may enjoy The Odd Ounce, a downloadable pattern for using up your bits and pieces.

Sell that Yarn Stash

If you really, really have yarn stash and leftovers that you can’t see being used up, the best way to clear them out is to sell them on. Ebay and Etsy are both brilliant marketplaces to sell on unwanted yarn, and you will find buyers with ease.

I hope you enjoyed this list of ideas for using up leftover wool and yarn stash. When you are ready to buy some new yarn, why not check out The Knitting Network – a much recommended online yarn retailer which has tons of free patterns and frequent bargain sales.