Book Review – 40 Stash Busting Projects

Stash is a crochet term for leftover or oddball yarn. Stash-Busting is finding a project that use small amounts of yarns. In this amazing book you will find over 40 designs all made with small amounts of different sizes of yarns for home, baby and accessories!

“Stash” is a term commonly used among crochet enthusiasts to refer to the collection of leftover or miscellaneous yarns accumulated over time. Stash-Busting, on the other hand, is a delightful endeavor of finding creative projects that effectively utilize these small amounts of yarn.

In this extraordinary book, you’ll discover a treasure trove of over 40 unique designs, each ingeniously crafted with various sizes and colors of yarns from your stash. From charming gnome coasters to adorable little gnomes, from elegant doilies to cozy afghans and hot pads, from cuddly baby blankets to tiny baby slippers, and even a stylish ladies shawlette and stunning jewelry pieces – the possibilities are endless!

Designs include gnome coasters, little gnomes, easy doilies, afghans, hot pads, baby blankets, baby slippers, a ladies shawlette, jewelry and more! See the full book details here.

If you are in the mood for a quick crochet hat with a lot of personality, the Colorful Maker Hat from Lion Brand is a fun one to look at. It is described as a cozy statement piece with a bold colourful design, and Lion Brand says it is suitable for makers of all abilities thanks to the easy-to-follow pattern and included colour chart.

This pattern is rated Level 2 Easy (Beginner+), so it feels like a nice choice for confident beginners who are ready to try simple colour changes without diving into anything too fussy. Lion Brand also notes that it is made with super bulky Hometown yarn, which means it should work up fast and give you that lovely chunky finish that always feels extra cozy in cooler weather.

I think that is probably the biggest selling point here. This looks like the kind of project you can actually finish in a short burst of crochet time, and we all know those are the projects that save us when the yarn basket is already overflowing with half-started “I’ll get back to it” plans. Lion Brand says the hat can be finished in just a few hours, which makes it a nice option for gift-making too.

The finished hat measures about 20 inches in circumference and 12 inches high, so it looks like a comfortable, slouchy winter accessory rather than a tiny fitted beanie. The gauge is listed as 7 single crochet and 9 rows over 4 inches, which also gives you a good idea of how quickly this chunky yarn project should move along.

What I like most is that it feels cheerful without being overcomplicated. The colourwork gives it that handmade “look what I made” energy, but the pattern still sounds approachable. If you love easy crochet accessories with a bold finish, this one feels like a good pick. Lion Brand even suggests pairing it with the Maker Legwarmers if you want a matching set.

My overall take? This is a cute, practical pattern for anyone who enjoys easy crochet hat patterns, quick super bulky crochet projects, or colourful accessories that stand out a bit from the usual winter basics. It looks beginner-friendly, fast, and fun, which is a pretty nice combination in my book. That last bit is my opinion based on the pattern details provided by Lion Brand.

Have you read?