Once you’ve gathered your leftovers and begun looking at the colours, the next question is often: what shall I make?

A collection of scraps doesn’t always suggest an obvious project. There might be a few tiny balls, half a skein left from a sweater, and some treasured yarn you’ve been keeping for just the right thing.

I like to begin by looking at what’s there, rather than choosing a project and trying to make every scrap fit.

How much yarn do I have? Are most of the leftovers a similar weight? And what would I actually enjoy making—and using?

You don’t need to use everything in one project. Sometimes a small group of scraps is the beginning of something lovely, while the rest can wait.

If you have just a few little scraps

Small amounts can be wonderful for adding a little colour to another project.

A stripe in a hat, a contrasting edge, a few rounds of colourwork, or a small crochet motif can give a leftover its moment without asking it to become an entire project.

If your scraps are very small, look for places where only a little yarn is needed. A short stripe uses less than a wide section, and a little decorative detail can be just as satisfying as something larger.

You might try:

• Narrow stripes in a hat, cowl or pair of mitts.
• Small colourwork details.
• Crochet flowers, motifs or little decorations.
• A contrasting edging on a suitable project.

The idea isn’t to squeeze a whole project out of too little yarn. It’s to find a useful place for those small amounts.

If you have a handful of leftovers

A modest collection might become an accessory or something small for your home.

Hats, cowls, headbands, small bags and cushion covers can all offer opportunities for colour play. Look for patterns that welcome stripes, repeated motifs or sections you can work in different colours.

Crochet squares can be a lovely starting point too. You can make a few, see how much yarn they use, and decide what they might become.

You might try:

• A striped hat or headband.
• A knitted or crocheted cowl.
• A small pouch or bag.
• A cushion cover made from stripes or joined motifs.

Choose the size and pattern to suit the amount of yarn you have. A scrappy project can still need more yarn than you expect, especially if the fabric is dense or heavily textured.

If you have a generous scrap basket

With a larger collection, you have room to explore blankets, shawls and garments.

A blanket is particularly inviting because it doesn’t have to fit anyone. You can choose a construction that lets you add blocks, strips or motifs as your collection allows.

My Scrappy Log Cabin Blanket recipe is one way to begin. Each new section gives you another chance to choose a colour, and the blanket grows a little at a time.

For crochet, joined squares or other motifs offer a similar pleasure: small pieces gradually becoming something larger.

A scrappy cardigan or sweater can be lovely too, though I’d give the yarn choices a little more thought. You’ll want enough yarn for your chosen size and a fabric that behaves consistently enough for the fit you want.

For my scrappy Cruiser Cardigan, I thought I’d need a carefully planned colour sequence. Once I began, though, I found myself choosing colours just as I do in the blanket, and enjoying it much more.

I’m mixing semi solids, speckled and variegated yarns, with some fluffy texture too. Those changes bring so much interest to the fabric. It’s something I’m looking forward to exploring more as the cardigan grows.

Scraps can have company

A scrappy project doesn’t have to be made entirely from tiny leftovers.

Full skeins from your stash, half-used balls and odd skeins without a project can all join in.

I have four full skeins of a discontinued yarn base in the colourway Petrol tucked away in my stash. I’m bringing some of that yarn into my Cruiser Cardigan alongside the scraps, and planning to use it for the bands, cuffs and hem.

A larger amount of one colour can give you options:

• Use it as a main colour between scrappy stripes.
• Repeat it throughout the project.
• Keep it for borders or finishing.
• Use it to join crochet motifs.

If you’re saving a colour for finishing, put that amount aside before using the rest. It’s easy to enjoy sprinkling it through the project and forget what you’ll need later!

This is still making from what you have. The bigger skeins deserve their moment too.

Choose something you’ll enjoy using

It’s tempting to choose a project simply because it will use lots of yarn. But I think it’s worth asking: would I love this in my wardrobe or home?

Perhaps you’d wear a colourful cowl more often than a scrappy sweater. Perhaps a cushion feels more achievable than a blanket. Or perhaps a long, slow blanket project is exactly the company you’d like.

You can also choose how much of your palette to use. A scrappy project doesn’t need to include every colour in the basket.

Our guide to choosing colours for scrappy projects can help you find a loose direction while leaving room for unexpected combinations.

Give lighter yarns a place too

Holding yarns together can give you even more possibilities.

For a DK-weight project, you can often use two strands of fingering-weight yarn held together alongside your DK scraps. It’s a lovely way to bring lighter leftovers into a project rather than keeping them in a separate basket.

Pair similar shades for a softer blend, or try two different colours for a marled effect. Even changing just one strand can introduce a new combination.

Two strands of fingering won’t always knit up exactly like your DK yarn, so try them together in a swatch and check the gauge and feel of the fabric—particularly for a garment.

It gives you more ways to use what you already have, with another opportunity for colour play along the way.

A little checking before you begin

Once you have an idea, check the pattern’s yarn weight, total yardage and gauge.

Weight in grams is useful, but equal weights of different yarns don’t necessarily contain the same length. Labels can help you estimate how much you have.

For anything that needs to fit, make a swatch using the yarns you intend to combine. Notice the thickness, drape and stretch, and wash it as you plan to wash the finished piece.

Think about care as well. A mixture of yarns needs a washing method suitable for all of them.

You don’t need to solve every colour choice in advance. These practical checks simply help you choose a project your scraps can comfortably become.

Your scrappy project starting points

A few tiny scraps
Try small details, narrow stripes or little motifs.

A handful of leftovers
Explore accessories, small bags or cushion covers.

A generous collection
Consider blankets, shawls or garments, checking the yarn requirements.

Scraps plus a larger stash skein
Use that colour for repetition, a main colour, joining or finishing.

Not sure yet?
Make a small swatch or motif. Sometimes seeing the yarn worked up helps the idea arrive.

Week 2: What are you planning to make?

This week in our Scraptober Scrapalong, we’re turning our collections of yarn into possibilities.

Learn: Explore project ideas that suit the yarn you have.

Try: Choose one possibility and check its yarn requirements—or make a small swatch or motif to see how your scraps look together.

Share: What are you planning to make? Show us your yarn with a pattern, sketch or the beginnings of your project. If you’re already underway, we’d love to see that too.

Tag @skeinyarn and use #SkeinScraptober on Instagram, or reply to one of our emails with a photo. With your permission, we’d love to share your making in our newsletter and on Instagram, with credit to you.

All scrappy knitting and crochet projects are welcome. There’s no need to keep up with the weekly ideas, and no deadline to finish.

I’m so enjoying seeing what everyone’s scraps are becoming. A few leftovers, a little curiosity, and something useful beginning to grow.