Yarn Talk
By Rachel Choi – 28 Comments|
Let’s talk about yarn!
The other day I was staring at my yarn stash wondering where it all went. I have about 10 skeins of assorted colors and 3 small balls of thread. What is a “normal” size for a yarn stash? Every time I’m on the Crochetville forums I read about people with rooms if not tubs and bags filled with yarn in their stash. It feels like I’m behind, where is my room full of yarn? I need to go on a yarn spree. |
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By the way, what kind of yarn do you like to buy? I normally go for whatever is on sale or is just cheap. I have some Red Heart, Caron 1 pounder, and some Simply Soft stuff. I’ve never bought anything fancy yet, but I do touch and feel when I walk passed them.
Okay! I’m done rambling. Now, it’s your turn! How big is your stash and what’s in it?
You know Rachel,
I go on ebay and buy lots of yarn. I have two tubs and three bags full in my closet and am thinking of getting some more so I don’t run out. I have yarn all over the place!!!!! 🙂
ooOOo Ebay! I keep forgetting about that! It feels weird buying yarn online. lol I don’t know why, I buy so much other stuff online. Maybe it’s because I want to touch the yarn before I buy it. I’ll look on Ebay later to see if there is anything good! Thanks Harold!
You will be pleasantly surprised. I have boughten tons of yarn off Ebay and have not been disappointed. Most of the yarn is in EXCELLENT condition and there is no smell to it or nothing!!!! You will find a tresure trove in there!!! Happy hunting!!!!!
That’s awesome! Thanks a bunch Harold!
My stash currently conists of two small drawers and one wooden basket full. I buy cheap or sale yarn usually too. I have several little balls of acrylic yarn leftovers that I am trying to work into small projects.
I would love to one day have a big shelf with square compartments and have all my yarn stacked together. It would be great to not have to keep digging through the drawers and basket to find what I need. LOL
I crochet mittens and hats to donate and I find 99.99% of my yarn at Goodwill or at Estate Sales. Pretty cheap I know but I can get a lot of good skeins and colors in a bag for around $6.00.
Wow Dana! A whole bag for just $6, what a deal! It’s wonderful that you donate your hats and mittens!
I would love a big shelf too Michelle! I keep seeing pics of them with nice arrangements of colors in each compartment.
Like Harold, I too have been on a yarn shopping spree on Ebay.
I’m happy with most of what I get, but some purchases have been disappointing as they DO have musty, smoky smells. I guess that’s to be expected with vintage yarn.
I prefer to buy from knitting warehouse or Joann on line.
They have great sales and their stuff is new and fresh – no old smells.
As far as how much and what kind of yarn I have collected?
TOO much and ALL kinds!
Time to take a buying vacation and use what I have and get rid of what I likely won’t use.
Hi Paulette!
I’ve never shopped at knitting warehouse before. I have to check that out! Thanks for sharing!!! 🙂
Rachel – I find I’m getting away from acrylic yarn and really liking natural fibers, especially alpaca, washable wool and cotton – and look for them in the sale bin. I bought some bamboo yarn to try but don’t yet have a pattern suitable for it – any ideas out there? Acrylic yarn eventually fuzzes up – that’s why I’m not liking it as much. Any ideas for good uses for really short remainder pieces? PS – love the Tunisian crochet tips.
I have several tubs of yarn. I tend to buy when they are on clearance at Hobby Lobby and every once in a while you can find some great fancy eyelash yarn most brand name at Big Lots. Usually marked at $1.00. I also look at places like Micheal’s they seem to always put yarn on clearance to make room for newer yarns. So many times I have found a new pattern that I just want to start right away and I can usually find some yarn in my stash to start it
YW, Rachel.
You mentioned a big shelf with compartments of ‘nice arrangements of colors’.
The home page at http://www.knitting-warehouse.com/ has a nice picture of just that.
(The pictures change, so if you don’t see it right away, just give it a second or two.)
I have a craft room with LOTS of yarn. I use the 40% off coupons, buy them on clearance (I just got some clearance red heart at Michaels), buy at Herrschners or Joann on line. I usually use yarn to max out the shipping benefits. Right now my favorite is Vanna’s yarn. I know I have a yarn addiction problem and I have done really well this past year in not adding to the stash. I am trying to work on getting it down but it takes awhile.
Hi Wendy! It sounds like your rich in yarn!!! I use those 40% off coupons too! I love those. I haven’t checked out Herrschners yet either, gotta to that! Good luck with using up your yarn!
Thanks Paulette! Those shelf pics with all the yarn make me just want more yarn lol!
I’m glad you have a good stash Karen! Sometimes when I get inspired to start a new project I look at my stash and what I need isn’t there, so by time I go get it, I don’t want to do it any more 🙁 But I know how I can solve that problem….buy more yarn!!! heheh
I’m still stuck on acrylics Mary! I’ve been wanting to make some dishcloths with cotton and also try some felting with wool but just never got around to buying them. For scarp projects you can try making fridgies to decorate your refrigerator, fingerless gloves, flowers or small cell phone cozies.
I have 1 tub full plus 3 normal shoeboxes and 1 little one. And then there’s various skeins lying around my room. It drives my sister (I share a room) crazy. Especially when yarn falls on her head in the middle of the night (bunk beds!) It has a little bit of everything-but never what I need. So my supply keeps growing. But I have to limit how much I get, because there’s not much storage room. When I need to stock up, I order at smiley’s yarn. Otherwise I stick with clearance. 🙂
lol Em! I can just imagine 2 sisters sharing a bunk bed with yarn falling onto the lower bunk. That’s too funny! 🙂
Since I just picked up the crochet addiction, my yarn stash is really small. I have about 6 skeins and some partial balls that people gave me. What I have bought, I got on sale. Except for a skein of recycled yarn that was kind of expensive. But I really wanted to try it and loved it! I never even thought of ebay! I’m going there tonight! Rummage/Estate sales is another good one, thanks for the ideas guys!
Hey Mel!
You’re stash isn’t much smaller than mine! I haven’t tried the recycled yarn yet, but i did play with some at the store, lol! It feels interesting.
I also have gotten some great yarn at Goodwill stores. Its hit or miss but I have gotten the big 1 pound skeins for 33cents! It was a great find. Otherwise I too buy them on sale at Joann’s or Michaels. I am recently starting to get back into the crocheting habit and haven’t really strayed from acrylics either. I have mostly just been making a bunch of baby blankets and hats for all my friends having babies using the mostly Caron baby or the Red Heart baby brands.
wow 33 cents! That’s unheard of Michelle! Lucky you.
Good Morning Rachel –
My stash is not huge either, lol!! My stash consists of 1 fairly large basket, plus maybe 2 or 3 skeins. And I have a few different kinds of yarn. Red Heart, Bernat and I seem to have quite a bit of Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice. I love that yarn for Afghans because it is SO soft! But I have found that the Bernat has been easier for Amigurumi, which is my latest obsession, lol!
Thank you so much for such a great site….I look forward to your emails!
Hey Nicole!
I looooove soft yarn too! hehe it’s great to pet… ooo and making things with too 🙂
I have more yarn than I know what to do with at this point. There are 2 large plastic tubs at my house, and my mom is bringing over 2 more boxes full, plus there are some odds and ends floating around from projects that my siblings wanted done. Word got out that I was trying to crochet a couple of years ago and everyone seems to have some yarn tucked away. It was even listed as my inheritance when one of my mom’s cousins passed. Truth be told, I have never really had much time to do much, and my previous work was all very basic (scarves or blankets in one color with only one type of stitch). I’m trying to branch out now, mostly so I can use up some of this yarn. I feel guilty having it all lying around.
Hi Juli!
don’t feel guilty! At least your using it. I wish I had a ton of yarn lying around, lol. With all your yarn there are endless amounts of things you can crochet. Have fun 🙂
Most of my yarn is Caron and Red Heart, too. One of my uncles goes to auctions and he once bought me this big box of yarn, which supposedly went for only five dollars. I remember that day — all that yarn, it felt like Christmas.
I get a lot of yarn from Michael’s, too. I get mad because my local Michael’s doesn’t keep yarn stocked to my liking, but then they send me another 40% off cupon and I go back again. (I really need to hit Joann. I’ve heard they’re much better.) Some yarn, like other people have mentioned, I’ve gotten from second-hand stores and rummage sales.
I’m awful about using yarn I really like, though. The more I like it, the less likely I am to use it.
Wow a big box from only $5! That must have been an auction without any crocheters there, lol. I think Joann is better than Michael’s too! I went there the other day and they definitely have a bigger yarn selection.
I love to have lots of yarn, I buy mostly cotton, acrylic and bamboo. I don’t spend much money at all on it. I buy the cotton and bamboo mostly from eBay as my local Haberdashers sells only acrylic and wool. I love eBay and have had nothing but positive experiences when buying yarn and other crochet accessories 🙂
AC Moore has a wonderful selection of yarn in our area and coupons in the paper and on e-mail if you join. AARP members can get a discount at Michael’s by showing their card and they also have coupons. However, their yarn selection is limited as well as Jo-ann’s. We have a local yarn shop if I want something special but most times I can find it at AC Moore. Absolutely love Red Heart Boutique Treasure and Lion Brand Landscape for making cowls for Christmas gifts lately and am also using Vanna White acrylic to make an afghan.