De-stashing...

Most knitters  seem to suffer from the same compulsive disease  :  "yarn gathering".   I have seen some impressive displays on some blogs which left me speechless!  My stash is not that big, if I make comparisons,  feeling two large boxes  but it has started to bug me...  I took a long look at all this wool which was bought originally (I am sure...) with a project in mind and thought it was time I did something about it.  The decision was made to clear as much as possible before buying anymore!

There are two ways about it:  make something with it (after all I liked the yarn when I bought it) or get rid of it by selling or swapping.  My "Victoria" bag was the result of the first solution and it used about half of my Phildar Sport'Laine stock. Not bad for a first go at de-stashing.  Encouraged by this,  I kept on looking and thinking,  and ideas are finally coming from all directions...

There are cushions I want to make and different techniques I want to try, such as felting and embroidery.   More bags (I know,  I am going through a phase...) to keep for myself or give away as presents.  Maybe soft toys (I have got a book on knitted dolls which might come useful...) or blankets....   Inspiration is everywhere !!!

I took a dive into my stash, and I think I am going to have fun! 

Comments

[dawn]

I've been knitting through stash and it's hardly left a dent! There are a lot of others destashing, or at least not increasing the stash. A great idea, and you'll get a lot of gifts knitted this way.

[erin]

I'm have finally realised that there'll be always be yarn and more sales and discounts and I don't have to jump at every offer. Menwhile I have been doing the same, going through my stash and you're right, sometimes the trick is to divide and conquer - break up the 10 balls of yarn into smaller projects instead of waiting for the perfect sweater pattern to fit its gauge. I once knitted a shawl, scarf and gloves out of 10 balls. Now I can throw in a bag or two as well :)

[lyn]

During the first year of knitting, I went nuts... I've calmed down now and am more selective with yarn purchases :)

[Christine]

Je n'ai jamais "displayed" mon "stash" sur mon blog, mais là, en toute confidence, et assieds-toi... j'ai quelque 700 pelotes qui m'encombrent ! J'ai la chance de pouvoir acheter de la laine à une association qui récupère les contenus des placards de dames qui les vident, et qui vend les pelotes, quelles que soient la marque ou la composition à .50 euros. Je n'ai jamais pu résister quand il s'agissait de pure laine, de shetland, de mohair etc... Mais comme je ne fais que des petites tailles, je vais devoir me réincarner pour pouvoir vider mes placards !

[le chat qui coud]

I have the same problem.... too much projects.... after a long time i forget what was in my mind.... I send you a surprise (maybe you have it already) about knitting....
Have a nice day!!!!
Milouson

[Kim]

It is fun --- I've found I have to kick my creativity into a higher gear over yarn that was bought long ago for a project long since forgotten. Good luck to you; anxious to see the results of further destashing!!

[peg]

Good luck with de-stashing! I bought yarn in Victoria, BC and now am off to Oklahoma to a wonderful yarn shop called "Sealed With A Kiss" and between the two of them, I will have more stash! I do charity knitting, so some of my stash comes from thrift stores and I will knit it up and then add to it! I had a problem years ago with too much quilting fabric - slowly, but surely, I used most of it up. There was some that I wondered why I had like it in the first place!!

[Marie]

I'm looking forward to seeing all the new projects from the stash! I'm slowly recognizing that I have collected entirely too much yarn...somehow, the sales always seem too good to pass up and yet I never end up using stash yarn for my new projects. Now I'm going to exert self-control and do some stash diving instead. :)

[Krawuggl]

Oh Francoise, I am so sorry to have missed the post of your bag. It is soooo lovely and beautiful, yes believe me, it is the most beautiful knitted bag I ever saw. I have printed out immediately your instructions (thank you so much for sharing it), and anyway I want to knit it for autumn, I think I will make the same colours as you did, grey and black, that looks so charming together. I am very excited about your talent, I am absolutely overwhelmed by the beauty of this bag. So I am looking forward your next de-stashing project. My problem with my stash is, that I love different colours for clothes and for all the other things. I mostly like to wear blue and grey and black, and for cushions and blankets I like to have reds and all the brighter colours. So in my stash are nearly only dark dull colours,bought for a sweater or cardigan I have forgotten which one it was, so hardly to use up for my home. But it´s an excellent idea to use it up skein by skein, not only for big projects. I can´t wait to see your next plans.

[Dorothée]

Le rêve de toute tricoteuse qui se respecte : vider son stock pour repartir sur de bonnes bases. Je te souhaite bonne chance dans ta quête de l'Eradiknitting, de mon côté je suis définitivement irrécupérable...

[Adriana]

I have one large box full of yarn. I have three to four projects in queue and I will begin these (not all at the same time) once I return from my trip. My problem is what do I do with a particular yarn that I have stashed away... well I might just put it in a the St Vincent de Paul Brotherhood bin for someone else to enjoy.

[carol]

Its a good feeling to destash, but don't go crazy and clear out everything. Sometimes its good (in my opinion anyway) to just look through it all and ponder what was to be or could be. yarn companies change their lines so frequently now, if you have a fave it is probably best to stash some before it all dissappears.