At the beginning of the month we announced a contest. You were asked to contribute ideas. How would you use the adorable mini skeins we just received from Koigu? You can see my ideas, on the subject and what everyone else contributed here.
Your ideas were full of the vivid creativity that I would expect to come from a pack of knitters. We could only pick one to win the prize, but you are all winners as far as we’re concerned.
The Contest Winner Is Carla kindermsn!
Who said, “I would start with 1 color and easy pattern for sweaters and just start to knit. I would make it very bright and that would be my happy sweater. Whenever I was feeling down and out I would put it on and start to knit.”
I love projects that embrace random invention. It reminds me of the Knit Cafe’s Spring Blanket Pattern. 
From the whole smorgasbord of good ideas here are some other tasty selections:
From captainsharmie, “i love mini skeins! i’d make a pair of swedish fish mittens — so cute! or maybe a hat in the same style… 
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From Shay D, “I think minis would be awesome for Mochimochi Land patterns:
Or just amigirumi in general – where the colors can be as imaginative as the creatures. I’ve always loved this ladies creations, I can readily recapture the glee I felt when I discovered her dust-bunny sofa sculpture, and her Swimming Lemmings sculpture.
From Josie, “Just had an idea: they would be perfect for this hat and gloves set!”
From Lisa “I’m making the Barn Raising Quilt blanket – I think these mini-skeins would have enough yarn for a square each”
From collegeknitting, “I just finished a pair of socks using blocks of 10g-30g leftover sock yarn scraps. I bet they would look great with mini-skeins!”
These are her socks pictured here, you can find them on her lovely blog, as well as the link to the pattern.
Blithe Spirit says, “I would use them to knit swatches of cool stitch designs from Barbara Walker’s Treasury books which I’m drooling over. And then sew up the swatches to make a pillow or mini-blanket. Love your blog – always full of great and inspirational ideas.”
Thank-you for the compliment and for this great idea. Anytime Barbara Walker’s Treasury of Knitting Books are involved I am on board. This pic comes from Jared Flood, from Brooklyn Tweed, and shows a bit of his design process.
From Claire, “I like mini skeins to make little crocheted pincushions – with fabric tops.”
I found this example of a crocheted pin cushion made from hexagons. This is the same crochet motif we use in our Beginner Crochet Blanket Class. This would be a great thing to do with the hexagons that just didn’t make the cut for the blanket.
Some folks said they might use mini Skeins for embroidery. I especially like that Carol-ann Casselman would add “rude messages” to a blanket. Here’s her full quote, “Embroider your favourite blanket with monograms/initials, rude messages, love notes, etc. My favourite ideas above are the heart heeled socks, coloured pockets and chair socks.”
I little research on this idea, did not (sadly) unearth any such messages, but I did find this. I vast link-list of embroidery tutorials, and patterns from Alina’s Adventures in Homemaking blog.
dirgni says, “I would knit football hats and make matching mitts. I would make 10 different fruitcaps”
I don’t know what football hats are, but fruit hats have always been popular patterns for babies. If you would like your wee one to resemble a strawberry, here is a pattern that suits Koigu weight yarn. Whatever the yarn requirements, mini skeins would be wonderful for embroidered details. Think strawberry seeds!
I found another impressive link-list for fruit hats, and vegetables, and cupcakes, and animals, and more. – here! at Chem Knits.
Honorable Mentions go to all the kind folks who said they would knit for the benefit of others.
Laurie Rodney, Sandy, Heather Neville, Chrissy Papas.
Thank yous to ALL!
Craftily yours
Kristin
torontoknitcafe.wordpress.com 