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From weaving in ends, to sewing parts together, to the barely-scraped by bits left over from winning at yarn chicken; yarn scraps come with the yarnbending territory.
If you have a compulsion to hold onto those scraps (no worries, I do too), read on for ways to actually use them.

Length does matter, but there’s a method that will work for any scrap length. For reference, I’ve noted the length of yarn that I tend to use for each.

I keep a small mason jar in my craft cart that I put my yarn scraps in to store as I finish my projects. This keeps it semi organized and in an easy to reach location.
My scraps typically consist of acrylic and cotton yarn from various brands. Right now it’s full of orange and brown yarn from the pumpkin making season.

1. Stitch markers

Those pesky actual stitch markers seem to disappear whenever you need one. That is not the same with yarn scraps, those suckers are everywhere. For this, I use scraps that are about 2 inches in length.

I’ve only used this for crochet projects (not that it can’t necessarily work for knitting, I just haven’t tried it). To use scraps as stitch markers, simply insert the hook into the stitch you wish to put the marker in, loop the scrap over the hook and pull through. When you need to move it, simply pull it out and reinsert it into your next stitch.

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2. Ties for gift / product tags

Probably the biggest thing I use my scraps for, are ties for my product tags. For these, I use slightly longer scraps of about 5-6 inches. Make a loop and tie the ends together in a knot. Loop through and secure the loop to the tag.

3. Stuffing

Yarn scraps also make great stuffing for amigurumi. This method is great for using up large amounts of scraps, as well as scraps that are smaller (less than 2 inches). I like to use this for stuffing smaller items, particularly pumpkins.

4. Colorwork

Lengths of yarn that are longer than about 6 inches but too short to make a project with on their own, are perfect for sections of colorwork that only need a small amount of yarn. This turtle (see HERE for the free pattern) is made almost entirely of yarn scraps.

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What’s your favorite way to use yarn scraps? Let me know in the comments and be sure to pin this for later.