Stash purchasing tip for newbies

#1

When you start buying up pretties for your stash - those horrible impulse things we do - oh I just have to have one skein of that pretty soft squishy yarn----here is the biggest thing I have learned…don’t just buy one!

Now I am not saying this as an enabling thing. I am speaking from the viewpoint of having an entire box full of one-skein wonders that do not have sufficient yardage to make even a scarf. I don’t worry about the feltable yarns, they can always do potholders or something. And no, do not suggest the actual one skein wonder pattern to me - I am wayyyyy too busty and old to pull that look off. Eew. Makes me shudder.

So - next time you are surfing on line or at LYS or at Michaels or whatnot, when you pick up that pretty squishy, think to yourself. Can I really make ANYTHING out of 135 yards? ANYTHING? Or do I need 2 skeins to make a scarf? Or whatever.

#2

lol i always buy two of everything it would seem and for some reason, when it comes time to knit it…two never seems like enough! :rofling:

[color=gray][size=2](this is the cause of my anxiety about using Koigu for socks…fear of running out of yarn! big feet ya know!) [/size][/color]:rollseyes:

#3

Very good points! I’m with you on the too busty/too old for one skein sweaters. :roflhard: :roflhard:

I have these on my wishlist. Haven’t decided which one to go with…or all of them. LOL I think they’d be handy for those single skeins.
One Skein
Oddball Knitting
World of Knitted Toys

Saw this the other day.
Magic Ball Knitting
Stash busting
I saw an article on what you can knit with specific amounts of yarn, but I can’t find the article. :rollseyes:
Found it! What can I do with…

#4

You can always combine those yarns in stripes, or double-stranded in different combinations to make funky-cool scarves… Chix has a few things like that & they are GORGEOUS and truly one of a kind!

#5

My stash tip - SEE IT - BUY IT!!! … >hehehe< :mrgreen: I tend to buy three of something when I see a sale. And don’t forget, Tuesday Morning has recently started selling some yarn … at great prices too! When I feel like adding to my stash, I run to Tuesday Morning to see what they have.

#6

Oh I do try to keep funky yarn combo’s in mind :lol: And I am sure that I will either use it up, pass it on, or whatever eventually.

Just try to have a rough idea of what you will do - do you see a scarf, a hat, a sleeveless shell, a cardigan, and go from there!

#7

I agree that one is never enough. I have about 6 hanks of yarn, all one skein wonders, that will never go together to make anything. I’m starting to think of them as pets, rather than potential project materials!

I see these things, often expensive yarns I would never be able to buy enough of to make a sweater, and think that I’ll use them as a trim, or for stripes or something, but it never happens. I have nightmares about looking like the Killer Bees from SNL in stripes! How many cell phone covers do you really need?

Abi
in Pittsburgh, holding a hank of Sari Silk

#8

Abi in Pittsburgh, holding a hank of Sari Silk

Poor Abi! :rofling:

I’ve had a few like that and I ended up buying more in order to at least make something with them. Five scarves are enough, though. :rollseyes:

#9

I usually buy 3 or 4 skeins of the same dye lot…and try to have a specific project in mind. Have started a list of intended projects with yarn amounts needed to carry with me when I go looking for yarn so I can buy enough yarn for projects I’m planning.

#10

about 90% if my stash is "ooo, i love how this feels, i’ll buy it and see what to do with it later."
And, I usually get at least two, because one ball needs a friend to talk to in the storage bin that is familiar in looks and background right? :roflhard:

I got the One Skein book last week and think it will be really fun to do things with. I especially like the cupcake patterns. I think they would make funky use of some of the fuzzy leftovers and be neato treats for birthday presents for friends.
:thumbsup:

#11

Frankly, I’ve started buying more than just a couple of skeins, and I try to have a project in mind for the yarn I’m buying.

If I see a great bargain, like when I recently got 15 skeins of Debbie B. baby cashmerino for just shy of $60, I’ll snatch it up and see what I can do with it. I think buying 5-10 skeins is really worthwhile, if you can afford it.

When you add up the one skein wonders in terms of cost, you could have afforded to buy more skeins of one particular yarn. I know, I know, some of those yarns are so gorgeous …

I went through an Art Yarns phase that now has me stuck with a colorway I’m not thrilled with for this very reason. Hrm … perhaps I’ll put it up for sale on eBay or on here.

Alison

#12

Yep I have one skein of hip hop - same thing - it is enough to make absolutely nothing, and what was I thinking on the color!

#13

I try to always have a project in mind for the yarn I buy. For this reason Sock yarn is usually my inpulse buy.

#14

The 1 lb. mill ends bags we get in at work tend to be my main impluse buys these days. I have an advantage in knowing which supplier which mill end shipment comes from, which makes it easier to identify the unidentified fibres. In fact, I came home with 4 bags just this morning!!! Two bags of green camoflage WW acrylic and two bags of blue camoflage WW acrylic. I do have a plan for them however… one bag of WW is enough for a pullover or cardigan for one of my two youngest, so I have enough to make them each a sweater out of each colour. I have picked up bags of the acrylic before to make baby afghans… one bag makes a knitted ghan, and two bags makes a crocheted one! I haven’t gotten any wool in the bags, but occasionally I score with some cotton. For about $5 a bag, who am I to complain?

I’m like Vicki too though. When I’m at my LYS picking up something, invariably at least one pair’s worth of sock yarn ends up following me home.

#15

My darling honey has made only one request of me when it comes to yarn: that I have a project in mind for whatever I buy. I have a decent stash … probably nothing compared to some peoples’ I’m sure! But it keeps growing as I find more and more lovely fibers.

However … he’s wanting to get into spinning … I just recently purchased him several hundred grams of rovings, which are on their way as we speak … so he can learn to spin yarn for me. :slight_smile: So he can’t say much about my yarn fetish when he has a fiber fetish of his own!

#16

Can’t say I’m guilty of that yet…but I can understand the impulse. THat being said, as I was leaving the LYS (Purl) today I notices a new book in the window “One skein Projects” (or something to that effect). There’s hope!