Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Organizing Your Stash for Knitting

by

stash scarfThis is probably going to be the first of two posts about organization, because organizing your stash in a way that will encourage you to use it is slightly different, to my mind anyway, than organizing it for more long-term storage.

This kind of organization is meant to be inspirational, so that you’ll see different yarns together and just want to grab them and start working with them. It’s the kind of organization that gets those balls out of your stash and onto your needles.

Exactly how you go about organizing your stash for use will depend a bit on what and how much you have, what you’re planning to make with it — if you have any ideas so far — and your knitting style. stash busting

For instance I’m working on a giant blanket so I have a big bag full of little odd balls (and some larger balls that I don’t think I’ll use for other projects) so I can just grab that or pull out a couple of balls at random when I want to work on the project.

Some of my stash is organized by color, so I might be inspired to put two fibers with different texture but a similar color together (I’m working on a light blue scarf that’s alternating mohair and a ribbon yarn right now; I’ll show you more when it’s done). Some of my stash is arranged by fiber — all my cotton yarn is together, and all my Cascade 220 — or weight (sock yarn) so if I want to work on a project using those kinds of yarns its easy to find what I need.

You might have a couple of projects in mind already just from looking through your yarn (if you don’t, most of the next couple of weeks will be devoted to giving you ideas) so you should set those yarns aside. Put them in a pretty basket or bowl somewhere you’ll see them often. Hear them calling to you.

Or just make a basket or bowl full of a bunch of yarns you like. They don’t have to “go together” or make any sense other than the fact that you like them. Spend some time looking at them and thinking about them.

And get ready to knit.

Have you started (or finished?) any projects from your stash lately? I’d love to hear what you’ve been working on. After that scarf, I’m thinking hard about a multicolored linen stitch bag.

Comments

  1. I have just learned to knit but I hsve been crocheting for years. I was wondering if there is a pattern that uses both crocheting and knitting. It would use up ny stssh faster too.

  3. My stash is organized by type (dish cloth cotton, sock, etc), then grouped by color family (warm, cool, neutral). That works best for comparing color combinations for me. I’ve been knitting stuffed hearts for a Valentine display and for gifts, in between knitting a sweater for my dog.

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]