We knitters hate to throw away yarn so our stash is full of leftover oddballs and scraps of yarn too small for most projects. Here are some free knitting patterns for clever stash busting ideas to de-stash those yarn remnants. These make great quick gifts, too! Updated 9/2/24
To get the knitting patterns, scroll down the page to the individual pattern you want and click on the link to that pattern.
These patterns are not my designs but links to other designers who have generously shared their patterns. If you have questions about how to knit a specific pattern, please contact the designer directly.
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Free Patterns
Knit Sunglasses
Fun way to use up leftover yarn! Knit a colorful cozy for sunglasses. Perfect for a day at the beach, parades, Mardi Gras, dress up with the kids, and more. Uses just 22 - 28 yards (20 - 26 m) of Aran weight yarn. Designed by Jennifer Gelder.
Easy Hair Scrunchie
This quick and easy hair accessory uses a small amount of yarn (about 50 to 80 yards) so it's perfect for stashbusting or partial skeins. Any gauge yarn will work. Rated easy by Ravelrers. Designed by Shannon Passmore who lets you sell the finished projects. Pictured project by the designer and Wella.
Itty Bitty Bear Cubs
These easy preemie sized bear cub hats come in two sizes. Great stash buster! Designed by Carolyn Ingram. Pictured project by jooney
Pan Handle Cozies
Easy quick pattern for insulating covers to protect hands from hot handles. Three designs. Great for scrap yarn and quick housewarming gift! Designed by Sharon Fuller
Key Cozies
These tiny key sweaters are great for identifying your keys, keeping them warm in winter, using up stash yarn and learning Magic Loop techniques. Designed by Liat Gat who has included an instructional video.
Pocket Book Slippers
These easy mary jane style slippers fold up in a pocketbook shape that makes them portable enough to carry in your pocketbook! A quick project using less than one skein of yarn, they make great last-minute gifts or stocking stuffers. Designed by Lisa Vienneau & Allison Barrett, pictured project by SarahAlderSign
Ballband Dishcloth Reusable Swiffer Cover
An ingenious yet easy pattern for a re-usable cloth cover for your Swiffer by noelle. Pictured project by chaoticcrafter
Pen or Stylus Holder / Cozy
This clever felted flowered cozy keeps your pen or stylus handy in a pretty way. Just insert your pen in the stem and hook the flowered end over the edge of your purse, tablet, or wherever you want. Designed by Crazy Dazy.
Seat Belt Snuggles
A simple cozy to cushion the feel of the seat harness and keep it from digging into skin. Fastened with bobble buttons. Designed by Chris Behme. Pictured project by CoriInKansas
Flock Bird Mobile
Colorful nursery mobile of stash buster birds hung from dowels. Designed by Meg Bakewell. Pictured project by Pamplemousse
Metalouse Shawl
This free pattern is designed by the amazing Stephen West for Knitty.com. It is knit top down in corrugated rib and slip stitch colorwork. Although it is designed for multi-color yarn, I think this would easily lend it self to stash busting several colors.
Fantasy Flower Napkin Rings
Easy knitting pattern by Scarlet Taylor from Red Heart. Each flower is knit in 3 sets of 4 petals. Great stash buster!
More Free Patterns
Mad Mix Socks
This pattern contains instructions for both cuff-down and toe-up versions with six different stitch textures that make these socks perfect for stash-busting and scrap yarn. Designed by Virpi Tarvo
Calendar Cubes
These two cubes form a perpetual calendar. You can turn them around until you find the date you want. The numbers you need nicely fill all the faces on two cubes. They can double as juggling balls or stress-relieving balls if they are filled with something more fluid, like rice, polyester beads, etc. Plastic canvas version also included.
Earthy Mouse Pad Wrist Pillow
Quick project for a wrist rest support to make working on the computer more comfortable. Designed by Jennifer Tallapaneni. Pictured project by JecDesigns
Fruit or Yarn Cozy
This easy cozy is a great way to corral your yarn ball or cake to keep it neat or to protect your apple or pear from bruising in a lunch bag. Designed by Susan B. Anderson. Apple cozy project by AngelaTong
Coffee Cozy Sweaters
Cute mug cozies by from Studio Knit
Gear Stick Sock
This gear shift cozy by imawhale protects your hand freezing in the winter or burning in the summer.
Nests for Rescue Birds and Animals
What better use for your leftover yarn stash than to keep orphaned birds and small animals warm and safe! Knitting for Charity published a call for nests from Second Chance Wildlife Rescue along with links to patterns for knit and crochet knits.
Stained Glass Afghan
This colorful afghan by Susan Levin is made of separate diamond pieces. Great stash buster!
- Get the free knitting pattern for free registration at Annie’s
- Get the video class for this and on other pattern for $3.99 (not necessary for free pattern)
- See more Modular Afghan Knitting Patterns
Kicking Bag for Babies
Annika’s design is great way to use up leftover stash sock yarn to create a one of kind gift. Pictured project by sarahdennis
Hacky Sack
Gillian Kratzer’s All Good Hacky Sack is super easy and quick. Fill with plastic beads or beans for a fast toy. A great stash buster!
Long Striped Cardigan
This long-sleeved sweater lets you mix different colors of yarn including multi-color and self-striping. Great stash buster. Quick knit in super bulky yarn.
Shawl Cuff
Hold your shawl in place with a knit cuff with ribbing to hug the shawl ends tightly. Designed by Rachel Smith Anderson.
Patterns for Purchase
Flowers in Pots
Knit flowers in planters make great gifts and decorations. Size Approx. 10-11 cm/4-4.3 inch. Great stash buster for leftover DK weight yarn. Designed by KnittingPatternsGuru
Baby Bandanas or Bibs
Colorful baby bibs or bandanas of neckerchiefs that are a great way to use up scrap leftover yarn. One features a bird and the other has pattern stripes. Fun baby shower gift! Designed by Petra Herrmann
Knitting Themed Pins or Fridge Magnets
Knit these tiny knitting needles with a small project and yarn ball that can be used as jewelry, refrigerator magnet or ornament. Each pin measures approx 3 ½ x 2 ½ ins & uses tiny amounts of DK yarn. Perfect gift for knitters!
Festive Fish Baby Blanket
This modular afghan of tessalated fish is a great stash buster and portable project. Designed by Paula Levy. Available in Babies and Toddlers: A Knitter’s Dozen. Pictured project by devittles
- Get Babies and Toddlers: A Knitter’s Dozen on Amazon
- See a different design of tessellated fish for free
- See more Baby Blanket Knitting Patterns
Dave the Stash Busting Dachshund
This toy dog is a cute way to use up your stash! Knit flat or in the round in whatever weight yarns you have in your stash. In a DK weight he measures up at about 7in/18cm high and 11in/28cm in length.
Cozy Stash-Busting Knits: 22 Patterns for Hats, Scarves, Cowls & More
Hats, shawls, mitts, mittens, scarves, and cowls designed for the DK, worsted, and bulky yarns in your stash by Jen Lucas
- Get Cozy Stash-Busting Knits on Amazon (Prime and Kindle options available)
- See more books by Jen Lucas
Easy Dunkelbunt Cowl
This colorful cowl is worked flat in mosaic / slip stitch colorwork. A great way to use up leftover yarn in your stash!
Cheery Scrap Cap
Sizes from Adult to Newborn. Two designs are included for this earflap hat – one featuring a row of hearts, the other a skull and crossbones.
- See more pics and get the knitting pattern on Etsy
- See more Earflap Hat Knitting Patterns
- See more Skull Knitting Patterns
Stashbuster Knit ebook
Designer Melissa Leapman gives you 21 ingenious projects for men, women, children, and home that are designed so no one will ever guess they were made from odds and ends.
Sitch Sampler Afghan
Sampler afghans are a great stash buster! Use a different yarn or stitch for each square. Barbara Walker, famous for her stitch collections, created this Learn to Knit Afghan pattern book that combines all kinds of knitting techniques in a single project. Pictured project by Violiknit.
- Get the book on Amazon
- Get the book on Alibris
- See Barbara Walker’s Knitting Stitch Treasuries
- See more Sampler Afghan Knitting Patterns
Patches Cardigan
This fun cardigan is worked in strips which are joined as you go. Choose between different crew-neck or V-neck necklines and different edgings (ruffle, garter st, ribbing). Size: Child 2 (3, 4, 6, 8).
