I mean stash…I’ve been reading a few posts about going on a diet…of the yarn buying kind. I’m sure my husband, my wallet, and my movers (we are headed to St. Louis at the end of the month!!) would appreciate a little break from yarn buying. So for today’s Technique Tuesday, I’m going to explore a technique to help me not buy more yarn.
I’m going to browse my stash online or in person every time I feel the pull of the LYS. This would require that I update my stash a little on Ravelry. I have a few skeins I haven’t put into there yet from recent trips and yarn store adventures. I think by checking out my stash whenever I find a new pattern to knit or I just get a hankering to knit something, I can quell my desire to run out for something new.
I think to make this most effective, I need some pretty and accessible yarn storage. It needs to be something that I can look through to see my yarn. I also need to be able to feel it. This is what I’ve got right now:
This one is all my projects in progress with a few new skeins thrown in.
This is some of my purchases in the last year or so.
This is my some of my original stash. I bought this chest originally to house my stash. I have slowly outgrown my cute chest.
I know that someone out there has to have some gorgeous yarn storage. I don’t just want bins or boxes, so I went online to find some inspiration. Maybe something like this I found on the Loopy Ewe:
Or this I found on a post at Rosepath:
I think my cats would have a field day with this, but like the post says, “it doubles as wall art!” As does this one from Knits for Life:
In our new place I’m banking on a closet for my yarn, so maybe something more like this that I found at Trials & Pixelations:
I like all of these storage ideas because you can really see what you have AND you can feel the yarn! Softness & squishibility are characteristics I definitely take into consideration whenever buying yarn.
However, creating gorgeous storage is going to have to wait because we are moving to St. Louis at the end of the month!! We just got approved for our new place and we are so excited for a change! I love moving into a place and making it my own.
What does your stash storage look like? Do you wish your stash storage was better in any way??
v’s & bumps,
Jenna
hardknitlife 
My stash at Bandit’s place lives in two airtight plastic tubs. Not the best choice aesthetically, but it keeps critters out, and I can periodically open them up and revisit precious old stash. At my place, the majority of my stash is supposed to live inside a storage ottoman, but recently skeins have been taking up long-term residence on my desk, spare chairs and even my bed! I’d love to have a beautiful, organized stash display someday, but I’d be too afraid of moths or carpet beetles getting to yarn out in the open.
Oh the critters…I was hoping that with my stash in the open I would knit it all right up and the critters wouldn’t have a chance!! I too have skeins that seem to put down roots wherever I place them like the dresser or nightstand…
oh wow, that Rosepath storage.. *drools*
I like these stash storage ideas mostly because they display your yarn as if it were at a shop—it might help your yarn look as brand new and attractive as it did when you first decided to buy it, and rekindle the inspiration!
My remaining stash is pretty much in my suitcase–I’ve got bits and bobs lying around in the house, but they always find a way in a project before a few months pass. x:
I’m impressed that you can use your bits and bobs so quickly! You should teach a class. I know my odds and ends are taking up a bag all their own. What do you generally do with yours??
It’s well worth adding to your Ravelry stash. When you look at patterns it now says 1 idea (or more) should you have suitable yarn. My stash is quite limited. It lives in Ziploc bags inside large shoe/boot boxes. The bits of balls from socks are in bags in a separate box.
I didn’t know about the idea thing on the patterns. That’s ingenious! I’m going over to ravelry right now! Dangerous new news for sure! Thank you!!!