Anyone organizing/downsizing their stash for 2007?

[jmccrochet]

I NEED to organize. We shall see how that goes. I won't be decreasing, but will probably be increasing with the project requests that keep coming in. Right now I have three pending (possibly four or five) and lots of yarn leftover from other projects. Probably nothing like many of the folks here though. Right now it's all in bags in my bedroom closet. Need to get a storage box AT LEAST to put it in and I'm hitting the latest JoAnn sale this Friday.

 

Joyce

[Mandys76]

I had been working so industriously using up my scrap skeins on a zig-zag CAL, until I went ahead last week and bought 40 skeins of new yarn! What on earth was I thinking?

 

Then on top of that, I've actually started another project with it all!

[jessc031778]

I've got all my yarn contained in one spot. For now.

 

And I have at least written up an inventory of what I've got. For now.

 

Now I just have to organize the list...cause I know that I have at least 2 or 3 lines of the same exact yarn on different pages of the list, ya know??

 

Anyway...I've decided that I want to try and keep this inventory as accurate as possible, for as long as possible. I just don't have the room anywhere to organize any more than that, at least not until we get a house in a couple of years. Stash reducing?? I do want to use up alot of the yarn I've had since I first started crocheting...maybe I'll work up a vent-ghan a la Funky Reporter?? Actually, I'll be using yarn I've already got for working up the 50 or so patterns I've got based on quilt squares, so that should cut down on my old stash quite a bit. But I'm not going to try and stop buying yarn...I know I'm too firmly addicted to even attempt that LOL!!!

 

Jessie

[Ladykats]

Last summer, I decided to use up some of my stash. I really like homespun and have used it on quite a number of projects over the years, and I do mean years. So into my hopechest where I keep that brand of spare yarn. I had single skiens in 27 different colors and 2 colors of a blanket that never got made, so about 4 and 5 skiens of that. I decided to make an Ugly blanket. Each granny square used three colors. The blanket was for my Mom's bed. I got this huge blanket finished, but not without running out of one color that connected the squares into strips. I go to the store and that color isn't being made any more. So instead of Frogging. I just got a contrasting color and alternated the strips. thing is, I still have a ton of yarn left. Guess I will be making another uglt blanket in the future.

[smokeyp81]

I too am on a no new yarn till some of this stash is used kick. So far I have completed 2 lapghans for charity. I am highly embaressed by the quantity of yarn that I own. I used to belong to the camp of never enough yarn, but when I realized I own 6 large totes, plus one blanket chest of yarn....it is time to clean out. I am sure I will not stick with the no new yarn....but I am determined to use up some of this yarn! Look out local nursing home.....lapghans galore!

[Auntie Kellie]

I would like to but on DH's next pay check, he's letting me go to Walmart. I haven't told him about the 1000g balls of RH Super Saver they're selling for $13 each and the Bernat's of the same size for slightly cheaper

 

My DH understands about my yarn addiction though. He understands I need to crochet a little bit each day just to keep myself stress-free. The fun part about yarn buying is the older women I meet in the craft section. They love to chat while yarn shopping about projects and different yarns to use for them and who they're for. My DH tries to listen and talk about it but his eyes kind of glaze over like mine do whenever he talks about anime.

 

Hugs and Cookies

Auntie K

[DesertCrocheter]

May I just pat all you crocheters on the back who are using up their stash by making lapghans and charity squares and not either throwing it out (shudder) or giving it away (what??) or just hording it more? :cheer

Way to go, ladies and gents! That's lot of positive, caring energy getting crocheted into blankets and lapghans and squares. This old biddy's heart is warmed by your generosity. patty

[everkutz]

I don't have a "stash" to downsize! I wish I had oodles and oodles of yarn and maybe one day I will. I did have several balls of rug yarn that I had originally purchased for plastic needlepoint years ago and recently used them up making kitty snuggle mats in several shapes (made 14 of them!) and donated them to our local animal shelter.

[fiddleyarn]

After reading all these posts, I know I have a whole bunch of "yarn sisters"! Or maybe it's stash sisters.

 

I do many of the same things some of you mention. A single skein can make a scarf, or hat. Compatible colors can be a ripple or striped afghan. I use the tiny balls of leftovers to make hats. I sort out a color (green is my current one), tie on a new yarn when one runs out. I put a simple hat pattern on my blog.

http://journals.aol.com/almh34/crochet---knit---spin/

[sallenlouise]

Organizing here............NEVER EVER downsizing!

[Lavenia]

Organize??? Wow! what an idea. I've never known what to do with all of those little balls of yarn that you have left over. Then the other day I found a pattern on here for a yo-yo afghan. Now I've got to hunt for all my little balls of yarn. I usually take my leftover skeins & start a scrap afghan(just a large granny). But I usually buy more yarn to finish it! I do need to get organized tho. Maybe I'll get around to it soon.

[tabbyj1]

I haven't touched my yarn yet to organize it, but I *did* organize my printed-off patterns last night! YAY ME!! I was getting tired of the kids taking off with my papers and rumpling them all up/spilling stuff on them/etc etc, so I repurposed an old binder and page protectors. Even sorted the patterns by type *woo-hoo*! Found an old issue of Crochet magazine and re-discovered some gotta-use patterns. So now I *HAVE* to organize my yarn so I know what I can use it for and what I need to go with it. Now if only the baby would sleep for more than 5 mins without me holding him (he's currently resting on my shoulder as I type *sigh* )

 

Way to go on all the organizing/charity crocheting going on here!

[Cookie Hooker]

No downsizing for me... if anything, I'm going to increase my stash as much as possible while my hubby is in Korea because once he gets home, then I will be downsizing... that wont be until august... so I have lots and lots of yarn sales to find!!!

[Molly]

I've declared this to be the Year of the Stash. I just finished organizing it and I'm right now frogging a couple of half-finished, long-abandoned projects so I can add the yarn to the pile again. I'm going to do my best to use stash yarn whenever I can, too, instead of buying more... though we'll see how well I can stick to that. (Of course, I am still allowed to buy yarn when there's a specific project I need to make and I don't have the right stuff on hand!)

[Brae]

If I put myself on a No-Stash-Buying kick, it'll just tempt me. Those kind of rules, especially self-imposed, are too hard not to break. We moved this summer so I managed to sell about 60% of my stash in a yard sale, and we were all shocked to see how much still came with us. I did great using bunches of it up making hats before Christmas but that fizzled out. Bits and pieces are being used up though in smaller projects. Charity squares sounds like a great project ... if I start now, I'll have bunches ready by the time I hit my 40 posts!

 

One thing I'm going to use a Christmas gift card for is thread ... glorious thread! There's something I'd never downsize on!

 

Brae

[anu_paradox]

Actually two of my crafty resolutions are 1) use stash 2) inventory stash. The first one has gotten alot easier because I'm almost completely broke now (compare to the sort of broke I was a few months ago:P). Inventory stash will take more effort because of course I will have to put it all in a database with as much info on each yarn as I can think about. Can't just make a simple spreadsheet. That would make things easy.

[ErinLindsey]

currently, I have maybe 12 brand new skeins of Red Heart SS...

 

The rest of my stash (6 large Rubbermaid totes, about 5 zipper bags from buying comforters and pills and such) and one computer armoire-turned into a yarn storage device is all scrap.

 

I probably have enough scrap to make a couple dozen afghans.

 

I'm trying to crochet down the scrap pile a bit so that I'll be able to consolidate some of the zipper bags into the Rubbermaid totes, but I'm not trying to keep from adding to the stash with new yarn.

[chrissyf]

Half the fun of having the stash is thinking I think I have that color. Then enlisting the help of one husband and three children to locate all hidden yarn while keeping kittens from getting tangled and realizing that ooppss I do not have that color and runnig out to buy more only to find t=it in the yarn box the next day. happy times inmy house. organizing no way not for me:cheer

[cshort]

I promised myself I would use all my yarn and fabric before buying more, and finish my UFOs. I've finished one UFO, a purse, and I am working on the 2nd, a pair of piggy slippers. In the fabric department I finished a baby quilt and made a baby dress. Too bad I go back to work on Monday, that'll slow down my progress.

[coolhockeymom]

I made a new yr resolution to donate as many blankets as I can a month to my local womens shelter so with a little help I should be able to shrink my stash and maybe help a few other people do the same and all for a good cause.:hook:hook:hook

 

will be making blankets from new born to adult.

[PBLKNP]

I'm going to try to give it a go this year. I got two project kits for Christmas, so those should keep my busy for quite a while, eliminating the need to buy more yarn. I'd like to see if I can start using up my stash by making squares for Warm Up America...

[MaryPat]

I'm getting married next month (surprise question popped just before Xmas). We're combining 2 households, so I need to de-stash quickly. I believe that the only patterns I'm keeping will be my Magic Crochet magazines and some of my 10¢ leaflets. That leaves my collection of Crochet Fantasy, Crochet!, Crochet World to move along somehow.

I just did a brief look at my stash and have about 4 boxes to get rid of. A real odd collection.

I've decided to keep each and every one of my hooks.

[Calesmommy]

I plan on using what I have before I buy more. I want to use 200 skiens this year. Last year I said a hundred and fell short. This year Im going to keep track. Good luck

[kazily]

Like many of you I am organizing but NOT downsizing my stash. I have a bunch of skeins that needs winding so I am working on that right now. If there is no "easy" center pull, it gets winded & bagged in saran wrap or ziploc bags & stacked in my yarn cabinet.

 

I am also trying to use up some very small (sandwich bag size) leftovers on small projects, squares, etc.

 

I threw out a very little amt of tangled yarn.

 

I am still adding to the stash but I love that & don't plan to stop lol!

 

I am also going through my pattern books & magazines to thin that out ...so I can add more...hehe

[ErinLindsey]

I'm getting married next month (surprise question popped just before Xmas). We're combining 2 households, so I need to de-stash quickly. I believe that the only patterns I'm keeping will be my Magic Crochet magazines and some of my 10¢ leaflets. That leaves my collection of Crochet Fantasy, Crochet!, Crochet World to move along somehow.

I just did a brief look at my stash and have about 4 boxes to get rid of. A real odd collection.

I've decided to keep each and every one of my hooks.

 

Are you selling the magazines, or just giving them away?