# Cute way to 'share' your yarn scrapes



## Gale from Oregon (Jul 11, 2011)

http://www.fiberfarm.com/2011/03/the-first-day-of-spring


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## knitwit42 (Apr 23, 2011)

There will sure be some colorful nest in the trees near you


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## Sewgin (Feb 28, 2013)

Thanks for sharing this great idea!


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## libra59_1 (May 15, 2012)

I wonder if you can put acrylic yarn in it? Do you think it would be ok?


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## Esther V. Wood (Sep 14, 2012)

YES to the acrylic question...the birds love it all...have been doing this for quite some time...
we knit in the park and cut up the left over yarn in small pieces and the next time we go...the yarn is GONE!!


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## judyh47 (Nov 11, 2012)

There was a recent thread which advised against putting out any scraps, wool or acrylic (but for different reasons). Apparently it does a lot of harm!


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## LinJurm (Aug 4, 2011)

I love this idea.


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## realsilvergirl (Nov 13, 2011)

Wraps around baby bird wings. Cuts off the corculation when it wets and dries. Lose their wings. Most yarn holds wetness longer than twigs. Chills baby birds. Please if you love nature dont do it. Also birds can inhavle the fibers. REMEMBER! Ducks and the pop can wraps that wrap around their throats! SAME thing!


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## minniemo (Apr 23, 2011)

I thought that there was a post on this site quite recently, that wildlife experts were now strongly advising against this, and I cannot for the life of me remember the reason. I know that they had said that they now knew there was a danger to wildlife.


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## kiwiannie (Jul 30, 2011)

:thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Neeterbug (May 25, 2011)

I had a pet bird that got his little feet tangled in the yarn when I would knit. He would pull so hard that I thought he was going to break his little leg. I would never put yarn out for wild bird's nests no matter how small a piece of yarn.


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## starrz-delight (Dec 5, 2011)

I have seen birds pick up horse tail hair that is 2 feet long, if they can handle horse hair yarn should be a breeze, 
They build their nests with it, and it is woven into the other fibers of the nest not just laying, on top I have put dog hair in my feeders for forever now and the birds love it.


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## Goldengate (Jan 30, 2013)

Anything that the bird has woven into the walls of its nest could hardly wrap around a baby bird's wing or neck. They aren't building the nest after the eggs are hatched, for Heaven's Sake! And I really think birds are intelligent enough to be able to tell the difference between a piece of yarn and a worm, so wouldn't be trying to feed it to their young. 
As for nests being sopping wet, don't birds usually try to find protected spots, even holes in trees? There are exceptions of course.


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## Esther V. Wood (Sep 14, 2012)

also put the lint from my dryer out for the birds to use in their nests. I cut my yarn into small lengths...it's always gone by morning...


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## wildfire0 (Mar 14, 2012)

In the spring we always leave the hair that we shed off the horses and dogs out for the birds. I just love finding little nests made of this hair.


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## suebuddah (Aug 26, 2011)

I had heard of this before but then I read that you should not put yarn out for birds as when they make their nests with it and it gets wet the water does not run through so the nest stays wet xx


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## Goldengate (Jan 30, 2013)

suebuddah said:


> I had heard of this before but then I read that you should not put yarn out for birds as when they make their nests with it and it gets wet the water does not run through so the nest stays wet xx


What about birds using wool tufts from sheep and other animals, when they are in rural areas? I seem to recall reading about the soft linings of the nests that the parent birds like to have.


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## Alto53 (Jan 26, 2012)

I read the entire article and there is a mention at the very end that this is an OK activity. 

Every spring, there is always a robin who insists on building a nest on top of my electric meter (sometimes 2 nests after the meter reader knocks down the first one) and I think I'm going to put some scraps out for her. 

Thanks for the reminder!


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## patocenizo (Jun 24, 2011)

Wow! How clever is that!


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## poulie (May 26, 2011)

Gale from Oregon said:


> http://www.fiberfarm.com/2011/03/the-first-day-of-spring


I am gonna try this with my kids since we have so many birds in our backyard!  Thanks ) Julie


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## Msellie (Feb 28, 2013)

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1144


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## Goldengate (Jan 30, 2013)

Msellie said:


> http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1144


Thank you, very much!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :lol:


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## morningstar (Mar 24, 2012)

Have been cutting scraps of yarn and placing them all over our property every spring for years. Never thought of using a suet holder, too. It is definitely heart warming to see the strands of yarn visible in the built nests. The squirrels use them, too, and ...probably... other critters who live here.


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## rjhandmade (Feb 15, 2012)

Hung mine out also but haven't seen any of the birds use it. I have 7 birdhouses around and 5 are occupied and I never see anything but dry grass being used. I was so excited to do this and now feel a little disappointed. Hope it works for others.


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## lori2637 (Jan 25, 2011)

Great idea


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## julielacykntr (May 5, 2012)

Thanks for sharing a great idea!


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## kittyknit (Sep 25, 2011)

very cool...and here I've been putting out the shredded paper I have....


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## Bitsee (Mar 11, 2013)

Gale from Oregon said:


> http://www.fiberfarm.com/2011/03/the-first-day-of-spring


A few years ago,I was caring for an aged aunt who was in the late stages of losing her eyesight. She was no longer able to sew or do other things. She would sit for hours fraying old towels (some not so old) to be put on the fence for birds to find and use in their nests. She could not see the birds but she could hear them and always commented on how happy they sounded when they found her frayings. The simple things in life..........


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

My suet feeder has suet in it! Maybe I should get another for yarn!


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## elaine_1 (Apr 5, 2011)

I put a post on earlier where the RSPB warned against using bits of wool/yarn. some of t gets water logged and damages the eggs or kills the tiny babies. the other makes the nest to hot for them to survive. Elaine


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## KnitterNatalie (Feb 20, 2011)

What a great idea!! Never thought of using the suet holders for yarn scraps...I've always just put mine down on the ground in a little pile. This is so much better!!

Animal hair obtained from brushing the animal is also great for the wild birds to use to line their nests, and the hair could also be put into the suet holders. Thanks for sharing!!


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## Goldengate (Jan 30, 2013)

elaine_1 said:


> I put a post on earlier where the RSPB warned against using bits of wool/yarn. some of t gets water logged and damages the eggs or kills the tiny babies. the other makes the nest to hot for them to survive. Elaine


Read Msellie' Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds reference she posted this morning.


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## SusieQue (Jan 26, 2012)

Gale from Oregon said:


> http://www.fiberfarm.com/2011/03/the-first-day-of-spring


Thanks so much for this link! I've always put out dryer lint and hair from my hair brush for my fine feathered friends, but really like this idea for an added feature for nests.


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## TRINITYCRAFTSISTER (Sep 28, 2011)

thanks for this. I sent a comment.


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## iShirl (Jun 30, 2012)

Cornell article was very interesting, especially:
*
Dryer lint from synthetic fibers becomes crumbly after it's rained on and dries. Some laundry detergents and fabric softeners may leave harmful residues. We dont recommend offering dryer lint.*

It does admit yarn cut into 4" to 8" lengths. That surprised me; I thought it should be much shorter. Anyway, no lint!!!


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## peanutpatty (Oct 14, 2012)

Esther V. Wood said:


> also put the lint from my dryer out for the birds to use in their nests. I cut my yarn into small lengths...it's always gone by morning...


I read somewhere that dryer lint can contain residue of soap, detergent, softener, etc. Possibly harmful to birds. I wouldn't try it, just in case.


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## Goldengate (Jan 30, 2013)

I remember watching a little bird, perhaps a sparrow, busy in our city garden, flying back and forth gathering bits of bark from the redwood tree my Mother had planted. Many trips, guess the bark was considered to be nice and fluffy and soft.


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## morningstar (Mar 24, 2012)

run4fittness said:


> My suet feeder has suet in it! Maybe I should get another for yarn!


Yes! I ran over to Home Depot, bought another suet holder, filled it with colorful yarn scraps and it's looking good hanging out there! What a great idea! Of course, our shrubs and trees are sporting pieces of yarn, too!


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## auntycarol (Mar 24, 2012)

What a great idea


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## DollieD (Mar 7, 2011)

I really enjoyed that!
Thanks for the post!


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## mtalmage (Apr 5, 2011)

elaine_1 said:


> I put a post on earlier where the RSPB warned against using bits of wool/yarn. some of t gets water logged and damages the eggs or kills the tiny babies. the other makes the nest to hot for them to survive. Elaine


Follow the links above and read them. Both suggest yarn for nesting materials. Both are expert websites; one is Cornell.


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## kathycam (Apr 24, 2012)

I love this idea! Can't wait to see some colorful nests in the neighborhood. I also put out dryer lint. I don't use fabric softener and the birds and squirrels really seem to like it.


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## Esther V. Wood (Sep 14, 2012)

okay...won't be doing that anymore!! thanks for letting me know....


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## mkilcoyne (Apr 30, 2012)

Luv this idea! :thumbup:


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## realsilvergirl (Nov 13, 2011)

Goldengate said:


> What about birds using wool tufts from sheep and other animals, when they are in rural areas? I seem to recall reading about the soft linings of the nests that the parent birds like to have.


Horse hair and wool are natural items. They arent manually or mechanically twisted into long tight fibers. A tiny baby bird can get a foot around a piece of yarn. Trust me. Why would you risk this? Is it that important? Birds have built nests long before we came around.


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## realsilvergirl (Nov 13, 2011)

Just because 'Cornell' says it is okay that makes it okay? Lets ask ducks about it that get yarn later wrapped around their necks....why risk it? It is not that important....is it? I can find just as many sites that advise against it. Why wouldn't you err on side of caution?


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## Goldengate (Jan 30, 2013)

realsilvergirl said:


> Horse hair and wool are natural items. They arent manually or mechanically twisted into long tight fibers. A tiny baby bird can get a foot around a piece of yarn. Trust me. Why would you risk this? Is it that important? Birds have built nests long before we came around.


I'll still go with Cornell Ornithology Lab. And the birds weave the whatever fibers into the whole of their nests BEFORE the eggs are laid or the nestlings are hatched. They aren't bringing long threads to the nest to wrap around baby birds necks, wings, legs, feet or bodies, after they are hatched! Also, most birds try to find secluded, protected spots in which to build their nests. So the rain storm won't soak them nor predators discover them too easily. Sometimes their choices seem odd. One time I was very sad to discover that a sparrow had managed to strangle itself in the suet holder.


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