Purchasing Yarn

[patcreates]

As I am sure most of you do, I love buying yarn, especially when its on sale. But I am not sure that I buy it in the best way. What I mean is, I generally will just grab a skein or two without really thinking about what project I am doing. And since I am still a newbie crocheter (1 month!), I have just been trying out random projects. I think I am more drawn to the colors or textures of the yarn. So my questions are:

 

How many skeins of each color do you usually buy?

 

Do you buy randomly or with specific projects in mind?

 

Should I just stop analyzing it and buy what I want?

[ScoobyDoo0811]

:lol I ususally buy whatever is on the clearance aisle . I am a more random buyer with nothing in specific in mind. I add the to my stash, and when I cross a pattern I would like to make I go stash digging :lol.

[yogachic]

I try to buy with a project in mind, I'm also a newer Crocher (2months, going on 3) but one day I was in Joann's and they had sales on yarn, so I bought some skeins with "possible" ideas of what to use them for, in mind.

[a_stitchintime]

just jumps in my carriage when I am out

 

I rarely buy for a specific project. I buy what I like... the "ooooh" factor. then, when I want to make something, I go shoppin' in my stash:D

[magiccrochetfan]

When I see a new yarn I like the looks of, I'll buy a skein to play with. You can learn about the yarn by swatching --and washing!--it, and then you'll know if you might want to use it for a larger project. You can try out new stitch patterns this way too, and things like edgings. I don't buy large quantities of yarn unless i have a project in mind. Of course i sometimes change my mind later.

[Atiyah]

Hey Patti,

I started off buying 2 skeins of yarn at a time. Just recently I started buying 4 skeins. I still never know what I am going to make until a project jumps out at me.

[RusticOkie]

I used to buy randomly and I've ended up with a ton of yarn I will likely never use. Now I try to buy only when I have a project in mind or if its a sale on a yarn I know I will use in the future.

 

Usually I'll buy about 5 skeins if I don't have an exact project because I can complete a lot with that much

[Amethyst Mist]

just jumps in my carriage when I am out

 

No lie, this actually happened to me. Or rather, it had the "helpful" hands of my three year old. I just had to buy it when I got to the register and the lady was like "Is this yours too?"

 

Uh.....yeah, I guess it is now!

[crochetluvknot]

I buy to buy not with anything in mind but if I see a color I like or just have to have I buy it and will figure out what to do with it later

[ZoeZoesmom]

I am an impulse yarn buyer....if I like the color or it's just too good of a deal to pass up. Always at least 4 skeins, more likely than not, 6-8, nothing worse than finding a project you have the perfect yarn for only to find out you do not have enough.

[adirtyspoon]

I'm a impulse buyer. I do look at the yardage and try to figure out what I can make with a few balls without going totally broke. If it's good cheaper yarn like Cascade 220 I know I need 5, that way I can make a sweater for myself or at least 2 felted bags. It's if something I just have to have no matter what the price is I usually buy 2 or 3, it can always be a scarf. Then theres the cotton yarn, something just happens to me when I see 60 cent balls of Sugar & Cream in the hobby lobby clearance bins. I have to have it, even if the color is baby poop green.

[happy stitcher]

If I can see a project in it, I try to guess how many skeins I would need for that project. But if not, I just buy some!

[YarnMover]

I will only buy with a project in mind. That way, I am sure I have enough of that color. I do however change my mind sometimes on my projects from time to time, but try to put the yarn to another project right away.

[gumby28]

It depends on what kind of yarn it is. Most of the time no project is in mind. I tend to by W/W which can be used for just about anything.

[jillybean]

I can't bring myself to buy yarn unless I know exactly what I'm going to do with it. Part of this is because I hate spending money, but really it's because it drives me crazy if I have yarn in the house just sitting there not being worked into something -- DH gave me three big 16 oz balls of yarn for Christmas and I can't decide what to do with it and it's driving me nuts!

[fc1123]

Your not alone I tend to be an impulse buyer and sometimes I have a project in mind so I'll say I'm both I try to not buy yarn sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't lol

[eyrthmother1]

i do it sorta 3 ways.

 

first is, i like the look of scrapghans. so will buy a variety of colors w/ no intended purpose to use in a variety of ghans (i have about 8 going at the moment, and also use the odd colors to do a mockup of a new pattern for ideas).

 

The 2nd part is, if there's a color you tend to use more often (for me it tends to be white or black)to use it as a chance to stock up on them for future uses.

 

The final way is w/ a specific project in mind. thought i will usu buy extra to be on safe side to have enough to finish.

 

Sandy

[DawnofMarch]

How many skeins of each color do you usually buy?

 

Do you buy randomly or with specific projects in mind?

 

Should I just stop analyzing it and buy what I want?

 

I buy colors I like. I'm also a newbie crocheter, (I am not to the point of being able to follow a pattern in a book or anything like that, though earlier the pattern on a yarn label was starting to make sense...) so I am not doing any huge projects. Most of what I've been doing are one-skein projects.

 

I also have had experience as a child in working with colors I don't like. That was what kept me from keeping with crocheting as a child so... I don't buy if I am not fond of the color, or colors if it is a multi-colored yarn.

 

Maybe if I were you, stick with the colors you like working with. I have however bought 1 skein of sock yarn with a future project in mind. There's a class being offered here a week or so after my birthday that deals with making a pair of socks. I chose a multi colored yarn that looks good to me, though I wish there had been more selection in the brand I found... (It was a pain finding yarn that specifically said it was for socks at the crafts store down the street from my residence...) I still like the colors of that specific yarn even though it has an odd name that I don't really feel goes with the colors used in it...

 

There will probably come a time when you buy your yarn with a specific project in mind, but until that time comes, buy what you can afford and also like.

 

I would love to be able to go into a crochet store and buy all the yarn I want and stash it away, but alas, I have nowhere to put it. My desk can't fit much yarn in the biggest drawer I have named my Crochet Storage Drawer...

[adirtyspoon]

I forgot to add I do buy sock yarn without thinking, if not used for socks it always make a great open lacy scarf. Plus, I love variegated yarns so sock yarn is perfect.

[Nila]

I very rarely buy with a project in mind. And it's usually just a skein or two of something I like.

 

Since there's not a lot to choose from unless I want to drive quite a ways, most of what I end up with is RHSS or ww cotton. So with solid colors, it doesn't matter if I only buy a skein or two because I always use them. I have to be a little careful with variegated yarns, though, because I almost never use them...

[patcreates]

Thanks everyone! It was really interesting seeing what everyone's buying habits are. I think I will just continue to buy what I like (and can afford...LOL) unless I have a specific project in mind.

[CLLinda]

It really depends on the price and the type of yarn. A really soft baby yarn I would buy two or three, but something nice and thick and on sale, I could buy up to 10, for an afghan.

 

It depends on how much money I have, what my plans are, and what the price of the yarn is.

 

Hobby Lobby does some great clearance sales and I stock up then, at a buck or two a skein. My last big haul saved me over $100.

 

And when you buy in bulk, at sales, you can start having a stash. A stash that you can pick and choose from when the right project comes along.

 

Welcome to the world of crochet!

 

[Craw]

I will usually have a specific project in mind unless there's a clearance sale and I can't resist. Then I buy what I'll need for an afghan because those are my favorite to make. If it doesn't happen to turn into an afghan, so what. It'll still be something. If it's not an afghan yarn and I still can't resist it'll be only a skein or two for a nice scarf or hat.

[Cliffnote]

If I like it I buy it. I never usually have a specific project in mind. I will buy between 2-4 skiens depending if its on sale or not. You never know when youll want to do a project that will use the yarn I just bought.

[Lady_of_Roses]

It depends on the kind of yarn and if it's on a really good sale or not. I won't buy a color I don't like unless it's specifically purchased with someone else in mind that would like it.

 

For instance, I'd buy about 4 pounds of worsted weight acrylic if I figured it will likely end up an afghan. 4 pounds for the most part will make any single color afghan! Any extra can go into a scrapghan or whatever later.

 

If it's a yarn I'd like to make myself a wearable out of, I either buy enough to make a sweater or a shrug.

 

If it was just a yarn I wanted to try out but didn't know how well it'd wear or if I'd like it, I'd likely only buy a skein or two and make a scarf or something small to try it out.