Suggestions needed

#1

Okay, so my mother-in-law gave me a bunch of yarn that her niece had somehow acquired. Now the niece passed away years ago–I never met her so it’s been at least 13 years. She asked me if there is something I can do with it so give to her sister (niece’s mom). My mother-in-law and I don’t have the best relationship so I was quite shocked that she asked me to do this for her and would really like to do something nice.
The problem is the yarn. It’s angora, a number of different colors. But, each piece has been cut into a one yard piece. I was thinking a feather-fan patterned scarf, but the yarn. Is there a way I can ‘blend’ the ends together so I don’t have to have a million different strings to weave in, plus the yarn isn’t even long enough to really develop a pattern nicely with all those ends?

What type of pattern would you use? I would love any help on this one…

thanks,
Kim

#2

One yard pieces? :whoosh: Ugh. You can try a felted join of the ends to see if they will felt together. If that doesn’t work I think you’ve got a lot of weaving to do. :zombie:
http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-tips

#3

Could you make a shawl or throw where the ends are left hanging as a design element? In the morehouse merino pattern book there are some scarves designed to leave the ends unwoven. Or maybe you could see how far you could knit and have the ends on each side as fringe - like a ruana or something like that. Or maybe if you weave you could use the short pieces for weft and warp with something that coordinates (although weaving angora would be a challenge.) Or maybe you could make a throw out of a coordinating yarn and use the angora as fringe. Good luck!

#4

My first thought would correspond to Jaycee’s. However, perhaps a motif that only requires about a yard of yarn… like a knitted rose (http://www.knittingknonsense.com/Knitted_Rose.html) or a crocheted square?

#5

There’s a patt (Rav?) that was suggested to me given I have tons of short strands that are leftover from recycling the fronts of thrift cardis (that have cut edges). Anyhoooo, the scarf has fringe on the long sides so you can start each row, or every other, with the short pieces and no weaving tails. Will see if I can find the link.

ETA: scarf is here

#6

Yes, I agree with knitting something (a pillow, a shawl, a lap throw?)in a coordinating full-skein yarn, and then using these 1-yard pieces to add a fringe.

#7

This would be really neat and special depending on the colors you have.

You could see if you could put your hands on this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Nicky-Epsteins-Knitted-Flowers-Epstein/dp/1931543887/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224196048&sr=8-1

#8

Thank you all.
I didn’t know there was a way to felt together the ends. I will try that first. If I can do that, I’ll probably be able to more easily make a scarf. If it doesn’t work, though, I think a throw with the small pieces as fringe would be my next option. I will post an update after the weekend so I can try these ideas out.