Yarn scraps for needle felting

I always have yarn scraps hanging around.. when I got my felting needles a couple of weeks ago 

I decided to use this gallon sized bag stuffed full to practice ... 

Okay over three weeks later I will admit I had no clue how much effort and time it would involve... 

I pulled colors as I needed them for whatever project I was working on.. some days I sorted colors out and just worked on brushing.. for hours at a time 

I got a couple of dollar store pet brushes.. around the end of week three they started losing some of the metal bristles .. but as many dozens and dozens of hours as I put them through hard brushing, I think they held up pretty well for the price..

 I had everything from nice super soft shiny to down right harsh scraps.. mostly in between stuff like Red Heart... 

In my experience Red Heart was much easier to brush out and quicker to felt then the smoother shinier Simply Soft scraps although they did make for some beautiful monster hair LOL ( post coming soon )

Red Heart before 

and after brushing 

I finally finished brushing the last of the scraps out last night after doing another marathon of six or seven hours straight.. ugh 

and I have a shopping bag full of baggies still left after dozens of smaller projects 

Side note 

I actually had to buy a box of sandwich baggies.. not something I do often .. I reuse them over and over again until they literally fall apart.. apparently it's been a few years as I could only find a few.. well I should be set for some time now ...... 
 

A few upcoming projects will be .....

I am going to try my hand at glitter eyeballs and polymer clay claws.. I just found some polymer clay at the dollar tree, small amounts in five or six different colors I think ... per pack just perfect size for doing some claws and possibly some beaks

As soon as I manage to de-scent my new pattern books enough to work with I'll start a few of these...

 Look at those hats on the Impkins... definitely looking forward to this... They are in a bag of dry rice .. slowly getting better... I could live without the added fragrance .. if it takes too much longer I am going to resort to taking photos of the pages LOL in the meantime I'm going to work on glitter eyes

Oh and the hairy monsters post 

Planning on mixing up some embroidery needle felting and beads also... 

Old Embroidery Pattern on New Bag

I am still planning on getting back to my scrap bag pattern but haven't settled which stitch to use for the strap, so that is yet to come .. in the meantime I am working on some cloth drawstring bags.

I ran out of the ribbon I use for the drawstrings, but had a dozen more already cut out... so....

 While waiting for the next trip to town to get more, I added some embroidery to a couple of the bags using floss I had from cross stitch kits I did years ago, lots of different colors but typically not a lot of each one.. perfect for small projects.. and keeps with the theme of using scraps

Looking for some inspiration on Pinterest I came across a funky little bird image that I had also seen in an Etsy shop. 

I was so tempted to get it from the shop, but was having issues with the download I already purchased......  a copy of a embroidery book dating back to the 1880's....

I couldn't open the PDF, turns out it was a link to a site to download it there, instead of the book. I didn't find this out until trying to download it on my phone hours later.. my PC just wouldn't open it

 I tried contacting them but didn't get a reply for over 12 hours ( they are overseas from me ), when the seller replied, I was given another link to download it that my PC was cool with.. no more issues with it.. but this gave me the time to go looking on Pinterest in the first place

 When I found the image of the funky bird on Pinterest it had a link to free internet archive site ( donations are welcome ).. link is at the bottom of this post... they are saving copies of books that would be lost for the most part..

I downloaded this book while waiting and a few others by Briggs & Co. this one is dated 1917... COOL

 So in keeping with using scraps.. I grabbed a small piece of scrap fabric ( from the drawstring bags as it was on top of the pile lol ) and some scrap thread, the kind friendship bracelets are made of... in small hanks like embroidery floss but thick like crochet thread ... I had left over from market days ( made them to hand out to kids ) matched up pretty well... 

 the ribbon is some that was gifted to me, that was some of their scraps and is clearly well over 20 years old, seemed fitting .. 

I used a B 2.25mm hook, standard increase of adding one extra stitch per repeat per round starting with six stitches in the round, until I reached 8 stitches in between increases,

 then just continued with straight single crochet ( US terms )  until I reached a size I liked, working in a spiral .. 

the ribbon is thin so I just did a round of double crochets after a slip stitch to even out the round..

 topped it with a couple of rounds single crochets, used a yarn needle to weave the ribbon through... 

with the color changes of the thread I used a simple knot, a few of inches from the end of the thread, leaving a good two inch tail of both threads,

 I simply worked over both for a bit, keeping my tension on the tight side so it would blend in better.. snipped the ends off close to the stitch after a tug to pull smooth, giving me only the start and finishing tail to weave in.. 

I just did a simple stitch to attach the embroidered fabric to the bag after a rough round cut, keeping it wide spread and uneven.. no fussy cutting or interfacing.. 

I want a bit of fraying to happen as it ages .. the stitches are deep enough to keep it from affecting the embroidery .. oh I did use embroidery floss to stitch it down.. one strand was used throughout. used a back stitch for the inside feather lines and the outline wrapping the outline.. head I did a single wrap french knot..the eye, feet and branch were done with a satin stitch 

as you can see from the photo taken off of Pinterest, I did change it up a little, a few less feather lines due to size and well because I don't normally like coping anything exactly .. even from pattern books.. got to put your own flare on your work 

 

check out those other birds... that owl.. sweet ..

side note.. while I was getting a photo of this bag and the drawstring bags I embroidered, one of which I did a "sketch like" black bird ( see photo below ) .. this guy shows up right outside of my window sitting in the same pose..

this photo is before ribbon was added, did get some finally but as yet to take a photo

 

Link to embroidery book download  

Pink Heart

A couple of days ago I bought a gnome with the intention of using some parts to make another gnome that was put together a bit more sturdy and gift worthy.. see link below... 

 upcycled dolloar store gnome post

I crocheted my gnome smaller than the original one without the bling, so I wanted to add a heart pin that was removable for a touch of sparkle.. gifting it to my mother who has started collecting pins I make on a bag ( I also made, pattern coming soon ) she loves gnomes and pins.. not so hot on pink though.. going to have to work something out with that .. 

This is the finished project

I actually remembered to take photos as I went along .. 

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.. pretty much how I start all of my projects lol.. so I grabbed some supplies.. some didn't get used, others were added along the way

I took what was the front of the original gnomes hat.. after removing the flat sequins- those are for another project- cut out a rough outline.. wanted overlap on the front so it needed to be larger than the pellon 70 heart shape I had cutout for the beading base

I used regular sewing thread in a matching color to hand stitch it to the base, wrapping around the edges

Then trimmed off the extra

Added some of these cute gems I picked up from hobby lobby

Added some silver flower sequins with pink seed bead center along with a strip of the mesh ribbon with silver edges.. I was thinking of put some brushed yarn for interest under it but was so close in color it faded into the backing..  went with a bullion stitch rose in multi pink and white colors embroidery floss instead.. 

Added a few pink sequins along the other top side.. 

After stitching down the pin fixture.. at a slight angle.. I glued a small piece of the felt fabric that was the back of the original gnomes hat, it is so thin it is see through and areas but worked perfectly to level off the back making it smooth with the folded over front fabric, I like this dry thoroughly before going on a second peace to cover the entire back.

I used my live in place along the edges for just a few minutes I wanted to guarantee a secure seal bit didn't want to leave an permanent indication in the fabric..

After the glue dried I did a mattress stitch all the way around the edge using a metallic pink embroidery floss

 

Yarn Scraps

 I make a lot of multi colored hats and scarfs during the holiday selling season leaving me with lots of smaller amounts of yarn .. along with being gifted a lot of leftover yarn from family and friends.. 

 

I put them aside until I pretty much have to do something with them lol 

I do use up whatever I can when I can, still however manage to end up with a fairly good sized amount of balls of varying weights and lengths.. I keep them sorted by weight or length

I save the tail ends also

 

and trims after making pom poms or weaving in ends

 

I've shared a few of the ways I use them over the years,..

when making my multi colored hats I add the tails to the pom poms or make small pom poms for other projects

 

small pom-poms can be used in many ways but these guys are one of my favorite ways 

           scrap yarn pom pom critter 

Used to get critters something like this in gumball machines when I was a kid.. so darn cute

I also use small and tiny scraps in some of my sewing and other projects to add texture, interest, high lights ot details.. like this haunted house brooch. I added green yarn for bushes and brushed out white yarn for a hazy cloudy look.. 

as well as stuffing small projects of course and as hair for small dolls or random ties for things like cords.

 I have been using so many of the two inches or less ones,  I haven't added much to my ball of knotted yarn ends..  it is only few inches thicker than the photo 

 

I made a really fun long tail hat with one of my knotted balls of longer lengths .. going to give that another try soon, working on writing the pattern.. 

I really don't have many cotton left overs either as I have been using them to make scrap cloths so often.. just a simple single crochet or knit stitch as wide and long as needed..

while looking for the photo of the knotted yarn ball I was reminded of this can cover.. I used it for ages .. the ends added so much thickness to it not only did it keep drinks cold longer but it soaked up the condensation from the can better.. 

Super simple knit pattern

inside-out-scrap-yarn-can-cover

So I have several projects in the works that are geared towards using up my scrap yarn right now... 

I am reminding myself to keep photographing the steps as I go.. 

I tend to start strong until I get caught up with the actual crafting.. realize a few steps later how many I skipped.. this is why I haven't posted any of them yet.. ugh photography is not my strong suit lol 

My scrap bag will be a multi posting as I'm planning on doing some light applique work on it..   the body of the bag is similar to this one I made my mother last year.  

 

She has been adding many of the brooches I have made for her to it .. I will have to try a catch a current photo if possible..

 

I just finished another hdc scrap scarf that is really a great scrap yarn project.. need to take a few photos of it finished .. for that posting.. 

 as it's really not my strong suit my son takes most of the finished project photos when time allows.. 

 this one was made using the same technique.. see why he takes the photos...

  

I love that scrap yarn projects are all one of a kind items.. 

The next few months are going to have a lot of fun simple ways to use up scraps of different sizes .. stay tuned