If you have a lot of knitting supplies in your home, odds are good that the thing that takes up the most space is your yarn stash. Knitting needles can be dealt with relatively easily by most people, but it's not uncommon to have a collection of yarn that's out of control.
Some plastic bins that hold a portion of my stash. © Sarah E. White.I'll admit my stash is not as organized as I would like it to be, but it's also a lot better than it used to be. Given my struggle with fiber organization, I might not be the best person to give you yarn stash organizing tips, but I do have some general thoughts about how to organize and store your yarn and keep track of where your yarn is once you have it organized.
I think the key is probably to be consistent but flexible. Have a plan, but understand that not all of your yarn purchases might fit nicely into the categories you devise. And remember to clean out your stash regularly to get rid of stuff you know you'll never use and make room for more goodies!
Anyone out there have a great scheme for organizing yarn? I'd love to hear about it!
Comments
One thing I do have pretty well organized are my needles… years ago I made cloth ones that roll up and tie up and keep everything nice, tight and tidy. The my crochet hooks are in a smallish see-through bag and my dps in a larger one.
The circulars are a challenge because they do not have a size etched on them… so, I have them organized by sizes in “sleeves” the kind you can insert in a three-ring binder with a needle size gadget on the front which makes it handy. Actually, I should have a couple of those three-ring binders because they get crowded.
My knitting books are all in a shelf.
I like to keep my yarn handy, not put away in boxes or bags… since I am creative and when I need a color I want to see it soon, have the color find me…
If I think of anything else, I will write again.
May in Atlanta
I keep my circulars in a zippered ringed binder from Brown Sheep Wool. Labels identify each plastic sleeve with the needle size and cord length. I also keep this information on an Excel spreadsheet, with a copy in my knitting bag. This way, when I buy yarn for a project, I can instantly check to see if I have the correct needles.
My yarn is stored in lidded bins according to weight. Worsted, sock, bulky, and miscellaneous. The last is yarn I bought on an impulse and haven’t found a use for yet.
I use a floor to ceiling bookshelf to keep my yarn. I can see everything and can organize it in sections by the shelves. I love it.
The packaging that comes with sheets and/or blankets are amazing! I’m currently in my studio looking at one right now that would be perfect for keeping a sweater-in-progress. It’s zippered along 3 sides (easy access), exactly the size to hold a dozen “cakes” of yarn with enough space for the finished pieces, a sturdy woven-canvas handle, and (bonus!!) a clear sleeve to hold my pattern. I would swear that the Royal Velvet’s packaging was designed by a knitter, or a knitter-lover.
I also love the blanket, the one that originally came in the package. =D
I have many knitting projects in those blanket/sheet bags, too! Love that they’re see-through with a handy sleeve for my pattern. I can just grab whichever project I want to work on and go!