The afghan that is spread on my kitchen island in the morning sunlight is a special one. First of all, it’s for me, and I never rarely make anything for me. Second, it’s made from scraps of yarn. They call using scraps to make something new “upcycling” these days, but my grandmother would have called it “using the brain God gave you.” It’s crazy to waste resources. Third, and most important for me, those scraps of yarn were leftovers from the Share A Square program. Every tiny (colored) thread in it is filled with love.
For the third year, volunteers from around the world have been sending me crocheted squares to make afghans for kids with cancer. They leave a long thread to use for stitching the squares together, but I often have excess yarn. When I snip off the extra yarn, I throw it into a bucket. After all, that yarn might have traveled from Michigan or Japan or England! I can’t throw it away … even if it’s just a few inches long!
The result was a HUGE pile of yarn!
This is only about half of it! I remembered that saying that my Grandmother had: “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Answering a challenge from The Non-Consumer Advocate, I wanted to use it up — so over the Christmas holidays I started tying those tiny strings together to make a very funky “novelty” yarn. I knitted a fun “shabby chic” scarf that I love to wear.
Unfortunately my arms aren’t long enough to take a full length picture of me in it, but you get the drift. The scarf didn’t make a dent in the amount of yarn, so I made a few crocheted bags.
That bucket of yarn reminded me of the porridge bowls in the old folk tales. You know the porridge bowls I mean: the ones that are always full, no matter how much you eat. Every time I moved the yarn around to find another color, the bucket seemed more full than it was before! Frustrated that I couldn’t use this stuff up, I decided to make an afghan using different sizes of squares crocheted with the Never-Ending-Blanket Square pattern from Deb’s Crafts. “Never-Ending” is appropriate. At this point, I’d like to call the afghan “halfway done,” but I keep changing my mind and making it bigger. If I keep going, I can blanket the steps of the Helsinki Cathedral when I’m done.
My husband asked why I didn’t chart the afghan before crocheting. “Seems like if you charted it you would know where you were going,” he said. Silly man! I don’t want to know where I am going. Half the fun of a journey is being able to take any road you want! I’m just seeing where the path leads. It might wind up being a queen-sized bed cover, or just an afghan big enough for two people to snuggle beneath. I have no clue.
Some of you might be wondering about that Share A Square project. Where is it on the journey? I haven’t talked much about it lately on this blog, because I’ve been busy working on it. We have about 100 of the 150 afghans made for this year. A deadline was extended for receiving squares and by mid-February, I expect to have the kits ready for the final 50 afghans of the year. Then I have to find more local volunteers to help assemble the blankets. That part (finding local volunteers) has been the most challenging task of this project. I have a double handful of dedicated volunteers who are stitching away … but creating 150 blankets in a year wears them out quickly. I have to find some “new blood.”
Already my Facebook friends are talking about “next year.” At this point, I do not think that Share A Square will happen again… at least not on the scale of 150 afghans. I’m old enough (and, believe it or not, smart enough) to know when to let go. Maybe I’ll ask the volunteers who stitch how many blankets they are personally willing to make next year and only make that many. If 10 people say, “I’ll make one,” then we will make 10 afghans. If 30 people say, “I’ll make TWO,” then we will make 60. I’m still on the journey — just waiting to see where the path leads.
Meanwhile, I will keep working on this year’s project (looking forward to a delivery in Illinois in August). I’ll keep using up these scraps of love, and looking for other ways to upcycle.
How about you? Do you upcycle? Do you “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without?”
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{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Do what you gotta do. It is what it is. I have worked a large charity effort and the magnitude of work is nothing anyone not associated with it can imagine. Even when you have help, the bulk of the responsibility is on the shoulders of the coordinator. I support any decision you make. I’ve sent all the squares I’m sending for this year, if that helps in your figuring.
I know that you understand the work, girl. And, as much as I love it, it IS work. I appreciate all the help (and advice) you have given!! I don’t know what I would have done without you.
I also use it up…. I have made bath rugs, sweaters, animal blankets, and even bags….. I have GIANT balls of cotton to make blankets with, and GIANT balls of cotton fleece to make sweaters, THEN there is the GIANT balls of acrylic to make whatever with…. NOW to just get busy and do them…..
I’m just getting excited about upcycling, Wendy (though I have done it for years). Now I am struggling with “organizing” all the stuff. It’s an inner battle!
I forgot to add that I also do that – I tie each small strand together and crochet them into a pet pad. My daughter’s dog loves this. I leave all the little tails hanging.
Oh, that’s what I did, Sandie. At first I was tucking in the ends, then decided it looked like some of those designer yarns I buy if I cut all the ends to the same length. It takes forever to tie them together … and I can crochet a full day’s worth of tying in a New York minute!
The Never Ending Blanket pattern is almost as easy and fun as granny squares. I will have 50 squares to mail at the end of January. And whatever you decide to do, please do what is best for you.
Renee
Well, Renee, I appreciate you! And, I know the kids will love the squares. Yep, I like that Never-Ending Square pattern. Mindless stitching — that’s what I enjoy.
What wonderful things you’ve made. I don’t save the tiny bits, but I do take the skein ends, start the first on my ball winder and then, with Russian joins, keep going with whatever next I lay my hand on. In the end, they make bright, multicolored squares.
Thank you, L.J. These things have been great fun to make. It’s been a long time since I stopped making afghans for SAS long enough to just enjoy the act of crocheting! The righteous feeling of using up the “waste” to make something useful and pretty is an “added bonus,” not to be redundant or to repeat myself.
i just figured out that, by the time I ship this final box, I shall have sent you enough squares for a bit over 7.5 blankets. I wouldn’t mind putting together that many; it’s the shipping cost that makes me shudder slightly.
The decision regarding next year is completely up to you–obviously. Just know you have my support, appreciation, respect and affection no matter what you decide.
I know, L.J. And, I know that any of my volunteers on Facebook or Ravelry or Crochetville would help … if they were only closer. I’m sorry about the predicament the post office is having, but I don’t want to spend the money in postage just to save them from bankruptcy
WOW, I would not have the patience to sit and tie all of those little ends together. You are a better person then I am. I love the idea though and the finished products are so special.
I would love to start making afghans for the nursing home where my father in law is but I have no clue how to even get started with asking for help.
You have a big heart! And, Sandie has a suggestion for you (below). If I were you, I’d check first with the Activity Director at the nursing home. She might “hook you up” with some other family members who are crafty.
Good luck with it!
Well for me, this is really a good idea and you are very creative!!Thanks a lot for letting us know about this awesome idea..Great job!!
SenoraG, you might consider asking the home if the residents have a craft group that meets. Some of the ladies may already crochet or knit or sew and would love to help make ghans for their fellow residents. If this is not an option, ask them if they would accept lapghans and how they would be distributed. If you are working alone, you might consider making a few for them to give to new arrivals. That would be easier to keep up with than trying to provide for all residents at the start.
Great ideas, Sandie!
The last time I was in Joanne’s, I started chatting with another woman buying yarn. She worked in a senior facility and noticed a lot of the ladies had nothing to do. When asked, however, she learned many of them crocheted or knit but had no yarn. Once she brought them yarn, they started making items for various charities and were much more alert and vibrant. So you go, SenoraG.
Oh, SenoraG–there are a number of charity group and even a forum on Ravaley that will provide yarn free to those doing charity work. I also had great success trolling Criagslist where I obtained a lot of yarn for very little cost from others who were destashing.
Lovely craft!!I hope I can create my own too…Thanks a lot!!
This kind is very productive, scraps of yarn is new in my eyes and its really beautiful!
These is a beautiful product! Looking forward to create also these kind of project.
Your a kind of creative person, Thanks for sharing with us these kind of talent.