Knitting with Ewe in Mind (from The Mary Hunt newsletter: Everyday Cheapskate).

In a past column, I responded to a reader who was looking for ideas for how to dispose of a significant personal inventory of yarn. I responded that, as a knitter myself, I find excellent yarn buys on eBay, a place where she could sell her own yarn.

My answer brought an avalanche of mail from knitters with great tips on how to put a yarn stash to good use to help others, not only other knitters searching for more yarn!

FIBER COMMUNITY. A great place to sell yarn is a website called Ravelry, found at Ravelry.com. Ravelry is an online community of fiber artists and is a place to list your stash by yarn brand, color and other categorizations. That way, fellow fiber users can look for what they want by what they know they need. I suspect that Ravelers, as we call ourselves, get a better price return than in other places. Rebecca S., e-mail

FILL A NEED. If knitters don't need to sell their unused yarn to support their hobby, they can donate the yarn to worthy causes. I volunteer with a group called Newborns In Need (NewbornsInNeed.org), which is a national charity dedicated to helping preemie and newborn babies. Our organization welcomes donations of soft, washable, dryable yarn and fabrics. Volunteers then can use the yarn and fabric to make blankets and other necessities. Pat B., South Carolina

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY. All three major hospitals near me have groups of knitters who volunteer to make layettes, blankets and caps for newborns, shawls for people who are on dialysis, hats for cancer patients and other comforting knitted items for patients. Check with local hospitals, churches and craft stores to find out if there is such a group near you. These networks are great ways to make new friends and share the companionship of like-minded knitters. Luz M., Indiana

GIVE SECURITY. Project Linus (ProjectLinus.org) is a volunteer organization that creates knitted, crocheted or quilted blankets for children who are sick or have suffered a traumatic experience, "providing security through blankets." Members often use donated materials to create these blankets. The website lists contact information for chapters around the country. I'm sure that any chapter would put excess yarn to good use. Mary K., New York

SPREAD WARMTH. A project by Guideposts magazine called Knit For Kids (KnitForKids.org) encourages knitters to knit sweaters for children who need them around the world. Christy C., e-mail

FIND A CHARITY. Avid knitters can get tax write-offs by donating finished projects to various charities. Organizations often request things like chemo caps, hats, scarves, sweaters, mittens, afghans, baby layettes, or even pet blankets for animal shelters and rescue groups. One organization that accepts knitted donations is KnittingForCharity.org. For an exhaustive list of related charities, visit BellaOnline.com and click on "Hobbies & Crafts," "Knitting," and then "Charities." You can also search LionBrand.com for an organization in your area. Click on "Charity Connection" under "Community." Kris B., e-mail

CHEERFUL CHARITY. Residents in nursing homes often have no family to visit or bring them comforting items. They always appreciate gifts like knitted bed booties and afghans. I've seen it brighten the day of nursing home residents to get a little gift like that, even from a stranger. Wendy, e-mail

Do you have a great tip? Share your time- and money-saving savvy by e-mailing your tip to mary@everydaycheapskate.com. Use "Tip of the Month" as your subject line, and include your full name and home state along with your well-written tip. You just might win a one-year membership to Mary's website DebtProofLiving.com if your tip is chosen as a "Tip of the Month," which is selected once every four weeks.

©Copyright 2009 Mary Hunt
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I hope these ideas are useful.
xx, Teal