Scrap Yarn
What is it? It’s the weird leftover bit of yarn you have from that finished project. It’s the random ball of 50 yards (maybe?) of black acrylic that you swear showed up out of nowhere. It’s the fun-fur that you thought was a good idea at the time. Grab bags at garage sales and thrift stores of yarn and craft supplies sold as is are my favorite.
Okay but why? Well, it all started because I was a broke college student who loved to knit and couldn’t afford more expensive yarn made from natural fibers, let alone new yarn. Many friends and family members started giving me bags of random acrylic that they no longer wanted or found at the bottom of a closet. Instead of letting it go to a dump and add to the ever-growing garbage issue, I decided to try to use those no longer wanted bits of yarn and make something interesting with them.
Fiber Content
Due to the nature of how I acquire my yarn, be it at a thrift store and labels long lost, a garage sale grab bag or some distant relation’s stash that is older than I am, I cannot guarantee the content of the yarn I use. I try my best to ensure that the blankets are made from acrylic because it’s just easier to take care of HOWEVER, even I am fallible. I have almost three decades of fiber arts experience so I’ve learned how to differentiate acrylic yarn from other fibers MOST of the time. When in doubt, I do a burn test. Even then, I’ve been wrong. Older acrylic yarn has a certain feel but newer technologies have developed some really amazing acrylic yarn that fools even me!
If I’m using mixed fibers in an item, I will note the fiber when possible! If I have the label available, I will always post the content!
If you or the recipient has sensitivities to various fibers, please keep this all in mind!
But why scrap yarn?
What started out of necessity became my art style. And as a fiber artist and amateur fashion historian, I need to do my best to keep whatever I can out of landfills, random yards of yarn included. What others have cast off as useless, I get absolutely giddy over. Creating beautiful and unique items is just the icing on the cake.
