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If you’re like most crocheters, you don’t like to waste any of your scrap yarn. After all, with just a little imagination, you could find all sorts of scrap yarn crochet projects to turn it into!
But how do you store your scrap yarn to keep it from ending up a tangled mess that does end up in the trash? That’s exactly what I can help you with today!
What to do with Yarn Scraps
Before I learned how to store my yarn scraps as a cake, they inevitably ended up a tangled mess. But since I rarely use my scrap yarn for smaller project than a scrap yarn blanket, storing them in a ready to use ball is so much better!
How to Make a Scrap Yarn Cake Video Tutorial
Now that you know how to make your leftover yarn into a tidy yarn cake, you can start to figure out what to do with it!
Scrap Yarn Crochet Projects
You can make just about any crochet project you like with your scrap yarn cake. If you’re looking for inspiration, see what other people have made with yarn cakes or self striping yarn! Here are some great scrap yarn projects from my site:
- Scrap Yarn Crochet Blankets
- Scrap Yarn Purse
- A Lightweight Cowl Scarf
- Sunrise Sky Cowl
- Diamond Lattice Kimono Cardi– could have a super fun boho look!
- Two tone Mesh market Bag
Rosalie McCreary says
Clever, clever, clever!!!!! I guess I’m not so crazy after all!! I’ve thought about this before but thought it wasn’t a good idea…now I know!!! I love how you showed the magic knot. It’s so simple the way you did it. I do use it but I somehow get the method confused and have to do it again. Thank you for your cheery and helpful videos!
Be safe and healthy.
Cyn Bechtol says
OMG!! You are my hero!!!! The magic knots to join and tie in the yarn is spectacular!!! I will be using that trick n tip for the rest of my life!!! I HATE changing colors in a project… not anymore.
Katie says
Hi Cyn!
I’m super excited this made using scrap yarn FUN and EASY for you! That makes me so happy. <3 Thanks for writing in, this made my day!
Katie
Linnea says
Excellent idea to wind all the scraps into a cake! I’m going to make a scrappy cake today out of all my leftover fingering weight yarns.
Thank you for the easier way to make a magic knot! The way I learned I’m always having to view the video tutorial to remind myself of how to do it. The other day as I was adding yarn to my project I did it the way you show us in this video tutorial. I thought myself pretty smart cutting out two extra and unnecessary steps. Thank you for confirming I am pretty clever 😆!
Happy Hooking! ~Linnea
Katie says
Hi Linnea!
So glad you liked the scrap cake, and the magic knot tutorials! I love hearing that my work helps make crocheting just a little more easy and fun for you guys. <3 This comment made my day. And YES you are so clever! 😀 Glad you took the time to comment, it put a big smile on my face today. 🙂
Love and yarn,
Katie
Joanne says
This is amazing! Great idea. I will be joining all my scrap yarn and finally make something with it all. Thank you so much!
Katie says
So glad you’re excited to make a scrap cake, Joanne! They’re really so fun to work with. You can try something like my Herringbone Scrap Blanket here, although it won’t look quite as orderly if you make the cake beforehand, it’ll still be super cute!
Katie
Beth McC -- Midwest Redhead says
Thank you for showing us this technique. I have to wind by hand, but it still looks easier than weaving in multiple strands.
Katie says
Hi Beth! I know a few crocheters like you who prefer to wind by hand, either because they don’t have a yarn winder, or they just prefer a yarn ball to a cake. But yes it works just the same! I really like the magic knots for a multi-color ball, because it’s so easy to do it as you go ahead of time. It’s like that quote- if you have to eat a frog, best do it first thing in the morning and get it over with. Taking care of the ends first means I don’t have to do it at the end!
Happy crocheting,
Katie
.Leonora Mitchell says
Hi Katie,
First of all I want to tell you, I love your site, patterns, tutorials. I really like the tutorial about making a cake with
your scrap yarn and to do the magical knot. My question for you is, it best to keep your same size yarn weight
together, to keep your variegate yarn separate in a cake and also should you try to keep the colors matching.
Thank you so much for all you do for the crochet community.
Katie says
Hi Leonora!
So glad you are enjoying the tutorials!
For this yarn cake, I do like to separate by yarn weights. I also try to keep colors separated by contrast- so I don’t group two shades of pink together, for example, but I like mixing in variegated yarns with solids.
The most important thing is that you make sure you keep your scraps separated by what can be washed together- so I don’t mix wool and acrylic, because then if I made a blanket, it might shrink unevenly the first time it’s washed.
Hope that helps! Have fun creating!
Katie
Katherine says
Did you say to measure the yarn first if wanting a pattern with symmetry??
Katie says
Hi Katherine,
I was going for a really messy look here, so I didn’t measure them, but if you wanted them to be symmetrical I would absolutely measure them first. You could use a kitchen scale to get an equal number of grams per ball- it won’t be exact, but if you’re using similar weights/brands, it will be more than close enough for my tastes.
Katie