Crocheting in bulk

[emmilyx3]

Good evening/morning/afternoon/whatever time it may be for you

 

I've found myself in kind of a rut. I would like to use up some yarn that I already have but find that nothing really has stuck out that I want to make. So until something strikes my fancy I'm thinking of maybe doing smaller projects that won't take much effort/thought and will work up quickly. I was thinking of maybe doing up some baby hats to either donate or gift and it got me wondering - do you happen to crochet a bulk stock (did I word that correctly?) of items? Things that if you happen to need to gift somebody something you can just grab it, decorate it a bit to gear it towards the recipient and voila! Any other ideas of things I can make in a small bulk? Or perhaps any small projects that are just nice to crochet for the sake of crocheting!

[redrosesdz]

I like making baskets with leftover acrylic. I make tea towel topper and cloths with cotton.

 

If you do make baby hats, I suggest sticking with yarn from the baby section. It's soft and non-allergic.

[emmilyx3]

Hm. Maybe I'll hold off on the hats then. My stash consists of acrylic yarn. I'm hoping to branch out but any patterns I've made so far have called for acrylic.

[greyhoundgrandma]

Baskets are great for using up stash--a lot of them use two strands at a time and there are endless color combinations if you don't have a lot of some colors. The same goes for market/beach bags. And both are good to have on hand for last minute gifts.

 

You might look into the need for adult hats for homeless shelters in your area.

[magiccrochetfan]

Hm. Maybe I'll hold off on the hats then. My stash consists of acrylic yarn. I'm hoping to branch out but any patterns I've made so far have called for acrylic.

 

When you say all your yarn is acrylic, that doesn't mean it wouldn't be good for baby things.  I think most acrylic these days is probably soft enough for making baby hats.  But If you think your acrylic yarn is abrasive or rough, then maybe it would not be a good choice for baby stuff.  

 

many, many yarns marketed as baby yarns are acrylic http://www.redheart.com/yarn?q=%3Arelevance%3Aclass%3ABaby&text=&pageViewMode=&newArrivals=false&privateSales=false&sort=name-asc

and there are lots of patterns for baby stuff using various kinds/weights of acrylic, for example these from RH http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns?q=%3AdateOnline%3APatternFor%3AToddler%2FBaby%3APatternType%3ACrochet%3AProjectType%3AHats&text=&pageViewMode=list&newArrivals=false&privateSales=false&sort=dateOnline

 

(In the past, like 6-8 yrs ago, RH Super Saver was a very firm yarn that to me had a somewhat abrasive texture.  at the time i made some scrubbies with it and they have held up great.  Recently I went to buy some more Super Saver but the texture is different, it seems to be a lot more smooth and light now.  So i was actually disappointed that it doesn't have that firm unyielding texture anymore!   )  

[Real Deal]

For children, little drawstring bags. For women, small bags approx the size for cosmetics. For women or men, beanie hats. I've never had anyone who didn't like these items. I usually make them with stripes, so lots of left overs can be used along with a main color.

[papersmiles]

My go-to gifts are fingerless gloves, cowls, scarves, lanyards, baby hats/mitts/booties, glass cozies, water bottle holders and recently I've added phone cases for the smart phones.  I like drawstring bags and market bags, too, but they take a little longer and a little more yarn.  As far as using synthetic yarns (acrylic types), I prefer them for baby things as they hold up under the gazillion washings in HOT water that baby things go through and they hold their shape well.  I just make sure I have LONG tails to weave in so they stay put.  The acrylics of today soften up nicely after even just one washing.

[ReniC]

Tablet, Kindle, iPad or other e-Reader covers are nice.

Covers for plant pots or coasters are always welcome.

[Avon Lady]

You could always make lap sized afghans (35" x 35") for Veterans hospitals.  They are always welcome.  You can make them with your leftover yarns--they really turn out beautiful--and who better to give them to!!!

[codymikki]

I also have a lot of acrylic ww yarn and am in sort of a lull, so am making 5 in. X 48 in. double crochet scarves, mostly for men, a few for women, for our local Code Blue cold weather shelter. Very easy and instant gratification. According to our lys that is collecting the scarves, most people want to donate baby and small children's things, so the adults ( mostly men) are left going without.

[ocelotito]

Amigurumi is perfect for that. They can get complicated, but most of the projects are easy and super fast to finish. Another option is appliques.