Friday, January 29, 2010

Save The Mess

Whether we knit, crochet, sew, quilt, cross stitch or do any other type of needlework, we all have the same messy problem. We all have the ends to deal with. After finishing them off, we clip the leftover yarn or thread or floss. Then what?


If you're anything like me, some of it winds up on the floor or the furniture, no matter how careful I am.


Now I don't throw it away. I stick a small ziplock bag in my knitting bag and in go all the yarn and floss ends. I have another bag tucked into the sewing cabinet.

About once a month I take the colorful mess outside and spread it out along the top of the hedge. We also stick some on a tree branch. The birds will be attracted by the colors and carry it away to use as nesting material.


I used to offer it to my birds when they were nesting and they loved carrying it around and tucking it into their nest boxes. Now that I have only female birds, they still enjoy playing with string and thread. Holly likes to chew on her duck toy with the strings hanging down.


Cloud loves this thread toy that was originally meant as a dog toy. She grooms it daily and when she needs to hide, she sticks her head deep into the thread.

Another nesting material highly prized by wild birds is dog hair. When you groom the pups, gather up a handful of the soft, fluffy hair and leave it in a bush or fork of a tree. The birds will appreciate the soft fur for lining the nests and you'll have recycled at the same time.

9 comments:

soulbrush said...

what a brilliant idea, i like tht thought of snuff's soft hair lining some birdie's nest. hope you're doing okay at this time of year, i'm not too good.

Sam said...

I always brush Marge outside, so I think we've given the birds quite a bit to build with in the last few weeks. It's shedding season here!

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

Ha - there are many birds flying the Kansas/Missouri skies who were nurtured in a Siberian fur- nest:)

Happy Friday, Phantom and Thunder

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

I'm stopping by as part of my Mango Minster 2010 judging fur the KhatDog group -

Thank woo fur entering and helping to make this so much fun -

I've enjoyed the chance to snoof and prakhtice floofy tailing with woo -

Best of lukhk!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

LizzieJane said...

I do the same thing Sue. Even my little cats fur gets put on the pine tree after she gets brushed. We actually found her fur lining one of the birds nest in our box when we cleaned it out. Those must have been some lovely cosy little baby birds.
x

Molly the Airedale said...

How nice that you recycle! The birdies must absolutely love you for it!

SissySees said...

I've always brushed the dogs outside and then sweep their hair out into the yard for the birds. I hadn't thought to do the same with my yarn bits!

soxnitter said...

Great idea! I have plenty of threads and dog hair!

Martha said...

Would never have thought of that! We do through the dog hair into the garden after furminating cos we reckon that will make nice cosy nests.
That is if they can stand the smell of bassets!
xx