I refer to my yarn collection as my yarn pantry: where I "shop" when I am going to make a project. I actually destashed most of my yarn about two years ago when I'd been on a long hiatus (not knitting) only to decide I needed to replenish because I was getting back into knitting again (end of 2022). So I've rebuilt the collection. I organize it in bins and cubbies by weight. My goal now is to primarily use just what I have and ONLY purchase new yarn if there is something incredible at a heavily discounted price. I have way more yarn than makes sense, but I love it. It makes me happy, it pleases me to see it, and I appreciate not having to go anywhere to find yarn when I'm starting a new project.
My yarn stash goal: focus more on knitting my handspun yarn and putting it into more rustic-style project. This started off with learning how to spin, destashing the yarn that I had, and trying to keep a cap on how many yarns that I keep (especially since I need some space for non-yarn stash in the same space as the yarn stash) so that I am not overwhelmed with potential projects
I'm really loving this podcast. I like to explore new ways to explore my yarn stash. I've been wanting to be more mindful of my yarny purchases for the past year or so but actually getting down to the stashing part is harder than it looks haha. Love, love, love this discussion! Would love to see a yarn stash update about this topic sometime in the future please.
Leslie. I love to listen to you speak. Your podcasts are a collections of essays about yarn and life. You speak from your heart and allow for your viewers to think introspectively without pressure or judgement. I recently supported a fellow knitter who created a stash app called Yarn Store. While I have not really maximized it’s potential, I love that others are working to help us be organized and intentional. Caleb @drowninginyarn created the app. Your stash is so thought out and fluid. Thank you for all the time you spend sharing your thoughts with us. 😊
Last year’s goal was to only buy yarn I have a purpose for, and to finish one unfinished object a month. I did amazing at both and I frogged projects I was never going to finish. It helped make way for this year’s goals. This year I am working through my scraps and scrappy projects. I’m one month in and I’m right in track for making 7 hexipuffs a week for my beekeepers quilt.
Not sure what happened to my comment, but thank you for the mention! Love seeing the data and learning how to be more mindful with indie dyed yarn shopping! I purchase commercially when I have specific projects in mind or if there is a very good sale.
Thank you for the destash recommendations! I got excited with a new hobby and didn’t think about the colors I wear and what I would use them for. Great episode 😊
Your stash is gorgeous. I hope to build up a stash of hand dyed yarn like this. When you said thinking you have too much yarn is all about perspective I thought over 300 isn't a lot. But then I was like yeah 1000 isn't that bad either. So I don't think I can think straight when it comes to yarn lol. You really cant have too much yarn. It takes so much yarn for just one sweater anyway, and some times I'll buy a skein that I feel like barely has any yarn in it.
My stash has a lot of single skeins, which is fine because I knit a lot of socks. But I only buy (or dye myself) a sweater quantity when I actually knit a sweater. Only because I need a larger size, so buying a sweater quantity is an investment. For someone knitting size small sweaters, 3 skeins might be a sweater quantity and something you can buy on a whim and have in your stash to hang out and admire. Because has also the function to be something pretty to look at!
Loved your video! So glad I found you.😁 As far as Knitty Natty’s destash -it can be summed up as: 1. Buy what you want 2. Knit what you want 3. Don’t count all of your yarn 4. Give the rest away 5. Amazing! Zero stash😂 Shauna in stitches has a more realistic look at reducing stash if anyone is interested.
To be fair, that’s a decent strategy! 😅 I also didn’t count all of my yarn in my stash tracker, but I think we all just need to do what works for us 🥰 I’ll have to check out Shauna! Thanks for watching 🥰
@@knitcalifornia It’s a completely fair way of dealing with yarn and anyone can own any amount of yarn and do whatever they want with it. I do think that Natalie is a bit misleading on her channel because she puts herself forward as someone to emulate because she’s super organized and is so thoughtful and intentional about buying/using yarn that at the end of the year she only has two skeins left. In reality she has way more yarn than that including six or seven advents, some of which she hadn’t opened yet. None of that is a problem-she can do whatever she wants and be happy with it. I just see a disconnect between what she is selling and what she’s actually doing. Neither is a problem but they aren’t in sync and I find that disingenuous.
I have so many sweater's quantities. I felt good this week when I signed up for an MKAL sweater by Anna Johanna...I was able shop the stash, instead of my usual impulsive purchasing
Really liked this video! It gave me a new perspective on how to think about my stash and gave me some inspiration to add some stash yarn projects to my queue.
I had similar thoughts this January about my stash. I am going to Europe this summer so I literally need to save the money but also know I need to downsize and consolidate my yarn stash. I made a list in my phone of yarns I have and patterns I’m reserving them for. It’s clear I have enough to keep me busy for the next couple years. Eek! I am giving myself permission to buy if I find something that fits my desires and also permission to destash if I know I won’t be using the yarn or if I fall out of love. Thanks for another great episode!
I thought about participating in the 2023g in 2023 challenge and then calculated how much I’ve already used this year….. I’m waayyyy over 2023 already 😂
I always love your videos and posts!! One thing I’ve been thinking about lately is tonals- love the look esp with hand dyed yarn, and their colors are just so beautiful. I was going to get to the stars who listen in EKF’s upcoming preorder, but I found a similar lion brand color for literally 1/4 of the price… so for band dyed yarns I’ve been sticking to truly unique variegated and speckled yarn that many commercial yarns don’t do.
Typically for hand-dyed yarns, I will price between $25-$29 per skein, depending on how many skeins of the same color I have. I also try to include shipping costs in the price of the skein(s) because it’s hard to add them on after the fact.
watching this video is making me feel so much better about my large stash haha I probably have about the same amount (also mostly hand dyed yarn), but I've never actually sat down and categorized everything, I might have to do that lol loved this video! 🤗💖
Im curious how you count mini skeins/packs if you have them? You inspired me to organize and catalog my hand dyed yarn and I have lots of minis and sock sets. Curious.
I don’t have too many mini skeins but I counted them the same as “full skeins”. I think if I had a lot, I may count them as 1/5 a skeins if they are 20 grams
How could i get that same spreadsheet? Im like you, i prefer natural fibers and i have a decent amount of hand dyed yarns. Id love to spend a few days counting my yarns. I probably have at least the amount you have. Hows your inventory now?
Great podcast. If I want to make a Lento with DK instead of fingering plus mohair, do you know how I would figure out the yardage needed? I’ve fallen in love with a color from EKF in the new NSW and I’m trying to find a pattern for it.
I think it typically depends on the pattern you are making, but there is less yardage in a skein of DK compared to a skein of fingering. I know that DK is thicker so it takes up more space, but yeah it ready depends
Thank you for sharing more about your stash journey! I was inspired by Jackie @woolenoaks and Tazhi @stitchesandstarlight to make and learn about my stash more intentionally. I appreciate the check in away from the new year!
I refer to my yarn collection as my yarn pantry: where I "shop" when I am going to make a project. I actually destashed most of my yarn about two years ago when I'd been on a long hiatus (not knitting) only to decide I needed to replenish because I was getting back into knitting again (end of 2022). So I've rebuilt the collection. I organize it in bins and cubbies by weight. My goal now is to primarily use just what I have and ONLY purchase new yarn if there is something incredible at a heavily discounted price. I have way more yarn than makes sense, but I love it. It makes me happy, it pleases me to see it, and I appreciate not having to go anywhere to find yarn when I'm starting a new project.
My yarn stash goal: focus more on knitting my handspun yarn and putting it into more rustic-style project. This started off with learning how to spin, destashing the yarn that I had, and trying to keep a cap on how many yarns that I keep (especially since I need some space for non-yarn stash in the same space as the yarn stash) so that I am not overwhelmed with potential projects
I'm really loving this podcast. I like to explore new ways to explore my yarn stash. I've been wanting to be more mindful of my yarny purchases for the past year or so but actually getting down to the stashing part is harder than it looks haha. Love, love, love this discussion! Would love to see a yarn stash update about this topic sometime in the future please.
Thanks, Taylah! I definitely want to do an update in a month or so!
Leslie, if this make you happy, that OK, I don't count my yarn, I love to touch and look at my yarn, between knitting. Your yarn is beautiful ❤
Leslie. I love to listen to you speak. Your podcasts are a collections of essays about yarn and life. You speak from your heart and allow for your viewers to think introspectively without pressure or judgement. I recently supported a fellow knitter who created a stash app called Yarn Store. While I have not really maximized it’s potential, I love that others are working to help us be organized and intentional. Caleb @drowninginyarn created the app. Your stash is so thought out and fluid. Thank you for all the time you spend sharing your thoughts with us. 😊
🥰🥰🥰 thank you so much, Sheri!
Last year’s goal was to only buy yarn I have a purpose for, and to finish one unfinished object a month. I did amazing at both and I frogged projects I was never going to finish. It helped make way for this year’s goals. This year I am working through my scraps and scrappy projects. I’m one month in and I’m right in track for making 7 hexipuffs a week for my beekeepers quilt.
Not sure what happened to my comment, but thank you for the mention! Love seeing the data and learning how to be more mindful with indie dyed yarn shopping! I purchase commercially when I have specific projects in mind or if there is a very good sale.
Hi Leslie , I donated my lion brand style yarns to my local retirement home. They loved getting them .,
Great suggestion! Thank you so much! ♥️
Oh and I also shop from my stash ❤ it's exciting to use it
Thank you for the destash recommendations! I got excited with a new hobby and didn’t think about the colors I wear and what I would use them for. Great episode 😊
Great video! I’d love the Discord info for destashing!
Love your stash. We're stash twins, philosophically speaking😂.
Haha I love that!
Your stash is gorgeous. I hope to build up a stash of hand dyed yarn like this. When you said thinking you have too much yarn is all about perspective I thought over 300 isn't a lot. But then I was like yeah 1000 isn't that bad either. So I don't think I can think straight when it comes to yarn lol. You really cant have too much yarn. It takes so much yarn for just one sweater anyway, and some times I'll buy a skein that I feel like barely has any yarn in it.
My stash has a lot of single skeins, which is fine because I knit a lot of socks. But I only buy (or dye myself) a sweater quantity when I actually knit a sweater. Only because I need a larger size, so buying a sweater quantity is an investment. For someone knitting size small sweaters, 3 skeins might be a sweater quantity and something you can buy on a whim and have in your stash to hang out and admire. Because has also the function to be something pretty to look at!
Loved your video! So glad I found you.😁
As far as Knitty Natty’s destash -it can be summed up as:
1. Buy what you want
2. Knit what you want
3. Don’t count all of your yarn
4. Give the rest away
5. Amazing! Zero stash😂
Shauna in stitches has a more realistic look at reducing stash if anyone is interested.
To be fair, that’s a decent strategy! 😅 I also didn’t count all of my yarn in my stash tracker, but I think we all just need to do what works for us 🥰 I’ll have to check out Shauna! Thanks for watching 🥰
@@knitcalifornia It’s a completely fair way of dealing with yarn and anyone can own any amount of yarn and do whatever they want with it. I do think that Natalie is a bit misleading on her channel because she puts herself forward as someone to emulate because she’s super organized and is so thoughtful and intentional about buying/using yarn that at the end of the year she only has two skeins left. In reality she has way more yarn than that including six or seven advents, some of which she hadn’t opened yet. None of that is a problem-she can do whatever she wants and be happy with it. I just see a disconnect between what she is selling and what she’s actually doing. Neither is a problem but they aren’t in sync and I find that disingenuous.
I have so many sweater's quantities. I felt good this week when I signed up for an MKAL sweater by Anna Johanna...I was able shop the stash, instead of my usual impulsive purchasing
Really liked this video! It gave me a new perspective on how to think about my stash and gave me some inspiration to add some stash yarn projects to my queue.
Love that!! ♥️
I had similar thoughts this January about my stash. I am going to Europe this summer so I literally need to save the money but also know I need to downsize and consolidate my yarn stash. I made a list in my phone of yarns I have and patterns I’m reserving them for. It’s clear I have enough to keep me busy for the next couple years. Eek! I am giving myself permission to buy if I find something that fits my desires and also permission to destash if I know I won’t be using the yarn or if I fall out of love. Thanks for another great episode!
I love this, Wendy!! ♥️
Such a fun and informative video!
Great video you really have me thinking i have alot of store bought yard lionb re and red heart and caron i have a couple of finger wieght yarn .n
I thought about participating in the 2023g in 2023 challenge and then calculated how much I’ve already used this year….. I’m waayyyy over 2023 already 😂
I always love your videos and posts!! One thing I’ve been thinking about lately is tonals- love the look esp with hand dyed yarn, and their colors are just so beautiful. I was going to get to the stars who listen in EKF’s upcoming preorder, but I found a similar lion brand color for literally 1/4 of the price… so for band dyed yarns I’ve been sticking to truly unique variegated and speckled yarn that many commercial yarns don’t do.
That’s a great idea! ♥️
I loved every minute and learned allot !
Just found you on UA-cam and am enjoying your podcast. Subscribed! Here is a question I have: How do you price for de-stash?
Typically for hand-dyed yarns, I will price between $25-$29 per skein, depending on how many skeins of the same color I have. I also try to include shipping costs in the price of the skein(s) because it’s hard to add them on after the fact.
watching this video is making me feel so much better about my large stash haha I probably have about the same amount (also mostly hand dyed yarn), but I've never actually sat down and categorized everything, I might have to do that lol loved this video! 🤗💖
It’s intimidating to catalogue it, for sure! But I love spreadsheets, so I really enjoyed the process! ♥️
Im curious how you count mini skeins/packs if you have them? You inspired me to organize and catalog my hand dyed yarn and I have lots of minis and sock sets. Curious.
I don’t have too many mini skeins but I counted them the same as “full skeins”. I think if I had a lot, I may count them as 1/5 a skeins if they are 20 grams
I have a secret desire to have a yarn shop too! I am a CPA now so that sounds like a dream job😊.
Yes, absolutely!
Hey Ashley
How could i get that same spreadsheet? Im like you, i prefer natural fibers and i have a decent amount of hand dyed yarns. Id love to spend a few days counting my yarns. I probably have at least the amount you have. Hows your inventory now?
Really helpful info! I need to destash so much! Can you post another Discord invite? The link states it's invalid.
Hi! Send me a message on Instagram @knitcalifornia and I will send it to you! :)
Great podcast. If I want to make a Lento with DK instead of fingering plus mohair, do you know how I would figure out the yardage needed? I’ve fallen in love with a color from EKF in the new NSW and I’m trying to find a pattern for it.
I would use the yardage given for the fingering weight!
I'm a newer knitter so can you tell me, why does it take more skeins in dk for a sweater quantity than fingering?
Oh is it because it weighs less so you get more yardage in a fingering?
I think it typically depends on the pattern you are making, but there is less yardage in a skein of DK compared to a skein of fingering. I know that DK is thicker so it takes up more space, but yeah it ready depends
Any recommendations on where to buy yarn internationally, like drops, lang, filcolana etc. I’m having a hard time looking for a website.
I buy Lang Lace from Wool & Company in the US! I don’t remember where I got the Drops from, and I haven’t been able to find Filcolana
Thank you !
Indie dyed yarns are between $30 ea and $50 ea here so you own a goldmine 😂
Where in CA?
Southern California
Thank you for sharing more about your stash journey! I was inspired by Jackie @woolenoaks and Tazhi @stitchesandstarlight to make and learn about my stash more intentionally. I appreciate the check in away from the new year!
They have both definitely inspired me too! ♥️
I like to buy and sell in Ravelry destashes. 😊🧶🧶🧶
Yes! I totally forgot to mention that destashes are great places to buy hand dyed yarn at a bit of a discount if that’s what you’re interested in!