Stash exposed

[mva5493]

My name is Valerie and I am a yarnaholic. I think I was in denial about how much yarn I have, until I put it all together. I am trying to organize it and my pattern library (also out of hand, but that's a topic for another day). I am putting myself on a yarn diet,:blush time to join the stashbusting thread.

 

 

http://s346.photobucket.com/albums/p403/mva549308/?action=view&current=HPIM1659.jpg#!oZZ3QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs346.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fp403%2Fmva549308%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DHPIM1657.jpg

 

http://s346.photobucket.com/albums/p403/mva549308/?action=view&current=HPIM1659.jpg#!oZZ2QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs346.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fp403%2Fmva549308%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DHPIM1658.jpg

 

 

 

THis is not how it is normally stored, that is the front door in the background, and normally it's not all together, I think that is why I was able to stay in denial, lol. So how big is your stash, and how do you keep track of it???

[prettywoman030981]

Awesome stash!!!!

 

I have a good memory and remember where I put my yarn. I currently have my yarn in 3 large plastic totes, 2 boxes, and my project basket. All my printed patterns are in a folder in one of the totes as well.

 

We've been busting some serious stash over at the stashbusting thread!!

[lil_mama06]

lol..I have mine in toters..I only have 2 for yarn...I had to throw alot away cause a mouse family found their way into my yarn..

[Real Deal]

I LOVE your pictures! Isn't that stash wonderful? So, the problem would be what?

 

OK. I'll admit it needs a little more organizing because you might actually want to use the front door, but isn't it great to have a stash you can go shopping in?

 

My stash is organized in transparent bins. That did take some money to do, but my estranged husband was just wild about my yarn being everywhere when he'd come over here. I had some yarn in solid bins, and most of it in large bags. He's the one who suggested the transparent bins because he asked "When you have this done, don't you want to see all this prettiness?" At first, I honestly wasn't sure I wanted to look at so much color!

 

He brought some bins and we started. I wasn't sure where to start, but here's what I did:

 

All cotton is together, cones and balls, roughly in this order: white, ecru, pink, burgundy, the rainbow, brown, gray, black. I put variegateds next to the most likely colors they would be used with.

 

Brand Names I don't have a lot of get their own bin. Pound of Love has 1. Vanna's choice has 2.

 

Certain types get their own bins. Plush has a couple. All chenille is separate. All suede is separate. Baby yarn is separate.

 

Still buying bins. I'm not going to name everything, but you get the picture.

 

All the regular worsted weight is in bins by colors too. It's all acrylic.

 

We ended up with 55 or 56 bins. Uh-huh. All the cotton bins fit in a closet I cleaned out. I don't want the sun to fade any of it. Most of the rest of the bins are in my front room, which I think of as my craft room, but none of my other crafts have been cleaned out yet. I usually crochet in the bedroom or kitchen, but I recently made myself a crochet spot in the front room.

 

Somehow, 5 bins have migrated to my bedroom from the front room. That's not too bad. Also there's 3 trashbags full of yarn from my teeny travel trailer I recently got rid of. Well, I couldn't get rid of the yarn could I? It's in perfect condition!

 

And, Elmore Pisgah went and had that warehouse sale, and realistically, how could I not buy worsted weight cotton then, when prices were about to go up 30%? So my sister and I put in a big order, and the stuff was soooo nice, we did another bigger order, and, shock of my life, we went for a third order just in case they actually had anything left.

We were so thrilled because nearly everything we ordered was in stock, and I've never seen so much cotton in my life! We will never have to buy cotton again! Well, maybe some white. The prices were so very worth it, and when I see the prices now, whew!

 

Most of my life I could afford very little yarn, so I love my stash, and I enjoy being able to pick out what I need or want without having to shop at a store.

[mva5493]

Lol real deal, I don't store it at the front door, that was just where I choose to stage it for the pictures. Normally the brown ottomon, the black shelves, with the cotton, the two tiered clear container also with cotton and a few of the tote bags are in my corner of the living room. The rest of the bags are in a corner of my bedroom. We currently live in an apartment that we have long since outgrown, so we are shopping for a house where I hope to have at the very least one substantial closet for my hobby. my hope is eventually a craft room, but I think a good sized closet is a start.

[mva5493]

lol..I have mine in toters..I only have 2 for yarn...I had to throw alot away cause a mouse family found their way into my yarn..

 

 

oh no....we have never had a family of mice, and hopefully never will.

[ddc]

Oh, dear, confession time, eh? Ok, I took a couple of pics to post over on Frugal Village recently. I put some from tubs back out on shelves for inspiration.

 

Across the top of the tubs, a few skeins of Caron One Pound that wouldn't fit in the wicker trunk crammed with the rest of it (not pictured), Pound of Love, RH Classic, some baby weight yarn, and a few odds and ends.

 

The two bottom shelves on the left are I Love This Yarn, all picked up on clearance a couple of years ago for, if I remember, 2.20/skein (hooray!!)

 

The shelf above that and the three shelves on the right are RHSS that I am working on destashing.

 

The tubs - balls sorted by brand: ILTY and RH Classic on top, RHSS in the middle, Caron One pound, Pound of Love and miscellaneous on the bottom.

 

I've since added another large tub with the Bernat baby sport yarn I got on clearance at Joann's recently. And then there's still the trunk I try not to think about.

 

This is why I joined the stashbuster challenge. Yes, one person CAN have too much yarn, at least if they expect to use it up before they die!

[teapot]

I just love reading about yarn stashes!!! Makes mine seem small.

Mva5493, you have a lovely stash!!!

Real deal, can you adopt me????? Your stash so out does mine!!! I think I have eleven bins, but mine is not all color sorted.

if anybody wants to trade pm me!!!!!

DDC, I love your stash too!!!!!!!!!

[HappyOldCro]

Ok, now I know I am NOT stashing. I used to have 11 tubs full around 3 years ago. Now down to 2 large (used to be only 1 large til a month ago when I bought a tub full at a yard sale) and 1 medium and 1 small with my cotton thread. The only other recent purchases were colors I ran out of in the middle of a project. So I have been basically working from my stash only. Looking at those big stashes makes me , but also makes me feel good knowing I have gotten it under control. Wish I could say the same for patterns, .

[Aussie_Paula]

Oh wow!! Can I come shopping at your places? I only have a couple of shelves thankfully or nothing would get done. I would be sitting in front of my stash mesmerized admiring all the pretty!

[spiritwalker]

Wow you have large stashes. I wish I could shop at your homes. I live on a very tight budget. Little or no room to purchase yarns. Most of what I have is donated for special projects such as afghans for Project Linus,chemo caps for the cancer center, and small projects for the woman's shelter. I am happy with what is given.

I can make things for people in need.

[ddc]

Spiritwalker - mine has been growing for a long time, and almost all of it has been bought on good sales, clearance, or closeout, so, though I have indeed spent a lot on it over the years, it isn't nearly as much as it would be if I just went in a store and bought it. I imagine that's how a lot of stashes grow. One reason I have been buying it along is that I will be retiring in a few years, and I will definitely not be able to afford much then, so when I see a really good price, I've been getting it. But it's getting tighter for me too, as everything goes up except my salary, and I'm trying not to add to it now unless the deal is really exceptional, and I'm trying to, mostly, just crochet out of the stash. Besides, it takes up way too much room.

 

Aussie Paula - yes, I spend a lot of time, especially late at night before bed (it's in my bedroom) just looking at the pretties and thinking of all the possible projects in there. It's not as neat now. Last night after work I started pulling out of lot of it, playing around with ideas for the Olympic challenge. I'm not admitting what time I finally went to bed!

[Real Deal]

ddc ~ I adore your stash! If I lived closer to you, I'd be over there trying to get those Caron 1 pounds away from you! I have quite a few and even have some luscious discontinued colors. :lol

 

Ladies, you only get these big stashes the way ddc said ~ following deep discount sales, discontinued yarn, yard sales, gifts, Salvation Army. I was lucky and a Dollar Store moved near me that had a continuing supply of nice yarn (at $1 a skein) for about 3 years. Now they've had nothing for a year, but I really built my stash from that store. I love every bit of it!

[mva5493]

Yes those clearance racks are where my stash began!! my stash is also a few years in the making. I also buy on sale as much as possible. almost all of the homespun for example came from big lots....a 1 pound package of mill ends (three skeins of yarn) for $6.00. that is roughly the cost of 1 skein not on sale.

 

some of my stash was given to me as well, I had an neighbor who passed away a few years ago, who gave me all of her stash as well as all of her needles, hooks, notions. some of it had been given to her in the same way in the early 80. My mother (who loves flea markets and yard sales) brings me yarn when she finds it as well, the last time she brought me yarn it was in a 30 gallon bag.

[rscowtown]

ok someone please point me to the stashbusting thread!!!

 

thanks!

[RoseRed]

I did the stashbusting thread for a while. I got to the point where I just couldn't bear to let my stash get any smaller than what it was. Then I built it back up again lolololol.

[mva5493]

I did the stashbusting thread for a while. I got to the point where I just couldn't bear to let my stash get any smaller than what it was. Then I built it back up again lolololol.

 

hmmm, I had not considered that possibility, maybe I need to rethink stashbusting.lol:devil

[yarn_monkey]

I need to show this thread to my boyfriend!! Then he won't think that me buying yarn every time I go in somewhere is so bad!!

 

I bought these square shelves from Target to store all mine in... they remind me of cubbies in kindergarten! I have it organized by color, but then there are several (eek) bags in the opposite corner of the room that are attached to projects so they couldn't really go in cubbies... Sorry the picture isn't really great quality... usually my phone does a much better job!

 

These pictures are just showing me I need to buy more yarn. Clearly!!

[Aussie_Paula]

I need to show this thread to my boyfriend!! Then he won't think that me buying yarn every time I go in somewhere is so bad!!

 

I bought these square shelves from Target to store all mine in... they remind me of cubbies in kindergarten! I have it organized by color, but then there are several (eek) bags in the opposite corner of the room that are attached to projects so they couldn't really go in cubbies... Sorry the picture isn't really great quality... usually my phone does a much better job!

 

These pictures are just showing me I need to buy more yarn. Clearly!!

 

You have a whole cubby empty. Its just begging to be filled!!

[teapot]

OOH, that is a nice collection you have yarn monkey!!!! But I see a cubbyhole hole that needs more yarn!!!!!!

[Elvee]

Oh, man! I covet your collections!

[yarn_monkey]

You have a whole cubby empty. Its just begging to be filled!!

 

OOH, that is a nice collection you have yarn monkey!!!! But I see a cubbyhole hole that needs more yarn!!!!!!

 

Thanks, ladies!! And that's exactly what I'm saying.. I can't have an empty cubby!!! I mean... Isn't that blasphemy or something?? I also need some more bulky to fill up the bottom right corner cubby too! I think I need a trip to Joann's! And Hobby Lobby... And AC Moore... And... LOL

[tmpinsnty]

mine is separated by color mainly...my room is in the basement and i call it my yarn cave.

 

even though i have the nice comfy chair with my nice Ott light i usually sit at my computer/ tv and work. that is where the basket is.

 

I need deeper and bigger shelving units.

[120512]

WooW a lot of yarn you girls have. I also have a lot of yarns but i cant put all in the closet (there i have my clothes) but more yarns arrived today from turkey on one day to me but i dont know where i can have all my yarns hehe so I have many ideas to get it less hihi to crochet something on my list i will make a african flower bag, love knots shawl, bedstreads, scarf for my husband and much more.. i order from yp and that makes it not less haha but i love that shop because they are quickly and have cheep prices .

[teapot]

mine is separated by color mainly...my room is in the basement and i call it my yarn cave.

 

even though i have the nice comfy chair with my nice Ott light i usually sit at my computer/ tv and work. that is where the basket is.

 

I need deeper and bigger shelving units.

 

I like your yarn stash!! Mine is in the basement too, on shelves my husband built. Wish I had bought all clear totes but I didn't.

You have a nice yarn area!