Can yarn be recycled? This is a question that many yarn lovers have asked themselves. It’s not easy to get rid of old yarn, but there are some creative ways for Yarn Recycling.
Yarn is a staple of knitting and crocheting. You can either buy it at a store, or you can make your own, but no matter how you get it, one thing’s for sure: you’ll have a lot left over at the end! In this article, we will go over 16 ideas of yarn recycling. Don’t throw it out; reuse it!
Table of Contents
1. Yarn dispenser
Making a yarn dispenser means recycling all of your empty thread spools! All you need are nails, wire cutters, wire (coat hanger works great), and an empty spool to act as the base for this project. First, take the wire and attach it to each nail using pliers, leaving about two inches of wire on end without a nail.
Take as many nails as you can and stick them into the spool, spacing them out evenly. Then take the yarn and cut it into shorter pieces about six to seven inches long each. Wrap them around each nail over and under until you go all the way around. Once you’re finished, you will have a super-handy, space-saving dispenser for your yarn!
2. Yarn pen holder
Recycle your old legged jeans and make a yarn pen holder! You’ll need an old pair of jeans and some fabric scissors to start. The first thing you should do is cut the legs off of the jeans in the inseam. When you have finished cutting, turn the jeans inside out and cut a straight line down the inseam to create a non-jean material for your pen holder.
Next, open up one leg of the jean and add pens, pencils, or any writing utensils you might have. You can also add more than one row of pens. Next, take the other leg and place it inside the first leg to create a pocket for your pens. Finally, add some ribbon or any embellishments you think would look nice!
3. Yarn hair ties
Next time before you throw away an empty shampoo bottle, grab some yarn and recycle it into a handmade hair tie. Cut off a length of yarn that is long enough to go around your wrist multiple times, and then tie it to one end of the shampoo bottle. Wrap it around the bottom half of the bottle as many times as you would like. With your yarn, cut a small hole through all layers at the other side, where you tied your yarn strand to the bottle. Then tie a tight knot and cut off any excess yarn. Now slide it through the hole you made, and voila! You have a stylish hair tie that won’t leave kinks in your hair or damage it as some rubber bands do.
4. Yarn pincushion
Make a knitted or crocheted pincushion from old sweaters! You will need one sweater, a large piece of cardboard to use as the base, and some fabric scissors. Start by turning the sweater inside out and cutting off any loose threads. Make sure that your base is big enough to fit all of your needles once you have pushed them into the sweater. Then push your needles into the sweater and put the pincushion on top of your base!
5. Yarn watch band
Make a beautiful yarn watch band by recycling an old belt! You will need an old leather belt, some fabric scissors, measuring tape, and yarn in whatever colors you like. Cut off any loose threads, and then cut the belt in half. Cut one piece in half again and make these pieces long enough to fit around your wrist and loop through where you normally buckle your belt. Next, you will need to make two buttonholes at each end of one side; the size should be big enough to fit the button that came with your watch through it. Finally, place the two pieces together and add your buttons.
6. Yarn bracelet
Fashionably recycle your old sweaters with these knitted bracelets! All you need is a sweater, a pair of circular knitting needles in whatever size you see fit depending on how big or small that you want your bracelet to be, and some scissors. First, cut off any seams at the sides of the sweater where there are no long sleeves. Then cut off the arms, and you should be left with a rectangle-shaped piece of knitted fabric (if not, then use your fingers to rip it apart). Next, cut these pieces into long strips about two inches wide; don’t worry if one strip is longer than the other, as you will need these to be different lengths. Then take one long strip at a time and lay them side by side on top of each other. Then join together two pieces at a time with one piece on top of the other using a different color yarn to form braided strands.
7. Yarn pot scrubber
Use an old sock and some liquid soap to make an eco-friendly homemade pot scrubber. Start by filling the sock with liquid soap and then tie off its top so that it doesn’t come out. Next, cut off pieces of your sock until you have one-inch squares. Then use two at a time and scrub away!
8. Yarn needle holder
Recycle an old T-shirt into a yarn needle holder! All you need is an old t-shirt, some fabric scissors and something to tie the T-shirt up with. First, cut off any seams at the sides of the t-shirt where there are no long sleeves. Then cut along both armholes so that you now have two T-shirt pieces. Cut each piece in half and stack up to three pieces together, one on top of the other to form a rectangular shape. Finally, tie up your t-shirt with the sleeves and use the remaining fabric as a bag to hold your needles!
9. Yarn doll
Take an old pair of jeans and turn them into a yarn doll! You’ll need some fabric scissors, an old pair of jeans and a pencil. Start by turning your jeans inside out and cutting off any belt loops or pockets. Then cut the legs horizontally so that you are left with two pieces; one front leg piece and one back leg piece. Cut off the crotch area and put this piece to one side for later. Next, cut both of these pieces vertically so that you are left with four equal-sized pieces of fabric; two front leg pieces and two back leg pieces.
Now take your crotch piece, place it behind one of your front leg pieces, then sew the edges together using the sewing machine. Once you have done this with your front leg pieces, do the same thing with the back leg pieces to have two complete legs. Next, sew these legs to each side of your crotch piece using a straight stitch from top to bottom. Finally, cut off all loose threads and flip your doll inside out so that the seams are on the inside. Then use a pencil to poke out the doll’s face and arms; make sure that you leave one or two centimeters open for armholes!
10. Yarn basket
Recycle an old basket into a yarn basket! All you need is an old basket, some fabric scissors, and some glue. Start by removing any handles from the basket and then cut off all loose threads. Next, take your fabric scissors and cut around the edges of your basket until you are left with a rectangular piece of fabric (if the piece is too big for this purpose, use it to make another item). Use some glue to attach this rectangle onto one side of the opening of your basket. Then take another piece of fabric and do the same thing on the other side. Once dry, flip your basket inside out, and it’s ready to go!
11. Yarn pom-poms
Make a yarn pom-pom with an old sock! You’ll need an old sock, some scissors, and string or thread. First, cut off the foot of your sock and turn it inside out. Next, cut off any remaining thread so that the sock is just a tube. Then tie one end of your thread or string around the sock while ensuring that both loose ends are hanging down on either side of the sock. Finally, start cutting through the material while holding onto both ends of the thread; once you make it all the way around, pull the thread ends to close off your sock. Then tie both sides of your pom-pom together and cut away any loose threads, then flip your pom-pom inside out!
12. Yarn crocheted flowers
Make some yarn-crocheted flowers for decoration! First, crochet a small flower from your yarn. Next, cut out a double-sided piece of felt and sew it onto the back of your crocheted flower using a running stitch. Then take a contrasting yarn color and attach the flower to one end using a half hitch knot. Finally, cut away any loose threads at the bottom of your flower.
13. Yarn braided rug
Make a yarn braided rug to cover up an old scrap of fabric! First, cut out any piece of fabric that you have lying around into something long-ish and rectangular. Then fold this over in half length-ways, so you are left with a doubled over the rectangle with a crease running down the middle. Next, tie a knot in one end of your yarn and start to braid the three pieces together until you reach the other end. When you get to the other end, make another knot and then sew this onto your piece of fabric using a backstitch or two individual stitches per color strand. Finally, trim away any loose threads at the bottom.
14. Yarn ball rug
Make a yarn ball rug for inside your closet! All you need is some cardboard, scissors and a glue gun. First, make a large circle from your cardboard and then cut it in half, leaving a flat edge on either side. Next, put a dollop of hot glue onto the flat edge and start wrapping your yarn around this until you have a large ball. Once you make it all the way around, continue doing this but lay another piece of yarn over the top to hide the previous one. Continue doing this until your ball is as big as you want it to be!
15. Yarn wreath
Make a yarn wreath for your front door! All you need is some floral wire, old newspaper, two sticks, and some yarn. First, cut out circles of newspaper about five inches in diameter; these will form the base of your wreath. Then start wiring one layer on top of another until all of your layers are connected (about three to five layers will be enough). Next, take your two sticks and attach them to the top of your wreath by wiring these in place. Finally, tie a piece of yarn around the bottom of your wreath over and over again until you can’t see any more green. Then start wrapping this yarn around the outside of your wreath and secure it by tying a knot. Once you make it all the way around, cut away any loose threads and hide them inside your wreath!
16. Yarn coasters
Make some yarn coasters to use as a mat for hot drinks! Cut out four pieces of felting roughly the same size; these will be your coaster bases. Next, wrap your yarn around each base until there is no felt showing; use different colored yarns for funky coasters! Finally, sew along the edge of your coaster to secure it in place and hide any loose ends inside. Then flip your coaster over, and you’re done!
Conclusion
If you want to make use of your old yarn, here are 30 clever ideas for yarn recycling! From making a shawl or blanket with leftover bits and pieces to creating fun art projects like the ones below, there’s plenty of ways to reuse your yarn. So take some time today for this quick guide that could save you money in the long run by not buying new materials too often. Happy crafting!
