A Yarny Eve: Ideas for Stash Appreciation

Well guys, it’s here, the last day of 2018. We made it! For many of us, 2018 was filled with what seemed unsurmountable obstacles, but if you are reading this, then like me, you overcame those obstacles and are ready to shine your light on 2019.

On this last day, I wanted to review all my yarny decisions with you. In the first podcast episode of 2018 , mom and I were talking about using more of our stash. Let us be frank guys, there is no denying that many of us have a bountiful yarn stash, carefully curated, and perhaps even fiber coordinated.

While we love our stash, we are not entirely positive towards it. I would go as far as to say that we may also be embarrassed by it. I have to confess that this year I often suffered from stash guilt (the thought of “why did I spend my money on yarn when I could have used it for XYZ” or “why did I buy so much yarn, I don’t have time to use it all.”) Those are terrifying thought aren’t they? It almost feels like we are stash shaming ourselves, but after spending so much time curating our yarns and offering them a loving home, should we not give them all the love and attention that they deserve?

For the most part, I feel that I achieved my stash appreciation goal of 2018, and fellow crafters, it was beautifully easy. Here is how I did it:

STASH INVENTORY – Keep a record of your yarns, Ravelry is great for this, or you could keep a record on your computer. This helps us stay organized and identify any potential animal dangers to our yarns. It is also most important that we relieve the joy of squishing the hanks of yarn and the memories attached to them.
PROJECT MATCHING – While going through all the yarny goodness in our stash, we can also take the opportunity to assign projects to our yarns. These don’t have to be iron clad matches, the idea is to dream and have fun. Also, don’t forget the possibilities of color coordination! While squishing all my yarns, I realized that I actually had projects in mind for at least 50% of my yarn collection, and a good number would require combining colors to make garments.
This yarn was a Christmas 2017 gift. During my stash inventory I had matched both of these yarns for the Segue Sock by Deanne. Having seen the sock in person, I have changed my mind, but I still know that I want a pair of socks with both of these yarns.
STASH/PROJECT JOURNALING – Chronicle the project ideas and yarn matching. This step is basically the written manifestation of step 2. For example, in the first weeks of January I write down a list of makes that I want to crochet or knit. In this list, I write down all the details about the project I intend to make, including the yarn chosen from my stash.
HAVE FUN! – This is the most important step, do not let the lists and organization we have carefully compiled overwhelm us. Let us be flexible and immerse ourselves in the creative process. We should always remember that we are taking yarn (or any other fiber) and creating something special stitch by stitch and infusing it with all the love and positive vibes that we can.
Ever since Kay Jones came out with her Jemimah Sock Pattern, I knew it had to be made with this lovely sock yarn that has been in my stash for 1.5 years!