Yarn, like fabric, produces left overs after projects are finished. One of my friends has a great way to use them, making hats for the homeless. The pattern makes a two layered, reversible hat. The first one is hers, then comes mine. The hat starts with a tube with closed ends.
You can see how it uses up bits of yarn. Punch one end into the other to make a lining and fold up the brim; or change colors by punching the other end inside.
Fun as well as warm. Here’s mine minus the final decreases.
Mine isn’t so dramatic as my friend’s–I had quite a bit of left over red-rock yarn, but not enough for a big project. The yarn for the multi-colored stripe is really nice, so here is a close up of it–also more true to the actual colors.
I’d made a fancy shawl for my daughter of the multi-colored yarn a long time ago. It was spun from recycled silk. My hat isn’t finished because I want to buy double pointed (DP) needles to close the tube. Her instructions actually call only for 16-inch circular needles and knitting back and forth when starting stitches and ending decreases make it too small to fit the circular needles, then seaming the opening. I see no reason not to use DP needles and avoid seaming.
So this is my non-traditional entry for Scrap Happy. Click here to get links to see what other folks are doing with scraps (probably fabric).
Meanwhile, on the quilting front. Back in spring I was participating in several of Elizabeth Barton’s classes on the Academy of Quilting. The first one was Modern Art for Quilters. One assignment was to draw a grid. The sketch is here.
I made some value sketches too, then stitched it up in two color combinations. They were about 11 X 15 inches. At the time was thinking ahead to the guild quilt show and the small quilt raffle. However, only one got finished in time.
Color Study #1
The delay was in deciding how to quilt it. I had always thought of the blue as background, so went with outlining blue pieces with blue thread. Then I faced it. I wish I still had the mallet I used to use when tailoring to flatten the corners and keep the top and bottom straight, but oh well . . .
Here is the unfinished one.
Color Study #2
I’m thinking about making a larger version of this second palette.
I’ll be linking with the Tuesday Colour Linky Party (link in sdebar).
knitNkwilt 
Love those cosy hats! Will you be posting again before ScrapHappy Day? If so, when I send out the reminder, do remind me to link to this post rather than just to your blog.
Love the hat. Where can I find the pattern Claire? Great idea.
My friend does it from memory and doesn’t remember source. She handwrote some directions. I searched on Ravelry. This one looks similar, https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/winter-hat-12 Except it doesn’t have as wide a brim. The samples my friend gave me to work from have about 5 inches of brim to give four layers over ears. Friend said to knit tube about 20 inches then decrease. Just remember as you knit, the first brim you knit will be the brim of the last top–hope the tube picture of her finished one makes this make sense. 🙂
Great use of the yarn leftovers! And your color studies are great.
Great hat and use of yarn bits. Would you mind sharing where I can get the pattern?
Great way to use up little bits of yarn! Scrappy hats are the best hats 🙂
Oh my goodness – the reversible hat is brilliant! I can imagine some homeless person looking very bright and cheery in one of your donated hats! Your Elizabeth Barton class piece looks amazing!
I really like the idea of the hat. I might see if I can find a crocheted version that wouldn’t tax the carpel tunnel too much. Looking forward to seeing a bigger piece with the Barton ideas.
There is a crocheted version on Ravelry. I searched “reversible hats.” Not all patterns were free nor were all reversibles two layered.
The hat is just lovely and sure to be really appreciated.
I’m glad to see uses for scrap yarn as well as fabric, and such a practical idea too. Your color studies are lovely too.
I love the colors in the quilt! Could you wrap your meat mallet or a hammer in a thick sock and pound with that?