Bulk

Yes, bulky yarn works up fast...

...but how soon do you really need that slubby ear-flap hat?

Fantasy Fur Sleeves

I've been wondering how to use up that novelty yarn I bought on clearance (back before I realized what a nightmare it can be to work with).  Here's an example of how to mix "faux fur" yarn with more standard fare:

 I really like the way her hair is styled to match the sleeves. 

*CRAZY*

Hey, don't blame me!  It says so right there in the lower lefthand corner:

...But yeah, now that they point it out, it does look kinda crazy... Mesh with diagonal stripes of fuzzy novelty yarn... and that hat!

...But Not Quite

Almost mink:

Pooch Week: Scraptastic

#1:   The use of fun fur-type yarn on a dog that already has fur never fails to intrigue. 

#2:  This dog's full-body sweater seems to have been made of whatever scraps were lying around.  On the one hand, I applaud this frugality.  (Let no yarn go to waste!)  On the other hand, doesn't man's best friend deserve better? 

#3:  What is that green, feathery-looking thing on top of the dog's head? 

#4:  Bravo for accepting (and meeting) the challenge to make the Dachshund (a breed of dog that looks a little silly under the best of circumstances) even more amusing to look at.  

Pooch Week: Scarf & Hat Set

Sure, it's cute, but won't s/he just be constantly tripping over the ends of scarf?  And isn't this a little of a strangulation hazard?  ...Or a choking hazard, if the dog is anything like mine are.  (They'd be pulling at that thing before I could manage to get it on them.)

Pooch Week: You Ain't Lion!

It's Pooch Week at Yarn Yuck!

Many of us around the world share our homes, our lives-- even our beds-- with our dogs, so it should come as no surprise that those canine companions also get a share of our handmade, yarn-based handicrafts.

Let's take a look at some of those dog-centric yarn-crafts!

Dog in lion costume:  "Why are you doing this to me?"

Dog-owner / lion-costume-maker:  "That'll teach you to piddle on Mommy's handmade Persian carpet."

Fluff & Fringe

Between the fluff and the fringe, one hardly knows where to look...

But two things:
First, this unflattering dress somehow manages to make a beautiful model look a little "thick" in the middle, which doesn't bode well for the rest of us. 

Second, would it have been so hard to edit out the ends of her hair that show right below her armpit?

Tinkerbell

Whoa!
That's some sparkly, furry novelty yarn!

What do you suppose she keeps in that bag (which seems to be just a pouch with a heavy chain knotted around the top)?  My bet's on pixie dust. 

Confetti Upcycling

So, what do you do with all those streamers and bits of confetti left over from your New Years bash?

Turn them into a nifty bolero, of course!

(Upcycling is so "in" right now!)

You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yeti!

The Abominable Snowman trim really makes this vest, don't you think?

Sure, it's a little pricey, but you're worth it.

It Sherpa Looks Odd to Me...

I continually run across this type of hat (which is apparently called a "sherpa hat") in my quest for Yarn Yuck.  I'm sure they're cozy and warm, what with the ear flaps and all... And the fuzzy yarn probably makes them soft...

But... but...
They look so silly!

Eh, well, to each her own tolerance level for the silly.
(It may too easy for me to judge, living in this humid subtropical climate zone...)

Fashion No-No

With the approach of winter, I've been scouring Ravelry's pattern database for attractive wrist-warmers, fingerless gloves, what-have-you.

Somehow, until now I've missed seeing these eyelash yarn, fun-furry thing-ums:

 ...You can run... You can hide... but eventually, the bad stuff has a way of finding you.

Chunky

Too-chunky yarn strikes again!

Don't you hate it when your disproportionately chunky accessories make you look like a Barbie dressed in something lovingly knit (in worsted weight) by Mom or Grandma?  The intentions were good, the fashion sense... not so much.

Tassel of DOOM

I'm not sure what's the worst aspect of this hat...

A)  The knit-covered "bill",
B)  The stripes of fuzzy-wuzzy, pink eyelash yarn,
C)  The general slouchiness of the thing,
or
D)  The humongous (pink novelty yarn) tassel of DOOM!!

...Why is there never an "all of the above" option when you need it most?!

Fun-Fur Nightmare

It's like a helmet made of staticy fluff...

As if an earflap hat isn't goofy enough*, they had to go make it worse by working it up in eyelash yarn.

Those designers-- always taking things to the next level.

*I'm sure they're warm-- maybe even necessary in some climates-- but that doesn't change the fact that they aren't the most flattering look.

Poor Thing...

Will someone get this poor girl some gloves or longer sleeves or something? 

I mean, really.  Is it not bad enough that she has to wear this silly-looking sweater?  She has to resort to sticking her hands under her turtleneck to protect them from frostbite, too?  

No Guts, No Glory

I know I tend to make a lot of jokes at the expense of fashion models, here at Yarn Yuck.  (It's hard not to, honestly.)  But every now and then I come across something I can't help but admire-- or at least sympathize with.

Such is the case with today's photo.  You cannot resist applauding the courage of this brave model who attempts to look intense-- some might even say sexy-- despite being swathed in a double layer of novelty yarn. 

Sure, the yarn's got confetti-like, carnival-colored slubs embedded in it.  And yeah, she knows the whole thing looks pretty silly.  But the piece was clearly designed with sauciness in mind, and she's going to do everything she can to deliver.

That's gotta take some gumption!

Fun Fur Trim

Now I know what (not) to do with all that novelty yarn I bought on extreme clearance (before I learned that it's not nearly as useful and versatile as plain old regular yarn):

Well, at least it's original.   You have to give the designer that much credit, right?

On the other hand, what in the heck was s/he thinking??  This thing is all over the place.  There are two different styles of crochet lace. . . sleeves that are half muppet pelt, half lace wristlets/cuffs. . . a bizarre lace-up bodice with ruffles on either side of the lace-up gap. . . and then even more fun fur trim-- and all in colors that I would've loved as an eight-year-old, but probably not much later in life than that.

Also, you gotta love how they have the same piece modeled twice by two different models.   Perhaps it's to show you how the top looks on a brunette and a brunette with blond highlights?

Just for the Fun Fur of It

In case you were wondering what to do with all that Fun Fur and other novelty yarn in your stash*, here are a few ideas. . .

Knit yourself a cozy faux fur "mink" jacket:

Whether you go for the classic brown or the more unusual tawny-foxy-russet, you're sure to turn heads!  (Just don't wander into the forest during bear-hunting season, ok?)

Go sleeveless for the warmer seasons!

If your stash isn't substantial enough for a coat or a vest, you can always make one of these charming hats:

(Is it just me, or does that last model look like she wants to cause the photographer bodily harm?  Who could blame her, though.  She looks atrocious in that hat.)

Try a Fun Fur cowl!

. . . Or Fun Fur earmuffs and. . . whatever those furry blobs on her hands are meant to be. . .

Keep your calves toasty with Fun Fur legwarmers!  (BONUS:  They look like furry Ugg Boots!)

If you don't like the natural color of your dog's fur (but don't want the hassle and expense of taking him to the hairdresser to have his coat dyed), nothing's simpler than whipping up a doggy body-toupee: 

And when you're done and you're left with small remnants of yarn?

I suggest you craft a bunch of these "Dust Bunnies"  (seriously, that's the name of the pattern) and sneak them into the homes of friends and family.  Won't they be surprised!

Of course, you could also just make a bunch of earrings with your leftovers. . .

Whatever you do with your stash of eyelash, don't forget that just because it's Fun Fur doesn't mean it can't be sexy. . . (Animal magnetism, etc., etc.  ...Though I will say that the model is very trim, and you need to be, to wear that outfit.)

You know, I feel like this is a hollow victory.  It's really not fair to mock Fun Fur, because it's altogether too easy to do.  Like shooting fish in a barrel. . . or Fun Fur Dust Bunnies in any location, since they have no limbs with which to move themselves. . . (So very, very sad.)

* Please, please tell me I'm not the only one with a goodly amount of novelty yarn in her stash.  It's from back before I really knew how to crochet.  I didn't realize that regular, plain old yarn is so much more versatile-- and most of it was bought really cheaply on CLEARANCE.  So, you see, I didn't actually have any choice in the matter, but had to buy some of it.  (Did I mention I'm a bargain-hunter?)