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If you’re a knitter with a hefty stash…

26 replies

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 27/01/2024 11:28

…how much room does it take up?

Mine is currently taking up almost the whole of a good sized 3 drawer chest of drawers. I’m trying to get through at least some of it with the items I make for a charity* but all too often there isn’t quite enough of X colour, so I have to order more, plus a couple of the ones I use a lot anyway.
*can’t use just any old colours, they’re mostly therapy items for children so need to look as bright and appealing as possible.

Still, it’s not really a problem - yet…

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UndergroundPenguin · 27/01/2024 11:33

I have two big shopping bags (the ones with the flat bottoms and fabric handles) of stash, currently looking for a better storage solution as my toddler keeps getting into it.

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Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 27/01/2024 11:36

I bought a cupboard set from Amazon - it takes up half a wall. It has little cubicles so in theory I can store by colour or weight and be able to see easily at a glance what I have. In reality my cats think it’s a good idea to rearrange my yarn, so it’s full of those clear boxes with the yarn inside…

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BettyBakesCakes · 27/01/2024 11:39

A big black bin bag full and half a shelf. What therapy items do you make? Sounds lovely

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AnnaMagnani · 27/01/2024 11:42

My DM managed to accumulate one massive chest of drawers and multiple bags of life of wool.

Worst was she didn't even like most of it, people kept giving it to her as gifts.

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Bennyontheloose · 27/01/2024 11:43

One 5x5 kallax and 2 2x4 Blush

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Therollinghills · 27/01/2024 11:54

One normal size suitcase, an ottoman and maybe 2 under bed boxes.. I do knit for selling though, that's my excuse!

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fightingthedogforadonut · 27/01/2024 12:04

Three shelves of a cupboard - although not all wool. Fabric etc too.

Have set myself a challenge to only do 'Stash-buster' projects this year. Have been buying stuff at twice the rate I've been using stuff for years....

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Scampuss · 27/01/2024 12:09

Crochet and knit here: under bed drawers, multiple storage baskets, half a built in cupboard and various boxes on top of bookcases. I am on a de-stash mission...

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Ihateslugs · 27/01/2024 12:23

I’m a yarn hoarder! I am lucky enough to have a room devoted to my crafting supplies ( I dabble in a few different hobbies) and my yarn is stored on open bookshelves so I can see exactly what I have! I’ve currently got 8 large shelves stuffed full! I tend to buy fairly large amount when I see it on Sale, so I might buy 10 balls of white or mixed colours without having a specific project in mind. I make a lot of charity things, blankets, bonding squares, twiddle muffs etc and give them away. I find that when I sit and watch tv while crocheting, it stops me from eating snacks!

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CreateHope · 27/01/2024 12:24

A full chest of drawers - a lot of wool! I use Jean Greenhowe patterns to use up my stash and pass it on to any charity that can sell them 😄

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GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 27/01/2024 13:44

BettyBakesCakes · 27/01/2024 11:39

A big black bin bag full and half a shelf. What therapy items do you make? Sounds lovely

‘Worry-eaters’ for Knit for Nowt, who send them to children’s therapists all over the U.K. There’s a huge demand.

This is one of my ‘regulars’, with matching hand puppet, but I do make others, too.

If you’re a knitter with a hefty stash…
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BouleDeSuif · 27/01/2024 13:46

Three big shopping bags, a drawer under the bed and two suitcases.

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Thebookdragon · 27/01/2024 13:46

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 27/01/2024 13:44

‘Worry-eaters’ for Knit for Nowt, who send them to children’s therapists all over the U.K. There’s a huge demand.

This is one of my ‘regulars’, with matching hand puppet, but I do make others, too.

That’s really cute.

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GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 27/01/2024 15:43

CreateHope · 27/01/2024 12:24

A full chest of drawers - a lot of wool! I use Jean Greenhowe patterns to use up my stash and pass it on to any charity that can sell them 😄

Which patterns? I’ve used a lot of JG ones - mostly 🎄patterns, inc. the Nativity and the Big Fat 🎅🏻 in the same book. I love her patterns, so crystal clear and if you follow them exactly, they turn out just like the pictures.

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Threewheeler1 · 27/01/2024 15:52

2 very large Billy glass door bookcases - just finished arranging it all by colour. Plus about 5 baskets of 'on the go' jumpers etc., that are stashed in various rooms. Plus some in a sideboard. Plus some in a chest of drawers.
This is out of hand...😬
I can't really imagine life without knitting though!
Totally agree about the running out of a particular colour, then I get on the wool Warehouse site and it's game over for thinning the stocks! DH has given up fighting for my attention..."hang on, I'm counting" is probably the phrase he hears the most 😂

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EverleighMay · 27/01/2024 16:02

Several storage boxes of acrylic yarn, bought when I first started crafting but I now prefer animal fibres especially British Wool to support our textile industry.

I'm working through the acrylic bit by bit, several blankets to local cat home, my cat has blankets all round the house etc.

If you can crochet, the "Battenburg Pattern" is great for using up stash and leftovers.

My proper wool stash is totally manageable, just what I'm using now and next couple of projects but the acrylic pile is a bit daunting.

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ifIwerenotanandroid · 27/01/2024 16:24

I keep projects in separate bags from the Works - reusable shopping bags at £1 each. The range they have in stock varies a lot (not many recently but in the past there were loads of lovely designs).

I have rather a lot of these around the house...

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ifIwerenotanandroid · 27/01/2024 16:29

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER Love your bears! And the website/concept is amazing.

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Hatty65 · 27/01/2024 17:02

I have a chest of drawers full - and a large old trunk full.

I'm currently feeling a bit guilty about it and knitting a patchwork throw to use up various odd bits.

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SchrodingersKitty · 27/01/2024 17:13

My knitting/weaving stash takes up whole of a floor-to-ceiling built in alcove cupboard, in stacked clear storage containers from ikea. Quilting fabric takes up a similar amount of space. And craft books (including craft history which I have a research interest in) takes a whole wall of floor to ceiling bookshelves in my study. Haven’t bought any new materials for about two years, though, and steadily working through the stashes.

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BettyBakesCakes · 27/01/2024 20:38

Oh how lovely

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Skybyrd · 06/02/2024 12:03

I have 3 very full blue Ikea bags in the bottom of a large spare wardrobe, plus 2 Wool Warehouse 'muslin' bags containing parts of my current projects.

I've chosen this cardi pattern which I absolutely love in merino DK and promised myself I can buy the wool and make it when I've reduced my stash to a more reasonable amount, by making things and giving away yarn. I'm on a spending ban until then. 😂

Current projects are this knitted cardigan (almost finished, but has been a real challenge, due to the wool being tricky learn to use), this, a crochet Portuguese Tile blanket and a knitted lace shawlette in silver-grey. I mostly make gifts for family members at their request, but only have one more request to fulfil after the current projects are done, then I'm making several cardis and shawlettes for myself.

I'd love to crochet a temp blanket, but I can't decide which yarn type to use-cotton is heavy and expensive, wool is expensive and like a PP, I've slowly gone off synthetic yarns.

I like to have one simple (aka mindless) knit, one complex knit, one crochet and one small thing (socks, crochet squares, etc) on the go at any one time. I no longer mind sewing up since I started doing it from the right side, but I love, love, love the speed of making top down seamless items. I also enjoy making my own buttons from fimo or matching yarn (Dorset buttons) to compliment my made items.

Sorry for the essay!

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ICanSeeMyHouseFromHere · 06/02/2024 12:13

I have 4 2x4 Kallaxes mainly full of wool, and some fabric..

But I have my stash, plus anything I liked from my mum's when she was having a clearout. Some is earmarked for projects I haven't got to yet, some is leftover from projects I've already done, some is just stuff I liked (colour or texture).

My friend and her daughter recently started crocheting, so I was able to seed her stash from mine quite nicely, with no obvious reduction in how big mine was :D

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BiddyPop · 13/03/2024 13:47

I left 2 45l bins in my storage unit at home when I emigrated last autumn. And brought a 60l bin with me.

I brought most of my fabrics though (which is an even bigger stash) as I figure I'll be faster to use those up, and can get more will when I am home visiting my family fairly easily from that stash.

I haven't had crafting time for a few years, and inherited more to add to the stash, so that's my excuse. I expect work to slow down slightly after Easter and then I can get properly stuck into crafting in the evenings!

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OooScotland · 17/03/2024 01:34

Two years ago I had six large storage bins and three large M&S freezer shoppers packed full of really high end yarn. It stressed me out a bit tbh.

Now due to a shoulder injury that means I will probably never knit again I have just two storage bins with the stuff I just couldn’t let go of.

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