A give-away of another sort. It is now the end of a knitting project and I a ritual of mine is to go around the house and pick up yarn littered about the floor, as there always is quite a lot, and it seems to just float about and mix in with dog hair . . .
It is entirely too wasteful to throw away the little piles of wool.
So I lately I’ve been thinking of ways to make use of these snippings of yarns, and can’t think of anything better than to entice the woodland birds of the forest to making use, perhaps to line their nests.
Times before I would scatter yarn trimmings on the ground, or leave in a basket hung from a handle off the brand of a tree, both cases there was very little taken of the scraps. Determined, this time I have chosen a more open basket (one that I made a while back actually) and just placed it snugly in the crotch of a dead tree.
There’s something just so magical living in the woods and in and amongst the wildlife, I am hopeful this time my offerings will be snatched up and line the nests of the woodland birds ~ of robins, woodpeckers, ravens, jays, junkos, chickadees. If I ever spot evidence of the yarn scraps being used by the wildlife I’ll be sure to tell you about it !
Jenjoyce Design 
I have also tried to offer the birds my cast offs and find the colorful bits of yarn are ignored by the birds. But they will attack the ends of yarn I use to tie vines to trellises so I casually leave some yarn looped loosely on my trellises and let them ‘steal’ those bits and bobs
Hi MaryJo… that’s brilliant ! Down to the garden I go … 😉 xx
What a lovely ritual. I’ve left bits in tree crutches for birds too and haven’t found they take them or find them in the nesting boxes…I did however put up a yarn trellis for some morning glories one year and the hilarity of watching a squirrel try to pull one of the strings loose was too fun! He worked on that string for a loooong time as he couldn’t pull it free of the nail, but when he finally got it free he then pulled it up into a little figure eight type bundle and ran off with it in his mouth……so creative.
Oh that story is great ! Little critter may have taken it home and knitted a little acorn pouch…lol…. xx
Oh ! Beatrix Potter’s character “Squirrel Nutkin” comes to mind 🙂
I love this idea! I usually have a good pile of scraps after a project and just throw them away…no more! Out to the garden they go!
Right Amy ! No more for me either… lets give the wool back to nature. 🙂 xx
I find they get taken if left on the ground. I also leave out the fluff from the tumbler dryer and they take that too.
We found an old nest in our hedge once and there was some red wool beautifully woven into it along with some bits of feather, straw etc.
Awww Liz, that is priceless. the wool woven into the next… just what I want to see ! I have decided also that possilby recycling into the compost pile might prove useful for dog hair & lint … and maybe now wool? The birds can take their pick from the compost pile, though it does not look as darling as a basket set up in the crotch of a tree. 🙂 xx
ps. (( I have not replied to your last letter… will soon, but it’s truly a gardening day for me ~~ full report forthcoming !))
I made nesting balls for our Christmas list this year, using some roving I’d picked up. I made one for us too – I can’t wait to see it in our yard!
Hi Becky ~~ how magical ! 🙂
One of my favorite memories of my childhood is when my mom and I placed yarn on the cage around her rose bush. We then watch the birds from the window. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Hi and welcome to Yarnings ! I’m thinking as I’ve been working like an ox this weekend in our garden (already signs of spring here) I am rethinking the ‘offerings’ … and am deciding to string little bits in the dead trunks and little bushes about in the garden would probably present the bits more aesthetically to the birds. 🙂
ps. More photos of new offerings forthcoming !