Where to get small amounts of yarn from?

[ConfusedPixie]

I need small amounts of sock and 4-ply yarn over the next year or so for an on-going project as buying whole balls will be a pricey nightmare.

Any ideas where I can buy smaller amounts? I have seen some mini skeins on etsy and other places online for extortionate prices, checking charity shops (who sell out of yarn very quickly!) but can't seem to find anything apart from the pricey mini skeins.

I've also tried ebay but it looks like a nightmare, through the quite thorough search I did last night I discovered many people lying about the yarns they were selling and one even mislabelled half a ball of big softie she had as 100% merino so I don't really want to go down that route.

I'm also being quite picky with yarns, I have never knit with anything but acrylic (I knit toys mostly) and have decided that this project will have as few man made fibres as possible, the yarns I've bought so far are bamboo, merino, wool, and silk with less than 30% man made fibres but this will get expensive if I'm having to buy a full ball each time...

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I have odds and ends of wool - some sock yarn that is pure wool, I think, and I could have a look through my stash and see if I have anything else that fits what you want - and dh would be most impressed if I got rid of some of my stash. He would like to see a net reduction in the yarn stash this year - apparently I should use the yarn I buy. . Who knew!

[craftynclothy]

If you're a member on Ravelry then you could post an ISO (in seek of) on the UK Classifieds group. Alternatively I think there's a group for people making hexipuffs where there's an option to swap odd bits of sock yarn.

[ConfusedPixie]

SDTG: That would be fantastic, thank you!
My DP also has that crazy notion Where they get this idea from is beyond me...

crafty: That's exactly what I want it for :) Thanks for the Ravelry tip, I will have a look on the classifieds. I'm on the Hexipuffs group, the current swap is closed but I plan to join in one of the future ones.


I realise how snobbish I sounded about the man made fibres, I didn't mean too! This is the first time I've ever been picky about it and it's only because I'm really treating myself doing this project, I was going to knit the entire thing in my acrylic DK but DP convinced me to do it with really nice yarns so that I enjoy it more :)

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I'll have a look through my stash and the odds and ends from past projects tomorrow.

It is also worth looking in charity shops - a friend finds all sorts of yarn in her local ones.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I just got my latest freegle update, which made me think you could ask on your local site.

[ConfusedPixie]

I go into my local charity shops religiously, the yarns they get in either sell very quickly or they stash it for locals they know well. I may ask if sock yarns can be stashed away for me.

I will check my freecycle./freegle, thanks :)

[SelfconfessedSpoonyFucker]

buy natural coloured wool yarn and hand dye it with food colour?

[ConfusedPixie]

Okay, can I colour fast it? Never thought of hand dying but I like the idea, not done it before though...

[SelfconfessedSpoonyFucker]

yup it dyes beautifully. You can use white vinegar and the microwave. Google it :)

[craftynclothy]

Have pm'd you

[ConfusedPixie]

Thanks for the dying tip Self, & thank you for the PM crafty :)