I have a habit of buying yarn before I have a project in mind (I spend a lot of time browsing Ravelry because of this!). Once I find a project to use the yarn for, I take a photo of the yarn next to an image of the pattern and save it on Pinterest. This way, I remember what I want to use the yarn for. Sometimes I change my mind if I find a pattern I like better, but I'm pretty good at sticking with what I choose.
I cake ALL left over yarn and I keep the label punch a hole in the label (with a hole puncher)and tie it to the end. And I get the giant zip bags from the dollar store so I can see what I have. I also have been a crocheter for a long time so I NEVER buy yarn just to buy it, as much as that hurts, I stick to that! It's hard but you can do it! Willpower! I also keep all my 4 weight yarn separate from my sock yarn. I take my left over yarn and make scrap blankets. I only work on blankets only in the winter. I am going to be breaking my rule a little bit in September because that is my birthday month and I am going to the Lion Brand Outlet for my birthday, my son and husband asked what I wanted and that's what I want, but I do have some patterns picked out for some Lion Brand yarn.
Thought I was going to need a truck to get out! Besides yarn and crochet books, my son bought me a mug and my husband bought me a Lion Brand bag! Can't wait to go back! Maybe around Channaka time!
I'm super lucky, as I have a spouse who is a professional brewer, and it's not (only) for the obvious reason. It's also because he often comes back from brewing conference with little 'mix and match 6-pack shopping bags'. Those are like a miniature tote with 6 spaces to store individual bottles of beer he might have sampled during his trip. Those little partitioned totes are perfect to hold a sweater quantity of yarn, so about 6 regular hanks, with one hank per 'sleeve'. It's perfect because I still get to see the yarn, I can pick one hank of the whole bag, depending on what I need, and those partitioned totes, once on their side, stack very well on shelves, so I can fit about 3 totes high on a regular shelf. Maybe one day, a cool and trendy yarn company will offer those partitioned totes for yarn (hint, hint).
Myriam Garcon I urge you to get a patent on your concept design first, even if you draw it a paper napkin. I regret not doing that myself back in 1976, with Velcro & rounded disposal diapers tape; now every diaper in the world has them! I've had so many ideas but didn't do anything and others are reeling my ideas with billions of dollars!!!
Your idea of small compartments made me think of a hanging see-thru shoe bag. (24 pockets) I sort my skeins in plastic totes standing upright, but the left over I wind into balls & put in the pockets of the shoe bag. Then I can hang it in the back of the closet in my craft room. I've used these bags for storing other craft items, i.e, Punches & misc glues, tapes &c.
I store my yarn in a wood cabinet from Amazon, and the finished projects I have crocheted in a large clear bin from Michael's Craft Stores. I also have a storage bin for projects i hope to sell at a future craft fair :)
I use small stacked transparent plastic bins (19 of them) for the "rainy day" yarns, & many beautiful baskets that are on display. And I have a table covered with my currently used yarns so I can enjoy seeing & touching them & be inspired. There are lots of colors of merino wool on the table because I'm continually knitting Fair Isle hats. The living room has become my knitting studio. Next I want to get the diagonal wooden shelves because they look great & the skeins stay neatly shifted to the bottom.
I inherited 3 wonderful old Steamer Trunks...the kind with drawers! So after cleaning them I put my yarns away in them, wrapped in giant Ziploc bags, organized by type of yarn (Alpaca, Merino,etc) and then by color. these are magnificent treasures, and you can find them often in antique stores. Give it a try...they also make wonderful coffee tables!
I just organized my yarn collection, I separated my yarns based on project or stash. For me, stash is any yarn that is left over from a project or any yarn that I only bought one or two skeins of. If my yarn is "project" I store it organized in the Dollar Tree Storage bags per project. That also lets me see how many projects I have just waiting to come alive for hooks or looms. I found so many projects that I have that I fell in love with and now the drive I have to get my WIP's done to get to those projects I have forgotten. Then I have the New and Expensive Yarn that I am getting from my yarn subscriptions. I only have a couple of months worth of those but I don't have a project idea in mind except the sock yarns. I may take some time and organize my yarns on Ravelry, but that is another weekend project.
Oh boy, do I have stash!!! I won't tell you that I have over 20 +, (I lost count) 66 quart bins filled with yarn, YIKES!!! (but I do). I kind of went crazy, don't you think? My latching bins are first by weight, then within that weight, I have a bin of Vanna's choice, another bin of Caron Simply Soft, and another of Bernat Baby Blanket, and so on, and on, and on!!! I am now trying to use the yarn that I have, but never seem to have the yarn, or color that I need for my next project. *sigh*
I used to be a person who would buy & make. So the only stash I would accumulate would be little balls of leftovers. Then, I started buying extra for larger projects, just in case, but often not needing them. Many times, I purchased several skeins of yarn just to realize when I made the swatch, that it wasn't the right one to show off the pattern I had in mind, so they got excused "for now". Then I started entering (and winning several!) giveaways, so without a project in mind, they sat as "ornamental yarns". Then, I got into sock-knitting and bought several hanks on sale so I could make socks for the women in my life (daughter, sisters, nieces), but many have yet to give me their feet measurements, and I will not waste time knitting a pair of socks that may not fit! Then, I started buying from those indy hand-dying businesses because, well because they were the ones to be generous to offer giveaways. Do I need to tell you that I now have 5 large plastic bins full of yarn? LOL! I have been thinking, lately, that I really need to sort the bins by weight. So, thank you for these additional tips... and a "kick in the butt" to do it!! :-)
Hi, I’m a crocheter AND a yarn addict!! I LOVE sales...which is how I get a lot of yarn. OR I go on a pattern binge, buy yarn, and haven’t gotten around to making them. I have 3 steamer trunks, a very tall but narrow bookshelf, 2 ikea lg zip up laundry bags, 3 stacking foldable storage stools (1- 2x2x2; 1-2x2x4; 1-2x2x6), and about 4 lg Amazon boxes w mostly blanket yarn. Not to mention several - as in at least 5 - wip bags of various sizes. My hubby, who never complains, that my ‘stash’ was getting a little ridiculous...(we both have horsing tendencies, though not the tv show stage). Lol I think I have to agree. I’m fighting the urge to go to sales.
I keep my yarn in covered bins stacked in a large bookcase, floor to ceiling. I have a total of 14 bins which keeps my stash to a manageable size. I sort the yarn by brand, then weight and then color. I cake skein leftovers and put those all in one bin. My rule is once my bins are full I can’t buy anymore yarn. That motivates me to use it or share what I have fallen out of love with.
I try to keep my stash tidy with totes, bags, cubes, baskets, fabric squares and by keeping it by kind of yarn. I like to keep the yarn I am going to use for a project with that project and any leftovers will go back into storage with the same yarn brand/type.
I personally just put all my yarn in a bag and hope it doesn't get tangled, but I'm trying to get to a point where I have a special cabinet for all my yarn.
Another idea is to get gallon sandwich bags. Roll it into a ball and tear off the front of the paper that says what it is. This way not only will it not tangle with other yarn, but you can also know what it is. And you can store it in a tote!
"accumulate your inspiration" muhahahahaha...what gem! absolutely brilliant! I will so keep that cause I am accumulating a loooooot of inspiration for all of my crafty hobbies. :) next time I'll be called a hoarder/collector I will know for certain what I really do. :D
I have a stash but only buy yarn for specific projects.....but I do actually make the projects. Once my cupboards where I keep it gets full I do not buy more until I work through a few projects. It works good for me because I can stock up when there are good sales and I can start the next project right after I am done with one. If I accumulate too many odd balls or leftovers that I won’t use I donate it.
I keep my yarn in 2.5 gallon Ziploc bags with the printed pattern of what it's for. I then keep those in my yarn vault (walk-in closet 😁) on shelves. My non-designated project yarn is kept in plastic containers by weight of yarn and in color. My thread for doilies is in a basket. I found that I don't go buying yarn as much because I hit my Projects bags first. Very productive. 😁
Search for wraps per inch to give you a guide as to what weight it is. Also, there are videos on how to determine what the yarn is made of. They usually involve burning (very carefully!) a small section of the yarn and see how it reacts, plant based (bamboo, cotton, linen) will smell like paper burning and leave ash, animal based will smell like burnt hair and chemical based (acrylics & nylons) will leave a plastic bead type residue. Hard to tell with any blends, but it will get you closer.
I have a plastic three drawer tower for my yarn, if yarn won’t fit in there then it’s not allowed in the house, I aim to use up all my yarn within the next three to five years, then I will buy for specific projects as I want to do them.
All of my yarn is in Rubbermaid storage box clear so you can in. My project bag are in zip lock bag a big one where you can used for blankets that what I used.
I use a database called "scan pet" you can use it for free with a once a day ad or you can buy it and it's not expensive. You can set up what fields you want and take a picture of the skein. I have pictures, brand, gauge, length, composition,what tote its in ect. You can set up drop down menus for each field so you can choose say a brand or gauge without having to type it in. Once it's set up it is great. I carry it on my phone so I can search it to see if I have a certain yarn that is on sale ect. I have 9 large totes of yarn from different places. Yes I have projects in mind for most of it. Take your time learn the program and believe me it's worth it. Happy crafting :)
I seem to inherit everyone's "grandma stash". The older stuff I toss - that old acrylic from the 70's just doesn't cut it for me. However, I have A TON of yarn that has no label. I know 100% cotton and 100% acrylic, beyond that, I'm lost. How do I tell what I have if it doesn't have a label?
kat4005 I did that as well, UNTIL I was browsing in Sally Supply (now I use a bulk craft supplier), and found those little ‘pin curl clips’!!! Now put some in a small empty jar for travel and the rest sit by my yarn winder to secure the end to the ball. It’s like 100 for $3. SCORE!!!! ☀️☀️
I found that storing in plastic containers in the south east can be a no no. I stored many skeins this way while my son and daughter in law lived with us as their house was being built. 2 years later the yarn had to be thrown out. I have learned it has to breathe. So for long term storage I would not recommend plastic containers.
I have special yarn in pillow cases and my other stash I have in large fabric laundry bags that have a zipper on the side for access and a pull top closeure....My understanding of yarn that it is a fiber that needs to breathe so I am afraid to store yarn in ziplock bags.
This doesn't help me very much. I can't decide which system to use! I've tried by color and by weight, both with specialty yarns separate, and neither has been good enough. :(
I go by fiber, then weight and color. I have little fur thieves so I have to make sure none is ever left out, meow meow attack! As all pet parents should bc they can and will eat it and could die.
I have a habit of buying yarn before I have a project in mind (I spend a lot of time browsing Ravelry because of this!). Once I find a project to use the yarn for, I take a photo of the yarn next to an image of the pattern and save it on Pinterest. This way, I remember what I want to use the yarn for. Sometimes I change my mind if I find a pattern I like better, but I'm pretty good at sticking with what I choose.
I cake ALL left over yarn and I keep the label punch a hole in the label (with a hole puncher)and tie it to the end. And I get the giant zip bags from the dollar store so I can see what I have. I also have been a crocheter for a long time so I NEVER buy yarn just to buy it, as much as that hurts, I stick to that! It's hard but you can do it! Willpower! I also keep all my 4 weight yarn separate from my sock yarn. I take my left over yarn and make scrap blankets. I only work on blankets only in the winter. I am going to be breaking my rule a little bit in September because that is my birthday month and I am going to the Lion Brand Outlet for my birthday, my son and husband asked what I wanted and that's what I want, but I do have some patterns picked out for some Lion Brand yarn.
This was the most wholesome comment. I hope you had/have a blast at the Lion Brand Outlet, and happy birthday!
Thought I was going to need a truck to get out! Besides yarn and crochet books, my son bought me a mug and my husband bought me a Lion Brand bag! Can't wait to go back! Maybe around Channaka time!
Ilene Klayman That's awesome!! I didn't even realize Lion had an outlet. Very cool! I hope you enjoy getting to use all your new stuff. :)
Yep in Carlstadt, NJ about 45 min. from where I live!
Thank you for this information I need this
In baskets around my living room. Now where do I put the couch!!🤣
I'm super lucky, as I have a spouse who is a professional brewer, and it's not (only) for the obvious reason. It's also because he often comes back from brewing conference with little 'mix and match 6-pack shopping bags'. Those are like a miniature tote with 6 spaces to store individual bottles of beer he might have sampled during his trip. Those little partitioned totes are perfect to hold a sweater quantity of yarn, so about 6 regular hanks, with one hank per 'sleeve'. It's perfect because I still get to see the yarn, I can pick one hank of the whole bag, depending on what I need, and those partitioned totes, once on their side, stack very well on shelves, so I can fit about 3 totes high on a regular shelf.
Maybe one day, a cool and trendy yarn company will offer those partitioned totes for yarn (hint, hint).
Sounds great! I'd love to see pics.
Myriam Garcon, very 😎 cool to have such great things (and free!!!) to help organize your stash!
Myriam Garcon
I urge you to get a patent on your concept design first, even if you draw it a paper napkin. I regret not doing that myself back in 1976, with Velcro & rounded disposal diapers tape; now every diaper in the world has them! I've had so many ideas but didn't do anything and others are reeling my ideas with billions of dollars!!!
Your idea of small compartments made me think of a hanging see-thru shoe bag. (24 pockets) I sort my skeins in plastic totes standing upright, but the left over I wind into balls & put in the pockets of the shoe bag. Then I can hang it in the back of the closet in my craft room. I've used these bags for storing other craft items, i.e, Punches & misc glues, tapes &c.
I store my yarn in a wood cabinet from Amazon, and the finished projects I have crocheted in a large clear bin from Michael's Craft Stores. I also have a storage bin for projects i hope to sell at a future craft fair :)
Hubby is always up me for having yarn in every room of the house including the car
Lol...right??!!
I use small stacked transparent plastic bins (19 of them) for the "rainy day" yarns, & many beautiful baskets that are on display. And I have a table covered with my currently used yarns so I can enjoy seeing & touching them & be inspired. There are lots of colors of merino wool on the table because I'm continually knitting Fair Isle hats. The living room has become my knitting studio. Next I want to get the diagonal wooden shelves because they look great & the skeins stay neatly shifted to the bottom.
I inherited 3 wonderful old Steamer Trunks...the kind with drawers! So after cleaning them I put my yarns away in them, wrapped in giant Ziploc bags, organized by type of yarn (Alpaca, Merino,etc) and then by color. these are magnificent treasures, and you can find them often in antique stores. Give it a try...they also make wonderful coffee tables!
I just organized my yarn collection, I separated my yarns based on project or stash. For me, stash is any yarn that is left over from a project or any yarn that I only bought one or two skeins of. If my yarn is "project" I store it organized in the Dollar Tree Storage bags per project. That also lets me see how many projects I have just waiting to come alive for hooks or looms. I found so many projects that I have that I fell in love with and now the drive I have to get my WIP's done to get to those projects I have forgotten. Then I have the New and Expensive Yarn that I am getting from my yarn subscriptions. I only have a couple of months worth of those but I don't have a project idea in mind except the sock yarns. I may take some time and organize my yarns on Ravelry, but that is another weekend project.
Oh boy, do I have stash!!! I won't tell you that I have over 20 +, (I lost count) 66 quart bins filled with yarn, YIKES!!! (but I do). I kind of went crazy, don't you think? My latching bins are first by weight, then within that weight, I have a bin of Vanna's choice, another bin of Caron Simply Soft, and another of Bernat Baby Blanket, and so on, and on, and on!!! I am now trying to use the yarn that I have, but never seem to have the yarn, or color that I need for my next project. *sigh*
I keep yarn in those vacuum pack bags (by yarn brand/type/color) in large plastic containers... able to store twice as much this way.
I used to be a person who would buy & make. So the only stash I would accumulate would be little balls of leftovers. Then, I started buying extra for larger projects, just in case, but often not needing them. Many times, I purchased several skeins of yarn just to realize when I made the swatch, that it wasn't the right one to show off the pattern I had in mind, so they got excused "for now". Then I started entering (and winning several!) giveaways, so without a project in mind, they sat as "ornamental yarns". Then, I got into sock-knitting and bought several hanks on sale so I could make socks for the women in my life (daughter, sisters, nieces), but many have yet to give me their feet measurements, and I will not waste time knitting a pair of socks that may not fit! Then, I started buying from those indy hand-dying businesses because, well because they were the ones to be generous to offer giveaways. Do I need to tell you that I now have 5 large plastic bins full of yarn? LOL!
I have been thinking, lately, that I really need to sort the bins by weight. So, thank you for these additional tips... and a "kick in the butt" to do it!! :-)
Hi, I’m a crocheter AND a yarn addict!! I LOVE sales...which is how I get a lot of yarn. OR I go on a pattern binge, buy yarn, and haven’t gotten around to making them. I have 3 steamer trunks, a very tall but narrow bookshelf, 2 ikea lg zip up laundry bags, 3 stacking foldable storage stools (1- 2x2x2; 1-2x2x4; 1-2x2x6), and about 4 lg Amazon boxes w mostly blanket yarn. Not to mention several - as in at least 5 - wip bags of various sizes. My hubby, who never complains, that my ‘stash’ was getting a little ridiculous...(we both have horsing tendencies, though not the tv show stage). Lol I think I have to agree. I’m fighting the urge to go to sales.
I keep my yarn in covered bins stacked in a large bookcase, floor to ceiling. I have a total of 14 bins which keeps my stash to a manageable size. I sort the yarn by brand, then weight and then color. I cake skein leftovers and put those all in one bin. My rule is once my bins are full I can’t buy anymore yarn. That motivates me to use it or share what I have fallen out of love with.
Exactly what I do! I have 20 bins though...
I have no stash, I buy project specific and then finish it. I'm very productive now.
Spiral Breeze I envy you!!
When I grow I want to be just like you.
That’s commendable but I like to stock up with sales and have my next several projects lined up.
I like MS Excel for listing my yarns. Can find all types of yarn by weight, fiber, brand, and of course color.
Large Ziploc bags inside plastic tote boxes. Plan future projects in Rav. And delete those sales emails unless I have a specific project in mind.
I try to keep my stash tidy with totes, bags, cubes, baskets, fabric squares and by keeping it by kind of yarn. I like to keep the yarn I am going to use for a project with that project and any leftovers will go back into storage with the same yarn brand/type.
I personally just put all my yarn in a bag and hope it doesn't get tangled, but I'm trying to get to a point where I have a special cabinet for all my yarn.
Another idea is to get gallon sandwich bags. Roll it into a ball and tear off the front of the paper that says what it is. This way not only will it not tangle with other yarn, but you can also know what it is. And you can store it in a tote!
"accumulate your inspiration" muhahahahaha...what gem! absolutely brilliant!
I will so keep that cause I am accumulating a loooooot of inspiration for all of my crafty hobbies. :) next time I'll be called a hoarder/collector I will know for certain what I really do. :D
I have a stash but only buy yarn for specific projects.....but I do actually make the projects. Once my cupboards where I keep it gets full I do not buy more until I work through a few projects. It works good for me because I can stock up when there are good sales and I can start the next project right after I am done with one. If I accumulate too many odd balls or leftovers that I won’t use I donate it.
I keep my yarn in 2.5 gallon Ziploc bags with the printed pattern of what it's for. I then keep those in my yarn vault (walk-in closet 😁) on shelves. My non-designated project yarn is kept in plastic containers by weight of yarn and in color. My thread for doilies is in a basket. I found that I don't go buying yarn as much because I hit my Projects bags first. Very productive. 😁
i cleaned out a side of my closet and installed peg board and now store cakes in my closet wall in color order
How can you tell what kind of yarn you have without a label? I have a ton of yarn given to me and have no idea what kind or weight it is.
Search for wraps per inch to give you a guide as to what weight it is. Also, there are videos on how to determine what the yarn is made of. They usually involve burning (very carefully!) a small section of the yarn and see how it reacts, plant based (bamboo, cotton, linen) will smell like paper burning and leave ash, animal based will smell like burnt hair and chemical based (acrylics & nylons) will leave a plastic bead type residue. Hard to tell with any blends, but it will get you closer.
I buy yarn 🧶 for special projects only.
I try not to over indulge with too much yarn. If I start to run low on yarn, I buy more.
I love ❤️ yarn 🧶!!
I have a plastic three drawer tower for my yarn, if yarn won’t fit in there then it’s not allowed in the house, I aim to use up all my yarn within the next three to five years, then I will buy for specific projects as I want to do them.
All of my yarn is in Rubbermaid storage box clear so you can in. My project bag are in zip lock bag a big one where you can used for blankets that what I used.
I use a database called "scan pet" you can use it for free with a once a day ad or you can buy it and it's not expensive. You can set up what fields you want and take a picture of the skein. I have pictures, brand, gauge, length, composition,what tote its in ect. You can set up drop down menus for each field so you can choose say a brand or gauge without having to type it in. Once it's set up it is great. I carry it on my phone so I can search it to see if I have a certain yarn that is on sale ect. I have 9 large totes of yarn from different places. Yes I have projects in mind for most of it. Take your time learn the program and believe me it's worth it. Happy crafting :)
Is this a phone app or can it be used on a Windows PC?
Oh! I can watch you go on and on about it.
Thank you for all the great ideas! Subscribing...
I put my yarn in Ziploc bags. Usually. by project. The rest by colour and weight
I seem to inherit everyone's "grandma stash". The older stuff I toss - that old acrylic from the 70's just doesn't cut it for me. However, I have A TON of yarn that has no label. I know 100% cotton and 100% acrylic, beyond that, I'm lost. How do I tell what I have if it doesn't have a label?
a spring hair clip is perfect tp secure the yarn end so the ball doesn't unravel. I bought 10 for $1 at Dollar Tree
kat4005 I did that as well, UNTIL I was browsing in Sally Supply (now I use a bulk craft supplier), and found those little ‘pin curl clips’!!! Now put some in a small empty jar for travel and the rest sit by my yarn winder to secure the end to the ball. It’s like 100 for $3. SCORE!!!! ☀️☀️
I keep my yarn in totes and Ziploc bags I just went through and organize my yarn again I picky how my yarn is stashed
I found that storing in plastic containers in the south east can be a no no. I stored many skeins this way while my son and daughter in law lived with us as their house was being built. 2 years later the yarn had to be thrown out. I have learned it has to breathe. So for long term storage I would not recommend plastic containers.
Did it mold?
I have special yarn in pillow cases and my other stash I have in large fabric laundry bags that have a zipper on the side for access and a pull top closeure....My understanding of yarn that it is a fiber that needs to breathe so I am afraid to store yarn in ziplock bags.
Put mine iin zip loc bags in my Dollar tree storage buckets
I don't keep my yarn stash tidy! It is getting to be a very real problem! That is why I watched your video!!!...lol...Thank you, your tips are great!
Is Ravelry.com an app?
Vacuum sealed storage bags
Very large plastic, sorted in colors and keep label inside or tie it with the yarn
She says with a full closet behind her, haha
All I can say is that I try..😟.
This doesn't help me very much. I can't decide which system to use! I've tried by color and by weight, both with specialty yarns separate, and neither has been good enough. :(
I go by fiber, then weight and color. I have little fur thieves so I have to make sure none is ever left out, meow meow attack! As all pet parents should bc they can and will eat it and could die.
plastic tote boxes