# Left Over Yarn Project



## HKelley350 (Mar 1, 2015)

I had a large plastic bin of left over yarn and wondering what to do with it. Decided to make a blanket with it. Nothing special, just a large checkboard type blanket. Currently knitting the scalloped edge trim to add to it. Blanket size - 70" wide by 90" long. By doing this project, I have reduced the quantity of left overs, to make room for new yarn.


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## luvrcats (Dec 7, 2014)

Not only is your "leftover yarn" beautiful and colorful--it is unique and will be a "one of a kind"!!! Unless you try to duplicate it! Awesome and will fit into every décor!! Great job. Who will be the fortunate receiver--you or someone else!!??


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## luree (Feb 21, 2014)

You did a great job and now you get more yarn! That's a win-win.


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## HKelley350 (Mar 1, 2015)

Once I put the trim on, I will package it up and send it to my 'granddaughter' in New York. She likes colorful items.


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

Your granddaughter is very lucky! That is a beautiful and large afghan!


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## String Queen (Apr 9, 2012)

Love your colorful blanket. I'm looking forward to seeing the border.


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## kiwiannie (Jul 30, 2011)

Your left over yarn,has knitted up beautifully,love afghan.


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## Moira Palmer (Mar 7, 2012)

That is lovely - and so neat , well done!


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Lovely and a great idea.


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## Madassie (Jan 21, 2015)

I love the colors, it looks great!


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## Suemid (Jan 12, 2013)

Lovely! It's sitting nice and flat. Are they just stockingette pieces? How did you join them?


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## JeanneHolmes (May 4, 2011)

It came out beautiful. What nice joins you did.


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## JuDyAEd (Jan 26, 2015)

What a wonderful idea. It is lovely!


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## dwidget (May 30, 2011)

what a great idea. thanks for sharing


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## jlattimore (Aug 8, 2013)

Wow this if fabulous. I'm with Suemid, how did you get it to lay so nice and flat? The join looks beautifully even and uniform.


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## Mitch (Apr 4, 2011)

I agree with all that it is beautiful.


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## Saroj (Dec 2, 2011)

Beautiful. How many sts and how many rows each square? Great idea.


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## Ellie in Houston (Mar 10, 2011)

I like it, too!! I know you knitted your heart in every st. It took many hours.


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## janeknits2 (Feb 20, 2015)

This is great -- I love the large size! Did you do seam as you go or latch the panels together; it is hard to tell in the photo.


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## topotex (Feb 4, 2014)

Thank you for the great idea! Always looking for a way to utilize the small amounts of yarn we seem to always have. Keep up the good work!!


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## Daphnee08 (Jan 27, 2011)

I am curious how you got your edges to lay so flat also. They are beautiful.


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## moragw (Apr 8, 2011)

What a gorgeous blanket. The colours are beautiful.  MoragW


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## HKelley350 (Mar 1, 2015)

I knitted the first strip, and then applied the SAYG method for each additional strip. I used 40 needles for the width of the strip, and there are six strips to the width of the blanket. There are 11 blocks per strip. I did not use my counter. I stopped on the first strip when I got 'tired.' I took me approximately 6-hours to complete the blanket/afghan. I've just completed 50% of the scalloped trim (Diana Sullivan). Each side of the blanket/afghan will have a different color trim. So far I've used a cream white on one long side, and the lime green across the bottom. On the opposite long side I will use the remaining blue yarn that is in the blanket, and across the top an additional color that is used in the blanket/afghan.


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## moragw (Apr 8, 2011)

How many stitches and rows did you do? MoragW


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

It looks LOVELY, and doesn't it give a "sense of accomplishment" when you've turned "leftover nothings" into something useful and beautiful!
I used my left overs, odds and ends, etc recently to crochet a number of cat blankets for my favourite animal charity/sanctuary -- someone said the blankets are so beautiful they could sell them as baby blankets -- so one way or another (selling to help raise funds or using them for cats and small dogs) my "leftovers" have been put to good use, and I had the pleasure of crocheting them!


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## randiejg (Oct 29, 2011)

Great use of leftovers, and I'm sure it's something your granddaughter will just love.


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## janeknits2 (Feb 20, 2015)

Thanks for all the details...the work and hours are worth it as this is such a fun blanket.


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## Elaine Schumann (Jul 31, 2014)

Hope to see this beautiful afghan when you get the borders on it. Your joins are so perfect, did you block each block to get them so even and did you join by hand or mackine? I love the idea, really nice work.


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## Elaine Schumann (Jul 31, 2014)

What is the SAYG method. I haven't come across that method or else I'm just not thinking as I've been knitting for years. .thanks


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

Only 6 hrs to complete the blanket??? You must have machine knitted?


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## janeknits2 (Feb 20, 2015)

SAYG = seam as you go. Correct me if I am wrong but you pick up a bar opposite the carriage and place it on the end needle of the piece you are knitting on this occurs every other row thus the first strip is attached to the second as it is beign knit


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## biljana (May 29, 2013)

wow!!!!!


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## HKelley350 (Mar 1, 2015)

Yes, I used my Knit Smart Knitting machine, which has only 50 needles, and Keyplate 35. Clamped it to the table, turned on some classic movies and started knitting.  I normally use this smaller knitter for making socks.

SAYG - Seam As You Go


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## HKelley350 (Mar 1, 2015)

Here is a snap of the trim I have currently made which is penned in place on two of the sides. I will attach it to the afghan with a sewing machine, and then flip to the front and with a darning needle and the appropriate yarn sew in place.


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## moragw (Apr 8, 2011)

Thank you for sharing this pattern with us. It's beautiful.


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## Langtonian (Sep 28, 2012)

Now don't forget to stitch your name and
the year on one of the squares.


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

Excellent thought.... future generations will value that information about the quilt maker!


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

Excellent thought.... future generations will value that information about the quilt maker!


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## Ritaweijers (Mar 30, 2015)

I like the colors :thumbup:


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## String Queen (Apr 9, 2012)

Elaine Schumann said:


> What is the SAYG method. I haven't come across that method or else I'm just not thinking as I've been knitting for years. .thanks


I just put SAYG in the search and found Sew As You Go. I didn't know either. Rather clever. Several videos


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## judypfennemore (Feb 28, 2015)

Brilliant idea thanks for sharing!


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## nannie343 (Aug 15, 2012)

Very nice and colorful blanket. Great way to use those leftovers . Now you'll have room for new yarn!&#128522;


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

For my "leftovers blankets" I used all the colours I had to crochet granny squares, then did one row of black around each square. When stitched together, the result looks imilar to a stained glass window... with the black outlines looking rather like the lead divisions around the vari-coloured squares. ( I then put a couple of rows of black around the whole thing.)


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## charmknits (Jan 26, 2014)

luree said:


> You did a great job and now you get more yarn! That's a win-win.


Oh yes! I love all the colors too!


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## String Queen (Apr 9, 2012)

Angela W said:


> For my "leftovers blankets" I used all the colours I had to crochet granny squares, then did one row of black around each square. When stitched together, the result looks imilar to a stained glass window... with the black outlines looking rather like the lead divisions around the vari-coloured squares. ( I then put a couple of rows of black around the whole thing.)


Sounds beautiful Angela. Do you have a picture to share?


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## HKelley350 (Mar 1, 2015)

It would have been nice if I had enough black yarn. Framing the square in black would make it stand out.


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## boots (Jan 24, 2011)

What a super afghan. Love the color, SAYG, and the trim.


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## Elaine Schumann (Jul 31, 2014)

Man, you really did a nice job. I can't believe how you got it all lined up so evenly. I like your edging too. Very inspiring


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## eqnancy613 (Jan 22, 2015)

very nice work and very good idea. Granddaughter won't be able to not like it..and it will be extra special since Grandma made it.
Nancy


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

My computer had some changes made (when Microsoft stopped supporting whatever I was using) and now I don't know how to put photos into my computer! However, am coing to take some pictures today (and then find someone who can store them on my computer with my other "knitting photos")... have to take the photos today, because tomorrow I'm driving over (about 140 miles each way) to the animal sanctuary to give the blankets to them. I DO HATE changes to my computer!!!


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## Nanny Chacombe (Jan 2, 2015)

Beautiful colours and so neat


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

Yes, that's what I did -- the multi colour granny squares, each outlined in black, looks rather like a stained glass window. Cannot take any photos of the 12 blankets I've made before I deliver them to animal sanctuary/charity tomorrow (they can either sell them as baby blankets, or sell or use them as cat blankets) because my camera isn't working (wouldn't you know it?) so can't take the photos and save to computer! I'm really quite sad about this, as I have photos of all the things I've made for the animal charity over the past 30-40 years!


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## fashion (Nov 1, 2011)

Wonderful job lovely project. How did you join them? I did a bunch of squares only two colors but my joining them was not a very good job. My squares were crocheted.

You have given me an idea. Someone gave me two bags of left over yarn that was given to her, now I think I know what to do with it.

Fashion


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## judypfennemore (Feb 28, 2015)

Angela we'd love to see your blankies too - darned computers - how about your phone, can't you take some pics with it??


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

Oh dear I'm the original NONtechie! I loathe mobile phones, have had one for about 8 yrs and have made, perhaps, 11 calls from it. It is a phone that just makes and takes phone calls (I think I could also message & text on it, but don't know how to do those). I have a camera to take photos, but as someone recently pointed out "If you have a phone nowadays, you're never without a camera... think of the times you've missed the perfect sunset, the perfect photo..." True of course -- and a cousin has pointed out that, had I lived a century or 2 ago, I'd doubtless have been a Luddite!


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

I think as long as you stitch neatly (is it called whipped stitch, just over and over joining the two edges) any joining method is jusst fine. But remember, DO NOT stitch tightly, DO NOT pull your yarn tightly -- the temptation is there, thinking you are making a more firm connection.


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## judypfennemore (Feb 28, 2015)

Ah well never mind Angela, we'll use our imagination s- good luck with the computer


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

I have days when I HATE the computer! Used to be that a jammed sewing machine could take my temper from 0 to 60 in about 3 seconds; nowadays it's "something going wrong" with the computer that can do it!!!


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## judypfennemore (Feb 28, 2015)

Yes know what you mean - you can finish with something on the darned thing, come back the next day and its on sulky teenager mode and no end of coaxing followed by foul language, will persuade it back into quiet submission. Find your needles and get clicking!!


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

I'm not proud about it, but I bet my "foul language" is a whole lot more FOUL than yours!!!!


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## sharronaw (Jul 12, 2013)

What a wonderful project. I have been thinking of doing it with my leftovers too and now am inspired. Were you very careful about using the same yarns? I must learn the SAYG!


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## Angela W (Aug 31, 2011)

I used what is called double knitting in UK, and it is called Worsted Weight in USA.


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## HKelley350 (Mar 1, 2015)

Basically they were the same types of yarn, with the exception of the pink and gold-like color (though close enough). They were 4-ply acrylic super soft yarns from Hobby Lobby.


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## Huckleberry (May 27, 2013)

Very nice.


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## HKelley350 (Mar 1, 2015)

Very easy to learn. On YT - Cynthia Ogden SAYG Revisited & Left Over (1). After you make your first panel, alternating colors as you will, working from then on is very easy. Have fun!


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## moragw (Apr 8, 2011)

Hello Kelly Thank you I will try that. Morag


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## tpmcgoo2 (Mar 7, 2011)

it is beautiful! I love the trim too! I sure could use up a lot of yarn doing this...good idea as I have way too much yarn. Wait! is that even possible? LOL!!


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