How to Turn Your Stash into Viable Projects!

I bet you don’t throw yarn away, no matter how small that ball is; the thought of discarding yarn into trash bags is nigh to blasphemous. Guys, I have boxes filled with randomly sized balls in all different weights, colors, and amounts.  I also have random skeins of yarn, one skein purchases, with no plan for them because in my brain there just isn’t enough yardage. But I think I found an answer!!

It’s so simple that I really am a bit embarrassed that I didn’t figure it out sooner, ya know being a yarn shop partner and all.  (I wouldn’t know any of this if it wasn’t for Catherine’s teaching me over and over and over about yarn weights.) So what is this simple concept that will help reduce your stash and produce beautiful wearable garments in knitting and crochet?

ORGANIZING!!!!

I know, I get it…how can that create calm and peace in my stash????  How can that produce finished garments??? Let’s break it down……..

Dig into your stash; I mean all the yarn stored -under the bed, back of the linen closet, behind the food service sized cans in the pantry, in the cupboards in the laundry room or the storage unit out by the highway, you get my drift.  Bring it all together on your table or king-sized bed. Have four boxes or laundry baskets on hand for the first sorting.

Now you will sort by yarn weight….whoa don’t go all crazy on me, I know that the odds and ends balls will not have labels its okay, you are smart and together we’ll figure it out.

Grab the yarn that does have a label on it, find the yardage, the grams, and the gauge.  This is going to give you all the info you need, the more yardage per 100 gm, the smaller the yarn weight (oh and just for this crazy moment, don’t think of yarn weight as actual weight because it isn’t, this is about the size of the yarn, not how much it weighs, I know confusing but stick with me.)  Yarn that has 400 or more yards per 100 grams or 200 per 50 gm goes into the first box and label this one “Fingering or Sock Weight” yarn.

The second box will be a little trickier, so don’t feel like you have to hit perfection.  Any of your yarn labels that list the yardage between 250-375 per 100 gm throw them in the box and label the box Sport & DK.  If the yarn label says either of these terms toss them in.

The third box – worsted weight yarn has from 175-220 yards per 100 gm, throw them in box three, labeled worsted.  This is often the weight of yarn that you would make sweaters, scarves, hats, Afghans and more out of, it’s the true workhorse of yarns.

Okay, the last box if you have any of the chunky/bulky weights, that’s the big ones, thick to really thick yarns.  They go for 80-110 yards per 100 gm. This yarn is worked up into quick items such as cowls, hats, and scarves. It uses large needles such as size 13 US to 19 and bigger.  

Now you have all of your haphazard balls left, using your boxes as a guide, match up the yarn to what’s in your boxes.  Thick with Thick, thin with thin and so forth. This won’t be perfect just do your best. It’s easy to distinguish fingering weight yarn from worsted weight yarn so start there.  This may take some time, so give yourself a break away from it for an hour and come back with fresh eyes.

Take a breather, take a rest, have a seat.

Now, if you found some yarns that no longer speak to you, that you know you will never knit or crochet with, its okay.  Breathe, deeply, sit still and realize the yarn you may no longer care for can be donated to some great causes.

In our knitting guild, we have a teacher who needs all the yarn she can get in order to teach her students knitting.  I’m pretty sure that she is not the only teacher in America who could use yarn.

Care Centers can use the yarn for their residents, many of them knit and crochet but need the yarn to do it. You could make Afghans for homeless shelters to give away to those who could use something made with a bit of love.  There are all kinds of resources in your area. I went through my yarn and ended up with two white trash bags filled and gave them to a friend who then went through it for herself then gave the rest of it to the senior center.  It is being used to make various charity items. It will never go to waste, please don’t throw it away, our landfills don’t need it.

Okay, let’s take a break and come back for part two!!!

Rachael

Creation Station

Catherine & Rachael

Here are pictures of my personal stash after I sorted then put projects together.