It's the Little Things...

There are two things that happen simultaneously when summer hits.  The most notable to me and those who know me is that my knitting productivity takes a sudden nosedive.  I mean, it's hot.  It feels like an eternity before I will be able to wear those wool socks I've been stashing away patterns for, and Mr. Deep won't even glance at his hat once the temperature goes above 65F.  The second thing that occurs to me during the warmer months is that I have a TON of tiny balls of high-quality yarn crouched at the bottom of project bags and stash drawers.  Beautiful fibers in exquisite colors languishing away after the bulk of their volume has been used in one creation or another.

So, where does one turn?  Tiny projects.  Things you don't have to wear made from (often expensive) yarn you already have.  Of course, we all know about coffee cup sleeves and key chain fobs, and I will probably do blog entries about both of those down the road.  But where else can we show off our mad yarn skills with the bits and pieces begging to be used?  I found a few tiny projects (all free!) on Ravelry that I found inspirational, fun, unique, and perfect for warm weather.  Some of these require very little yarn, so you can make several in different colors for yourself or for quirky little gifts.  I added the link to the blog or page of the oroginal contributor whenever possible.



 
I found these little ornaments so charming!  They use a ridiculously small amount of yarn, but you will have to get some craft mirrors first.  Year round, they add a touch of the exotic to handbags, ceiling light pulls, perhaps even gently swaying wind chimes.  Check out the pattern at Duo Fiberworks and take a look at their shop while you're at it!



 

Who doesn't love a finger puppet?!  I pick them up every now and then at craft fairs for myself (no kids in the Skein Deep household yet.)  And for those of you with tots out of school to manage, you really can't have too many fibery little characters to keep them busy story-building and role-playing.  The blog Inspired has an easy-peasey pattern for these little guys.  And you can let the kids help choose the hair, faces, and so on for added "what do we do now?" summertime solutions.





These are so cute it's ridiculous.  It you love to dress up your knitting tools with more knitting (and I know I do!), these quick little needle sweaters are right up your alley.  If you are giving needles as gifts, these are a great way to add a little something special.  They're also great for keeping idle needles together in your project bag.  No more hunting for mates, yes?  I have no idea where they find those amazingly adorable tiny buttons, but you can find the pattern for the needle jackets at Yarn Over, Knit 2 Together.

I love these bunting triangles.  Check out the Ravelry page  to see more color combinations.  The idea of just going hog-wild with your small colorful stashballs (I'm coining that word, by the way) is really appealing.  If they are made out of washable yarn, that's even better for years of outdoor party decor.  Swing by Crochet Again to see the pattern.



Not just for Easter, these Tumbling Bunnies posted by Simply Notable are perfect for tossing at the park, the office, and just about anywhere flying bunnies are not a public safety concern.  They are also cute just sitting around!  Imagine the colors you could bestow upon these little guys.  You could even stripe them if you are extremely limited in yardage. 


So, pull out those stashballs (there, I said it again!), sit yourself in front of a fan with a cool beverage of your choice, and whip up these short-attention-span-worthy projects for summer.  If you have another idea or two for small summery projects, please feel free to post below.  The more the merrier!