I’ve been working on a series of pattern roundups for patterns that use your yarn leftovers (so far we’ve covered bulky and super bulky yarn) and now that I’ve hit worsted weight yarn I feel like there are way too many options for things you can do and that I need to break up the different kinds of patterns a little bit.
So for the first set of worsted weight knitting patterns using leftovers, I have what I’m calling patterns for the home. Things like coasters and washcloths, pillows, baskets and other stuff that’s not wearable but that you can use in your home.
Coaster Knitting Patterns
A knit coaster is a great way to add a bit of color and a homemade touch to your decor. They’re great for using yarn scraps because they don’t have to match, and making coasters out of cotton yarn gives them a bit of absorbancy for when your drink gets sweaty. Here are a few fun coaster knitting patterns for you to choose from.
- This mug rug pattern from Christina Pridie on Ravelry is super simple to make, and if you have a full skein of yarn you can make a whole stack of them that match. It’s worked in garter stitch with an edging similar to I-cord.
- Practice your colorwork with these fun graphic coaster knitting patterns from South Stitch Girls on Etsy. They are worked in the round.
- Or try the Buffalo Check Coasters from Alicia DeHart, which is also a free pattern on Ravelry. These give you a chance to try the double knitting technique, which is a lot of fun and makes your coasters double thick.
- Squibbly Bups on Ravelry has a quick coaster pattern made just by knitting a long I-cord and wrapping and sewing it into a spiral. You could do this same thing and make it bigger to use up all your scraps and make a trivet or even a rug!
- If you have a couple of different colors of yarn you can make a set of Tribal Stripe coasters from Moth and Rust DIY. Make a whole set with two colors, use one color that’s the same, or mix it up with all sorts of colors.
Knit Washcloths
Just about every washcloth knitting pattern is great for using your leftover cotton yarn, or if you have a skein of yarn you aren’t sure what to do with. Here’s a quick list of just a few classy washcloth knitting patterns that mostly use less than 100 yards (91 meters) of yarn — often quite a lot less!
- Izabela Grzybek has a several great washcloth and tea towel knitting patterns available on Ravelry, but I picked the Cliantro Dishcloth to share because of the fun combination of textured stitches that’s still pretty easy to knit.
- The Whitley Dishcloth from Knit On Designs by Deb Buckingham (Ravelry) uses a simple repeating pattern to make a great textured cloth.
- Nancy Lekx is working on a 12-month series of washcloth patterns using sequence knitting that you can find in her Ravelry shop. The one linked is number 8, but they’re all cute and use just knit and purl stitches in a repeating pattern.
- The Merriweather Dishcloth from Cluck Cluck Boots on Etsy uses easy eyelets to add interest to a mostly garter stitch design.
- Peaks and Valleys from Isabella Eisenbeil on Ravelry uses an easy chevron pattern and has a loop to hang the finished washcloth from.
- Add twisted stitches to make your washcloth even more fun with the Ellianna Dishcloth by Charlotte Duron. Available on Ravelry, this one calls for 100 or more yards but comes in different sizes so you can make it smaller if you have less yarn on hand.
Knit Cozies Using Leftover Yarn
There are so many different kinds of cozies you can knit for all sorts of purposes, from keeping your beer cold to your hot water bottle hot. Here’s a quick rundown of just a few of the options; you can always find more patterns in any genre you’re looking for with a quick Internet search.
Bowl cozy: if your bowl of soup or whatever out of the microwave is too hot to handle, knit a bowl cozy like this one from Heather Janey via Ravelry.
Plant cozy: make your planters a little prettier by knitting them sleeves. I love this fair isle one from Yarnspirations, or try a lattice stitch cozy from Brome Fields on Etsy.
Can cozies: there are so many options when it comes to can cozies. You can make one with a bottom that covers the whole can, like this one from YarnGear, or make a sleeve that can stretch to fit a can, a to-go cup or a water bottle (this easy colorwork one from Melissa Mann on Ravelry is just one example). And if you drink from skinny cans like those seltzer cans, you can make them a special skinny coozie like this one from Knitting with Sara that’s a free download from Ravelry. Or try a fun cabled coffee cup cozy like this one from Stacy Knit Wits on Etsy.
Yarn bowl: a yarn bowl could be considered a yarn cozy, and it’s a useful tool for keeping a ball of yarn you’re knitting with from rolling away (some small baskets could also be used for this purpose; see below). Try Ariane Gallizzi’s yarn cozy pattern, which is free on Ravelry. It uses brioche stitch so it’s a fun to knit as it is to use.
Hot water bottle cozy: I never use a hot water bottle myself, but my feet are always cold in winter so I can definitely see the appeal. If you want to start with a simple stash-busting water bottle cover, check out the Striped Hot Water Bottle Cover (you could make it in a solid color or use all your scraps) from Wooly Madly Deeply on Ravelry.
Baskets: a basket is just a cozy by another name, right? These might take more than the amounts of yarn we’ve been looking at with the other projects, but they’re a good way to combine leftovers from different projects and use more of your stash at once. If you have some wool yarn you need to use, try the Wool Vessel IV from Nick Davis on Ravelry (needs to be wool because it is felted). Or try the Everything Anything Basket from Frugal Haus or the three-tone Pretty Utility Basket from Etsy seller Knit and Crochet Evr Aft.
Pillow Knitting Patterns
Another great thing to knit for the home with your leftover worsted weight yarn is pillows. Pillows can be any size you want because you can make your own pillow forms to suit the size of the knitting you have made, or use standard sizes.
In the non-standard size category there’s this neck pillow, a free pattern on Ravelry from J.G. Miller. The pattern is made with short rows so there are no seams, and you can adjust the middle part to the size you need for your neck.
Cheryl Callahan’s cute Posy Pillow (Ravelry) is worked in stockinette stitch and allows you to use your fabric scraps, too, if you want to decorate the front of the pillow.
By Ladyship Designs on Etsy has a cute patchwork pattern that alternates stockinette and reverse stockinette stitches, so it’s really easy to knit but has a different look from straight stockinette.
Test your cable knitting skills with this tree-like pillow knitting pattern by Not Enuf Knitting on Etsy. This one is knit envelope style with a flap and buttons on the back for easier cleaning.
I hope this gives you some ideas of how to use your worsted-weight yarn 
