pattern to use up leftover yarn

i have lots of yarn leftover from various sweaters, etc.  they are of all different weights and content.  i am looking for a fun and easy way to use them up in either a scarf or afghan/knit or crochet.

i made a few scarves casting on 150 stitches, gartner stitch, changing yarn every few rows and leaving ends as fringe!  i am looking for new ideas!

sandy

 I would try making a sweater using the "Domino Knitting" by Vivian Hoxbro, similar to modular knitting.

Lana

I use every golor, weight, and type of yarn in afaghans, always using1 constant color throught, and then using the oddbaLLS, most likely using a # 11, or larger circular, moss st. or garter st. makes this a great one to do while watching t.v. another idea would be to knit slippers. Ive several good patterns for these, kid-adult if needed, my e/mail  is    jmad1@sbcglobal.net

 You can crochet slouch Berets with insperation left over yarn can be very effective .

I, too, save leftovers of everything.  To make it worse (or better, depending on your point of view), everyone I know that works with fiber gives me their leftovers, too.  I have three big square rattan baskets.  One has worsted weight left overs in balls or skeins; the next has really small balls and bits; and the last one is tiny pieces of scrap yarn -- from a few feet to snippets.  I use the first bigger batch to be incorporated into major projects -- for intarsia, sometimes for fair isle stuff, any time I need just a skein or less of something.  The second batch, when it gets too full, gets added to a piece of rug canvas.  (Usually have to double the strand and these are sort of randomly added in.  Right now, the 4 x 5 piece I have seems to be turning into some sort of mountain range with a sunset (sunrise?) in the background -- all based on the bits of color and how they seem to want to be arranged.  I only work the needle; the design builds itself).  The last bin with the smaller pieces go into stuffing dolls and toys or armigurumi creatures I build occasionally for little presents. 

All the fancier yarns and fingering-weight things are in a pretty little painted chest I have.  I use these as little presents or sometimes incorporation in other projects.  I try to give little gifts of fancy yarn to my nieces or young knitters I know with a set of needles and a little book of patterns.  I don't give lessons professionally, but I have apparently inspired a few relatives to take up knitting or crochet.  Even my grandchildren like to play in the yarn box and ask me if they can everytime they visit.  More knitters in the making?

Try the Oddball Shawl from frankenknits.  See the website for complete directions and photos.  What you do is, you roll up big balls, tying together 3-4 yard lengths of lots of yarns, putting the colors and textures together any way you like but keeping the tied ends about the same length.  Then you knit a simple bias shawl on a fairly big needle (you can also do a scarf just by making it narrower or, I suppose, an afghan by making it wider) without stopping to run in the ends.  You pull the ends to one side of the finished work.  The results are warm, soft and beautiful.  It's a bit of a funky look, not for everyone, I suppose, but gets a lot of admiration.  It's one of those projects that looks a lot more difficult than it is. 

(Hi, I'm Lutie.  50-something longtime knitter, attorney, singer, mother of five and stepmother of two.  From Chicago, where it finally, really is winter.)

I live in Alice Springs at the moment and foster children. I cannot get much in the way of wool but I have sourced shepherd 4ply all odd colours and I had a pattern by Jean Greenhowe with small teddy bears which I am knitting at a rate of knots. My 7yrold luvs them I cam knit a body part in minutes and it satisfys me as I am at least knitting.I have just got a simply knitting mag which has animals and noahs ark. Any extra will be given to the volunteers at Alice Springs hospital for the children in the hospital. It is the most remote place I have ever been in terms of getting any creative supplies and I may have to resort to undoing secondhand knitted jumpers.Has taught me to be resouceful in ideas. Also have crotcheted flowers for bags. I dont have a left over problem as such just supply and it is expensive here too so no waste Janet in ALICE SPRINGS aUSTRALIA