3 Simple and Fun Crafts with Yarn for Seniors to Make!

You don’t have to struggle knitting or crocheting yarns as a senior. I make my own beautiful art!

There are simple ways you can craft with yarns to design beautiful things. Keep reading this to learn these easy crafts with yarn for seniors.

Make sure you check our “Adaptive Craft Tools for Seniors” Article for advice on tools to make creativity easier for older hands.

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3 Simple Crafts With Yarn for Seniors

1. Lampshades

Lampshades are a perfect canvas for wrapping. Whether your type of yarn has several shades or a solid colored yarn, you get stunning results.

You get lampshades that act as an attractive decoration in your house with this super easy project. I like them because they also redirect light from the bulbs to protect the eyes from intense light.

Material Needed

• Basic Yarn
• Adult scissors
• Craft glue

It is perfect since less work is needed to craft with this easy process, as shown in the video tutorial [1] below.

How to Make it

• Make an ombre design as you wrap from the bottom, gluing as you go up.
• With your favorite color in mind, begin with the darkest shade as you move up the lampshade.
• Change the color of your yarn about four times until you finish. For instance, if you want to create a warm ombre knitting pattern, start with red, then dark pink, regular pink, and finish with white.

Check out more simple crafts for seniors!

2. Yarn Sea Octopus

This is another perfect sea creature-themed yarn craft idea. I find it an adorable art project that is easy to craft.

It mimics the sea octopus with its many tentacles. You can craft it as an amazing gift idea or place it on your bed.

Material Needed

• Two different colored yarns
• Googly eyes
• Styrofoam ball

Yarn sea octopus crafting involves simple creative steps that sharpen thinking and promote motor skills. Watch the video tutorial [2] to see it being done.

How to Make it

• Start by creating the octopus body by wrapping the ball with acrylic yarn. If you want it thicker, wrap more pieces of yarn.
• Ensure the ball is entirely covered by the yarn, take another yarn color and tie a bow at the bottom of the ball. Divide the yarn into eight sections, to be the legs.
• Braid all parts of the legs and tie a bow at the end. To create an elegant look, cut each bottom of the braided yarn. Glue the googly eyes, and now you have your sea octopus.

Make sure to also check our list of fun crafts for arthritic hands!

3. Yarn Basket

Amazing yarn baskets are conventional containers you can craft with extra yarn. It is a fun project to craft with yarn without sewing or crocheting and to use to store your items.

Material Needed

• Two bowls
• Plastic wrap
• Soft yarn
• Water and glue

Crafting yarn baskets is one of the stimulating activities to make you active both physically and mentally.

Herbert Benson, a pioneer in mind/body medicine and author of “The Relaxation Response,” says that repetitive action of needlework can induce a relaxed state like that associated with meditation and yoga [3].

How to Make it

• First, cover two bowls with plastic wrap and turn them upside down. Cut bits of yarn around 17 inches long.
• Create a mixture of glue and water to soak the strips. Now drape the yarn over the two bowls until they are completely covered.
• Allow them to dry overnight. Remove the bowls and peel off the wrap before you use the amazing yarn baskets.

Here’s a video inspiration you can also follow.

CHECK MORE: Great Indoor Activities for Seniors

Mistakes to Avoid

These amazing ideas for seniors help make you more mentally active [3] and fully engaged. Thus, the ideas should be simple and done in the right way.

If the yarn crafting process becomes stressful for you, it loses its intent. There are several mistakes you need to avoid to get perfect craft results and reduce stress.

• Allowing the ball of yarn to tangle: Handle them carefully and check if each yarn requires winding. Note that all types of yarn can tangle if not stored well.
• Moth damage: If you have the yarns in a dash, they are prone to moth damage. Avoid the problem by storing them in plastic bags or bins.
• Don’t start to make your crafts unless you have all the basic supplies needed in place. This helps avoid the inconveniences or stress of finding you do not have one basic tool for the work.
• Avoid making your yarn crafting surface dirty.

Don’t take too many yarn craft projects at once to avoid confusion.

Make sure to also check our list of easy summer craft for seniors.

FAQs

Conclusion

You can design cute yarn crafts for seniors. There are many more crafts with yarn to create.

These ideas can help reduce mental issues and also allow you to become more creative.

What are your favorite crafts for seniors? Let us know below!

References

• 1. Studio Knit. How to Yarn Wrap Lamp Shades – Easy Decor DIY [Internet]. www.youtube.com. 2016 [cited 2022 Feb 4]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxdapTyFpxw&feature=emb_title
• 2. Make a Yarn Octopus. [Internet]. www.youtube.com. 2015 [cited 2022 Feb 4]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqlqgHJJiTw&feature=emb_imp_woyt
• 3. Brody JE. The Health Benefits of Knitting [Internet]. Well. 2016. Available from: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/25/the-health-benefits-of-knitting/