If you're anything like me, you can't resist a good mini skein set - especially when it's colorful, themed, and perfect for fall stitching. With our Sherlock Holmes - 13 Days of Halloween boxes on sale now, I thought it was the perfect time to round up my favorite ways to the use the yarn that comes in the box!
I've collected some go-to patterns that make the most out of 13 mini skeins or 12 minis plus a full skein, and it's about time that I share them with you! From gradient fades to color pops and clever striping, there's something magical about watching those minis come to life in a finished piece.
I hope these patterns bring you as much joy as they do me, and also motivate you to use up those mini skeins that have been sitting patiently in your stash!
Knitting Patterns
To start, we have several knitting patterns that were designed especially for our 13 Days of Halloween boxes available in our online shop.
The Haunted Shawl by Leann Ross
I designed The Haunted Shawl for our very first 13 Days of Halloween box back in 2020. It uses 13 mini skeins and combines eyelets, garter stitch, slipped stitches, and unique construction to make a fun shawl or scarf.
Yarn: 13, 20g mini skeins in fingering weight
Size: One Size Fits All
Needles: US 6 / 36” Circular
Notions: Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Gauge:6 sts & 12 rows = 1 inch in garter stitch
This shawl was designed with mystery in mind - specifically, the kind that unfolds room by room in a creaky old mansion. Created for the 2023 13 Days of Halloween mystery box inspired by Clue, this shawl uses 12 mini skeins and one full skein to guide you through a colorful whodunit of a project. Worked side to side in alternating garter stitch and stockinette stripes, the pattern keeps things interesting as each mini reveals its role. Once you've made it to the final twist, you'll pick up and knit a border to tie everything together, finishing with my favorite i-cord bind-off. It's the perfect project for long evenings, hot drinks, and maybe a little light sleuthing on the side.
Yarn: 12, 20 gram mini skeins and one full skein in fingering weight
Size: 88" across the top, 35" down the middle
Needles: US 5/3.75mm, 40" or longer circular, or size needed to obtain gauge
Notions: 2 stitchmarkers, tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Gauge: 20 sts & 28 rows = 4in/10cm in garter stitch
The Treasure Map Snood is all about the journey - each mini skein a new landmark, each stitch pattern a clue along the way. Designed to showcase 12 mini skeins paired with a full skein, this project takes you on a textural adventure, alternating colors and stitches as you go. The result is a generous, cozy cowl that wraps around comfortably - or can be pulled up into a snood for extra warmth and mystery. Whether you're hunting for treasure with The Goonies or just curling up with your knitting, this piece is a beautiful reminder that the fun is in the discovery.
Yarn: 12, 20 gram mini skeins and one full skein in fingering weight
Size: 35" tall, 33" circumference
Needles: US 4/3.5mm, 24" or longer circular, or size needed to obtain gauge
Notions: One stitchmarker, tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Gauge: 25 sts & 40 rows = 4in/10cm in garter stitch
If you're looking for something other than a shawl, wrap, or cowl, you can use mini skeins as stripes or accents in any pattern - all you need is your imagination! But if you need a little more guidance, here is one of my favorites. The fingering weight yarn is held double, so it works up pretty quickly!
(photo credit: Rebecca Clow)
From the pattern: The Daft Days cardigan is an all-over textured cardigan, worked from the bottom up using a slip-stitch pattern. The magic of this cardigan comes from the colours you choose to work it up in. Use just 2 colours, a chosen palette, or mini skeins to make it truly special. The instructions are given for working the pattern flat, but some testers chose to work it in the round and steek; details on this are not given in the pattern.
I made a Daft Days Cardigan using the 12 mini skeins and two full skeins from our 2024 Galentine's Day Box (the box came with one skein - I dyed an extra). It is a quick, easy knit and I absolutely love how it worked up! I made it for my daughter, Noelle, but she outgrew it, so it now lives in the studio until Genevieve can fit into it!
Crochet Patterns
Karen Whooley has designed several crochet patterns for our 13 Days of Halloween boxes, so it only makes sense for me to show a few of them off here!
(photo credit: Karen Whooley)
From the pattern: “Never say die” is one of the most iconic lines from the classic movie “The Goonies.” Inspired by this adventurous tale, the yarn colors for this shawl pattern capture the spirit of the film. The name “Never Say Die” and the main color of the shawl pay homage to this memorable phrase, while the design incorporates symbolism from the movie. The pattern features a basic Granny Ripple stitch, reminiscent of arrows on a treasure map. It is easy to memorize and allows each mini-skein color to shine. Unlike the Goonies’ challenges, this shawl is easy to create and a joy to wear.
Yarn: 1144 yards (1046 m) fingering-weight yarn
Finished Size: 86 inches (218 cm) by 10 inches (25 cm) wide
Hook: US Size E/4 (3.5 mm) or size needed for gauge.
Notions: Tapestry needle
Gauge: 1 chevron measured valley to valley = 3.33 in. (8.5 cm), 8 rows= 4 inches (10 cm)
(photo credit: Karen Whooley)
From the pattern: The Shawl of Suspicion uses a combination f one full hank and 12 mini skeins of fingering weigh yarn in a clue like fashion! Originally designed for the Forbidden Fiber Co’s Clue mystery kit, the shawl was reveled in 13 separate “clues” now you have the chance to make your own generously sized shawl with your own color scheme!
Yarn: 1144 yards (1046 m) fingering-weight yarn
Finished Size: 70 inches / 178 cm wingspan by 36 inches / 91.5 cm at deepest point.
(photo credit: Karen Whooley)
From the pattern: Originally designed as the featured crochet pattern for the Forbidden Fiber Co.’s Halloween Kit 2022, Eastwick is an amazing chevron shawl that is perfect for those mini skeins you have in your stash. After a few setup rows, you will just keep going with a simple 2-row repeat until the very end. This makes it a great stash-busting project, or even a great way to use up those leftover balls of yarn from other projects. You can keep using the repeat until it is the width and length you desire!
Yarn: 1144 yards (1046 m) fingering-weight yarn
Finished Size: 56 inches wingspan measured along the top edge and 33 inches deep at longest, blocked
Hook: US size E/4 (3.5 mm) or size needed for gauge. Always take the time to check your gauge.
Gauge: 20 dc and 8 dc rows = 4 inches (10 cm)
Hook: US size E/4 (3.5 mm) or size needed for gauge. Gauge: In double crochet: 19 dc and 8 dc rows = 4 inches (10 cm)
