Hey team! I know I go on about how massive my stash is in this video but if yours is bigger, no shame. If you have the space and it makes you happy good for you! My issue with my stash is mostly storage and moth related. If I had more room I wouldn't be so worried about it. You do you friends 💚
I fully understand the pain lol. I got a big bag for free from someone who was needing to clear out space, then I got a bunch super cheap after my local yarn shop closed down and I have no space for all this yarn. I need to bust it all with some quick projects I've just had no time being in my last year of undergrad.
The cardigan? It's this one from Drops, the Snowland Cardigan. It's cute! I recommend it, I just didn't like the colour www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/snowland-cardigan
At the beginning of lockdown I finally admitted I was never going to make all the complicated knitting patterns I had in my ravelry library, especially given I had a lot of single balls of yarn, and just started crocheting a granny square that didn’t stop until it was double bed sized. And then I made three more. My friends are begging me to stop giving them blankets in violently clashing colours
Hello there! I'm Reynardo on Ravelry - the cute black and white dog pic. And let us not talk about how many balls of wool *I*'ve got. But I shall be good this year and try not to buy too many. (Insert hysterical laughter in the background)
Do you crochet also? I used up all my partial balls making baskets. I used a big hook and two or three strands of yarn. The baskets are super useful in my craft room.
Oh no! Don't you hate critters. I use my left over wool scraps to knit/crochet little scrubby cloths. Perfect for in the kitchen, cleaning, face washers - all sorts.
Hi RC! Sorry to hear you've not been well: hope things either get better or ease off for you ASAP. I think your Finito jumper in the reddish-brown is Gorgeous and looks Marvelous on you with the red highlights in your hair : not at all sure why you dislike it. Sorry, this is one time I have to disagree with you. The BBC Poirot series features a lot of this colour paired with deep navy and it is a striking combo that would suit your colouring perfectly: why not a retro 30s skirt in a lightweight navy wool? Idea of making gloves from leftover ball makes sense: have you thought of using a similar colour plus one/two from your stash as contrast in ... a scarf or hat? Good luck! An over-stasher who knows you'll whittle it all down! From Canada 👍😊h
My dislike of the sweater you mention is just because the yarn didn't hold up to wear at all! I've already worn through the elbows and it's gone so bobbly my comb can't cope with it. I do love the colour and the style so I might try to recreate it because you're right, I'd look great with a vintage skirt 💚
I love how you say you have a big stash. I look at yours, then look at mine and see yours doesn't make an eighth of mine 😂. I'm trying to cut it down but these orphaned balls just keep popping up and needing a home, so I keep adopting them 😆
Like I say no shame, but my house is small and I also have a massive fabric stash so space is at a premium. It also squished quite neatly into the plastic boxes which makes me feel a lot better 🤣
I got loads of free yarn at work earlier this year, so, yeah, my yarn stash grew out of proportion VERY quickly, so this was in part very relatable and in part very "oh, that's still not that bad." 😂
As someone who doesn't know that many other crafters irl I really enjoyed this chatty organisational video. It was friendly and relatable, and I loved the glimpse of your vintage knitting pattern stash!
This!! Particularly in costuming, sometimes you do actually use that 30cms of lace you saved to make some sleeves just a bit longer and then suddenly all the hoarding is justified 😂
Yay for organizing yarn by weight! That's always made the most sense to me. I always see IG photos of yarn walls organized by color and I'm like, yeah, it's pretty but you don't decide on your project by color - you decide by yarn weight and fiber content, lol. And all of my yarns kinda fall into the same color palette anyway. Edit to add: also, buying bans don't work for me either. To try to curb stashing, I have a few rules: 1) No synthetic fibers new. I'm allowed to buy things with nylon/acrylic if I get them from a destash on Ravelry, Etsy, eBay, etc. But never from the manufacturer. I have to be careful though, because sometimes eBay and etsy sellers are shops selling new yarn, rather than destashes. I typically stick to Ravelry for this reason. 2) I have a 2-out-1-in rule: for every 2 projects I finish, I'm allowed 1 projects-worth of yarn. They have to be comparable: I'm not allowed to make 2 pairs of socks and buy a sweater quantity; 2 pairs of socks out means I can buy 1 pair of socks worth of yarn. This could also be reframed as: for every 100g of yarn worked, I can buy 50g (because then you can use sweaters for socks, and vice versa. It just means you have to knit a LOT of socks to get a sweater quantity). This also works for spinning yarn: for every 100g spun, I can buy another 50g. Or fabric for sewing. 3) I only buy with specific projects in mind. And I try to make sure I have a few possible patterns planned in case the first pattern doesn't work out for whatever reason. I find it easy to stick to rules 1 and 3, but I do still break rule 2. It's hard; "retail therapy" is so easy when I'm feeling kinda blah.
It irritates me to no end when i see all the pretty colors and how people have a whole room for yarn. I dont have that luxury. Its pretty but does it work? Im glad you mentioned this.
I stick by color. Lots of nice patterns i saw in the video but horrible colors for me. I get lots of wool donated to me and mostly i knit what people want and what is left over i knit into blankets for the childrens hospital or elderly home coz i would never wear something in that color. That way i get rid of leftovers and also do something 'good' i think
I got some inexpensive mesh bags ( used for storing onions or other vegetables). I then organized my yarns in each bag and hung them in a spare closet using shower hooks. They are now neatly stored, and easy to search through.
I’m on a no-buying-yarn campaign, and I think there will be a lot of 30s and 40s striped and slip-stitch garments in my future. I’m currently knitting a slip stitch 40s pattern with vintage yarn I got from a friend, and I honestly don’t know if I’ll have enough yarn or not. As for moths, I highly recommend pheromone sticky traps. They attract and kill moths without using poisons. And they’re a great way to monitor one’s moth population.
I inherited my mum's stash, which doubled my stash. Then a friend of mine gave up knitting and gave me 5 dustbin sacks full from her stash. 🤣 I now have a kallax unit 5 x 4 full of yarn!!!! I feel your pain, but to me it's heaven
I've started keeping a spreadsheet of my fabric stash in order to keep myself accountable. Including the price I paid 😬 Look forward to see how you use up your smaller balls. I bet there are some interesting knitted vintage projects out there!
@@serianc9036 Mine started as a list of sewing patterns I had bought. Sizes & prices etc. Then reselling price if I sold them on. My fabric list reminds me of what I have before I buy anything new for a project. Especially when the fabric is in random boxes all over the house...
Thank for the video, Claude! it was really nice to see the process of sorting through the stash, looking forward to see your work on these lovely projects! also, thank you for reminding me that I love knitting and that I should probably pick up the needles again (:
I got so stressed when you sat on the floor. I can't do the floor lately so whenever someone sits there I feel an urge to inform them they'll have to get back into the up. 🤣 I loved watching you organise. May the moths stay away! Thank you for the video.
I don’t think I want to count my stash. My number will probably be higher than what I think. Especially considering I love a good sale 😅 Adding stash yarn to ravelry is such a good feature to help you figure out what you want to make
My yarn stash was way bigger, but last weekend I took my monster stash of acrylic yarn and donated it to Salvation Army and reduced myself to two big plastic waterproof totes of natural fiber yarns. Reducing to natural fiber yarn cut my stash in half. I prefer natural fibers over synthetic because of autoimmune issues (acrylic is bad for your skin and I have had skin issues caused by an autoimmune disorder my whole life that can be kept at bay by being careful what touches my skin). So I mostly have cotton, but also have some wool.
Urgh, moths.... we moved a few years ago and yeah we had them in the wool carpet, was so not happy to discover that. I think for the most part its under control now, but yeah getting them out of the carpet was not fun. Looking forward to seeing how you go and what you make!
@@mmgg9337 I spent hours combing over the wool carpet in the bedroom and collected all the larvae in their cocoons. I cleaned out shoes that were under the bed and exposed as much of the interiors to sunlight to kill eggs and then I steamed the carpets three times over about 6 months. We still see a very occasional one but they get picked up and thrown into the bin (or the wood fire if its the colder months). I also put cedar balls into as many drawers in my wardrobe as possible and added some lavender in around the hanging stuff.
This happened to me too! My yarn was in plastic zip lock bags and plastic boxes and surrounded in lavender and cedar etc and I looked through it every so often and moved it around and never left yarn out and I somehow still got moths. Spent ages cleaning and baked my yarn and I saw one the other day after not seeing a moth for months and now I’m going a bit nuts and desperate for my carpel tunnel to get better so I can actually knit it up. I have plans for most of it, I just can’t actually knit so much anymore. It’s so therapeutic to not be alone with it and to also not be told to throw it all away!
What a great way to go through all of your yarn and pick out projects - I am so excited to see the Thrifty 30s sweater - that one stood out to me as well! So unusual, and I can't wait to see you knit it up! I love all of the yarn and patterns you went through (I picked out a few of the exact same ones for future projects!), though I do have to put in a RIP for your sweaters lost to the wash. (though, like you said, it just means you "have" to do more knitting!) 💕
Oh no! Curses and much creative use of strong language about the menace of moths and misbehaving washing machines. You have made me feel inspired around the idea of craft to zero. My own chronic health conditions means that my energy levels wax and wane so I have something of a hoard - it isn't crazy in volume when compared to others, but when I think about how much I have actually made in the last 12 months... I'm oversupplied in many different crafts to a ridiculous extent. I want start embracing my hobbies again - and start pushing through the brain fog and anxiety and start challenging myself - and this might be the kick in the pants I needed.
Perhaps it's not so much about pushing through as adapting. Pick easier projects and designs that you'll still enjoy and will keep you motivated. The satisfaction of finishing something is so rewarding. I wish you well friend 💚
Yeah I found a recent hoard of yarn I'd totally forgot about! Eight bloody moths we have had a similar problem, luckily most of my yarn stash is mostly a French acrylic!! OoOo the Bee Keepers Quilt, yup I'm totally obsessed with that project myself, lol!! I'm going to be picking up that project again myself after knitting Clair Garlands Wild Rabbit and Peter Rabbit projects I'll be starting soon!! I have maybe 25ish balls, tho I still need to order some yarn for my bunny projects 😊 loved this video, I always enjoy all your video!! Hope the moth annoyance sorts itself out soon!! Have a lovely week!! Samantha xx
I remember my Poppa telling me about being discharged from the Australian Army (World War II) and arriving back in Melbourne after spending his time time sweating in uniforms that disintegrated in the tropical heat of Northern Australia. He arrived home and went to change into his civvies, and for the first time in years, pulled his beloved cream-coloured jumper from a drawer: "The bloody moths! The bloody moths had eaten it!" I've never seen such an even mix of anger, dismay and pure disgruntlement play across anyone's face before or since, and this was more than 50 years after the awful discovery. BLOODY MOTHS! I hope you saved more than you lost!
Thinking of your blue & white crochet wave WIP - I did a crochet ripple/wave blanket several years ago and started it too wide for the amount of yarn that I had, so I flipped it sideways 😊 the waves went vertical instead of horizontal and I just love it! It's very retro looking, dark grey-ish green & orange-salmon stripes, with healthy fringe at the top & bottom ❤ Loving your content btw. Thanks for sharing!
I am using up all my random bits of pure wool yarn to make “Joey” (as all baby marsupials in Australia are called) pouches for injured / orphaned wildlife, they don’t care if it’s all in bits of random colours 😂 then I make multiple liners for them from old flannelette sheets.
I’ve been crocheting an Afghan for 2 1/2 years. It laying on a chair in the living room. Recently I crocheted the last 4 strips for the afghan but have yet to see them on and do the edging. Think I’ll go sew on a strip now. Thinking about my yarn stash makes my head hurt. Yes, it’s that bad.
Moths are a pain but they can be destroyed as long as your diligent.Sweep and dust everywhere,watch for what look like tiny flies on your walls and ceiling as these are moths.Freezing is good but with yarn the eggs can hide in the deep pile.You can buy moth sprays where the smell does not linger on your clothes.Windows open and spray liberally especially check under the edges of your carpets and rugs.You can buy moth spray anywhere.Once it's sorted you can buy cedar wood balls and rounds to hang on hangers.Put these in with your yarn or drawers and they will help to stop moths.I also spray immediately before packing away.You can gently sand the cedar wood once a year to re activate.You can also buy polish with woodworm treatment that you can use once a month and smells lovely. Also check in the folds of your vintage patterns for paper moths.squash and again spray,lightly(check a corner first)Sorry if this sounds overboard but once you control them it just means general cleaning regularly and spraying occasionally. I know people don't like sprays but unless you destroy them all they will be very destructive. .Love your yarns and am looking forward to seeing them made up.
I’m just watching your video about your yarn stash. In Denmark we knit a lot with the round needles, mostly from the bottom up. And drops design have a lot of patterns doing button up of top down jumpers. You ca always compare the patterns to the pattern you want to knit. Succes on your journey of getting through your stash.
Das Problem mit den Motten hatte ich auch schon. Meine Angora Wolle war sehr nahrhaft für die kleinen Tierchen. Eine Schneiderin hat mir den Rat gegeben das man Plastik aus dem Kleiderschrank verbannen soll und auch die Wolle nicht in Plastik lassen.
That's a "massive" stash?!! O-oh, in that case I have no idea what to call mine 😂😂 It's at least 6 times bigger than yours... 😲Luckily we don't really have moths in my country (or at least I've never heard of anyone's yarn being attacked by them) :) Edit: only saw your pinned message now, after posting this ;) Well, the good thing about yarn (or one of them!) is that it doesn't really take up much space! :) IMO. Contrary to you, cotton is actually my preferred yarn, I don't like wool much ;) Btw, love the background music here! ♥
Great, relate-able video. I have tried matching up stash to patterns, placed a card in the project bag to identify, as I know I would never remember otherwise. Then, a few months later, my mind starts wandering as I realize as you have, the projects do not consume a massive amt of yarn. Your next video you mention the 5yr stash…using your math, I need to make a 10 yr plan, lol. Thoroughly enjoy your conversation. Carry On!
I really don't like wool moths at all! Ahhh yes, lots of yarn, no room, I have the same problem, and the added issue is since I am a fairly new knitter, I really under and over estimated how much yarn was needed for a project, I also didn't understand the weight difference when I was buying all that yarn, so I have far too much of one type, and not enough of another for the things I was hoping to make, and now the "dye lot" color is almost completely different, then when I finally realized patterns were the way to start, I ended up getting more yarn, to work with the recommended size, and type. Yep there is a learning curve, hahahahah what to do, what to do!
I highly recommend looking at Ravelry for pattern inspiration for those 'no idea' balls of yarn. I found some projects to use up yarn I never thought I'd use!
I love that you have vintage patterns and whilst your stash is absolutely huge I reckon you’ll get through it eventually. Good luck and thank you for your transparency and humour
An idea for yarn buster projects is the danish knitter Lærke Baggers knit. She works alot with combining different types and making the odd ones in. I don't know if her book "Strik" is in english yet, but it would maybe be worth a look? Although it is more modern and outgoing style. Else there is the technique 'Hønsestrik', which is a yarnbusting retro technique from the 70s. :) Good luck!
I keep seeing moths only 1 or 2 a night but I can't find where they are hiding 😖 we have no carpets so not in them. I have put all my stash of yarn into plastic tubs with fever blocks. I will never live long enough to use it all 😂 these moths a big worry tho I don't know how to find them and I have literally spent a week searching the house.
Your stash is cute! I am organizing my stash. I have over 1000 skeins built up over ten years. I have to sort by color becuase my stash is mostly worsted acrylic. In my defense, I do have a shop on Etsy. That's what I'm sticking with though I know I stil have way more yarn than I'm likely to use up!
I found this today and absolutely loved it. My stash is massive. And l’ve decided to start this from today. And zero down my wool stash. At the minute l’m doing a cardigan which you start from the cuff which is abit different. And today starting a advent knitting project which not done before. I love all the vintage knitting pattern aswell. Thanks for sharing.
If I didn’t like knitting with cotton, I’d sell/donate the cotton yarns, same with the bulkies. I think I’d feel relief to have my stash narrowed down to what I could at least feature using. 🤷🏼♀️. Yay for your response to the accidental shrinkage! Oh well, I’ll knit more! ❤
this has been an inspiration for me to organise my own stash! i added almost all of my yarn to ravelry to keep it sorted, and bagged most of it in ziploc bags. i'm planning to try to find ideas i can knit with what i have, added a few patterns to my ravelry queue already - and while i currently have about 5kg of yarn (1.5kg will be taken off my stash once i finish the 2 wip sweaters i'm currently knitting), i'm hoping to get down to 3kg by the end of the year!
When that video came out, I already watched you. But, yes. I really really like that video. Watched it for sure 5 or 6 times... Big hugs and greetings from Belgium
Hearing about the washing machine "incident" both made me laugh and broke my heart. I made myself a sweater for the first time (crochet, not knit) and my dear hubby "washed it" for me and now it would fit a cat. I'm glad you have such a good attitude about it, I think I would have burst into tears. Also your version of "unacceptable" or "not good enough" is so far beyond my knitting capability I'm in absolute awe of you. Thank you for taking us along for your stash organization. You've given me a lot of ideas of how to organize mine
This video was more than entertaining, I really enjoyed listening about your thoughts through this process, it was very relatable. Your stash is full of beautiful yarns and the patterns you chose are really unique. I'm excited to follow these adventures!
i always laugh when others go on about their stash being huge. I have 3 of the largest rubbermade totes FULL of yarn. And probably 8 more with fabric? I haven't bought new yarn in YEARS other than one skein here or there to finish a project from a stash yarn i need more of. And I don't think I'll have to buy more yarn for at least a decade. lol Advice to the wise: if you are a maker, DONT work at a craft store. lol :D
I don't think i have a ton of yarn, except for a bunch of acrylic and synthetic stuff i bought, much of it from the thrift store, that I haven't been able to find a purpose for. Mostly aran, some dk. I decided with the aran I am going to make a giant scrap blanket in jasmine stitch, held double. For the DK i am doing a temp blanket. I made plans for most of the rest of my yarn though, I have a lot but not TOO much. Everything has a pattern. When you said Engineering Knits real name I was like "what? thats not her name is it, no its something like..." and then I realized I never even knew her name lol. Neat.
I actually got my stash down but then found a lot in thrift stores, some sales and was given some. So while I wasn't paying attention it it because huge! Storage is becoming a problem! I love your ideas on sorting and figuring out projects.
It's amazing to me that the vast majority of your yarn no longer has the label on it. Sometimes I don't think it's all that obvious what the yarn weight is, or the fiber content, so you're apparently just going from memory? Even if the ball gets partly used up, I tighten up the label and pin it in place. Also, you didn't specify the color of most of the yarn, but when you did you used the word "color," rather than that ridiculous affectation of knitters, "colorway." Why do they do that? I just started watching your channel, and am enjoying it a lot. (ha ha -- maybe you use "colorway" most of the time and I just don't know it yet.)
Hello from the US🇺🇸This was so motivating for me to deal with my stash as well, thank you so very much for taking the time to share this video, BIG FAN of your channel, I also struggle with chronic illness and appreciate the effort it takes just to do everyday things not to mention the many ways you go beyond with your channel, God give you strength in the days ahead. ❤️
Hi I know how to crochet and loom knit. I only know how to crochet afew things blankets manly.then with loom knitting i can make hats and scarfs. Great video by the way my favorite kind of yarn is Red Heart supper saver number 4 medium weight yarn I don't know if its available were your . After watching your video i want to crochet or loom knit a matching hat that looks like My Historical 1934 Great depression American Girl doll and then make one from my 1970s American Girl doll too both in my size of course. I hope you have a great day and happy knitting. Rachel tinmanlover1994
Mee too have lots of left over yarn and i mixed all colours and made 2 blankets its unique and only 1 of each different colours happy knitting and crocheting and you have a new subscriber keep up the good work and keep smiling 🇬🇧
I think i cheated with mine i had 230 balls , i gifted quite a large amount from what people had given me and used some and bought 15 balls too oopps now on around 173 ....
Oh, and I'm always "reverse-engineering" patterns made in parts to be made in the round & seamless, as I hate sewing parts together (like all finishings), it's so much nicer & more interesting to make them seamless, and not difficult at all! :) And with my huge stash, one thing I'd really love is patterns to use oddments of yarn in garments (not really into knitting socks or gloves) ;)
Your video inspired me to tackle some of my yarn stash! I'm currently using the odd one ball skins to make some small pillows 😁 thank you and I can't wait to see ein update video on your projects! Have a lovely day
I think I have as much as you do ! I feel happy I'm not the only one 😆. Yarn can be so expensive someone said if your comments they have eight time more than you 😳 I would honestly have more but it's so expensive 😭
My god if you saw my yarn stash you would know why I cannot get to grips with it. Like you it’s in wardrobes, in offsite storage, on top of bookshelves…..on my own wool shelf, too much to knit in my lifetime unless I retire any day soon and can spend my days knitting away to hearts content.
just an idea why don't you store all your wool in those plastic bags that you can vacume all the air out of. Store better and no naughty moths can lay their eggs. Happy knitting. xx
heres me sat watching this video with roughly 120 balls of wool piled up to my right lol. im so lucky i havent had to deal with moths or anything like that. i do have cats who both destroy my wool and protect it aha
I'm not sure how I came upon this video, but I liked the subject matter and it was interesting to watch someone else's process on choosing projects. Can I ask if the moths damaged any of the yarn? I really need to go through my stash like this and figure out proper storage because right now a lot of it is just laying about! I added quit a bit in the past few months lol.
I replayed this video today so I could listen to it while organizing some fabric. It's nice to work on stuff when there's a video of someone also working on similar stuff!
I never know what to do with random half balls of yarn. I need to have a look into some projects to use them up! Rather than the cluttered mess in a drawer 😩
I keep all of my wool materials and items in IKEA zip bags. They have pretty big ones (big enough for my largest/longest cardigan), they are very sturdy and have a double zip that closes really well. So far no moth has been able to get in!
