I’ve been knitting for a little while now, and am tired of doing one project at a time. I’ve made hats, scarves, and baby mittens, and am looking to move on to something a bit more challenging.
I want to start building up my stash of yarn and such. So, my question is, where do I start? What yarn, needles, and other things should I always have on hand? Anything that I probably won’t need? Any suggestions for stores I should start with?
Thanks! 
I think it’s somewhat different for everybody. I like making socks and lighter weight clothing so I am collecting smaller size needles and yarns. I look at buying yarn for my stash that would be usable for future projects I think I’ll want to make.( sock yarn and lighter weight washable yarns for summer tops.)
A lot of people are finding that with a reasonable collection of circular needles you probably won’t need straight needles. With magic loop and 2 circular knitting you may not need double point needles either.
Find stuff you love on sale and stock up on it. Hit your LYSs and see if they have a clearance corner. Mine had a dollar corner a couple of weeks ago and I spent 80 bucks–some of that was $21 alpaca lace and $27 Noro Silk for ONE DOLLAR!!!
I started stocking up on sale yarns that called to me. I may not use all of them in my lifetime, but I love having the choice. Sometimes I pick up yarn that I know what I want to do with and it just has to sit until I have time to get to it. As far as needles, my vote would be circulars too. If you have the $$, go for a set - it’s much cheaper that way than buying separately.
I’m very random. I’m becoming a compulsive yarn buyer but I’m also a compulsive knitter so it’s okay. I have more needles than I ever thought I’d need because I usually have 5+ projects going at once!
My stash got moving when a friend found out I knit and started sending me yarn she has laying around the house or that friends of her had. Then my LYS went out of business and how can you not buy yarn when it’s like 50% off. My personal favorite is to take my mother or MIL to a new yarn store to fondle yarn and say OOHHH I can make this or that.
As far as what yarn - what do you like? I pick up Cascade 220 whenever I see it on sale b/c I love making people felted bags, clogs, bowls etc. I also like soft alpaca/silk blends for hats and scarves. I have recently gotten into socks so any nice sock yarn. Baby yarn isn’t a bad idea of your friends are of the age to have children…I also tend to keep the makings for and a knit prayer shawl on hand in case of illness.
Oh goodness, are you SURE you want to do this? For most of us, it is hard to stop once you get started. At first I couldn’t understand why anyone would have a yarn stash. Then one day I went to my closet and thought ‘where did all of this yarn come from?’
Starting a Stash!!! You just bring in a little and when you go to bed at night it multiplies. I now have an entire room, with built in cubbies on one wall. The yarn talks at night, they make friends and they go out and bring in others. This wall is now full. I won’t live long enough to handle all this and I only knit for charity. I just love being in that room and sitting for a while and knitting or having friends over to knit. I send some of the stash home with them. But once you start…you can never go back.
You buy yarn (and a pattern) for a project and then before you get to it, you find more yarn (and patterns) that you just have to have/do first. Repeat. And so a yarn stash is born.
My stash starts with yarn that intices me. I usually see a pattern, and see a wool. They may not match eachother…but I try anyway. By trial and error, I have found things that look nice, but don’t work, or will work best only for certain things…
After that my stash grows with one of two things
Yarn on sale
Yarn for a project I have in mind.
Rinse, repeat…
Yarn multiplies like busy little bunnies.