I have probably one large trash bag stuffed full, plus the embroidery yarn that currently covers every available space in my living room (I'm crocheting a scrap afghan).

It's the quilting fabrics that worry me most...

At present I have a contraption that was used in a department store to display items, which has three bins each on opposite sides (so that's 6 bins at about 2.5 feet wide, 1.5 feet deep, and 1.5 tall. In addition I have 6 huge Rubbermaid bins. All are filled to capacity. Next to my bed is a narrow cube thingy with five 1 foot square shelves, also filled to capacity. I also have a couple of my suitcases filled with yarn (don't do much traveling). And right now, there are three skeins of yarn in my trunk that I am trying to figure out how to get into the house unseen (they are very large rainbow boucle skeins). Maybe one at a time, mixed in with something else? Not that DH complains. He doesn't. I just know I have a problem, and keep promising myself that I will NOT buy any more yarn. I need help and I know it.

I bought two large covered baskets that look like large footstools when I was redecorating two years ago. Used two coupons to save 20% that my friend gave me for the Great Indoors. I keep them neatly under the sofa table, and they look very nice. Every now and then I outgrow them and stash sacks of yarn in the front hall closet too. Recently, I worked my stash down to odds and ends filling each basket 1/2 or less. (One basket is for worsted and larger yarn, the other for sport or smaller and unique yarns.) Then my DS gave me some yarn she had no use for and wanted out of her sight. I have a spate of babies to knit and crochet for, so the now bulging baskets will soon be down to managable or even skimpy contents.

I tend to buy for specific projects, and what is in my "stash" is leftovers. I always overbuy, as I am afraid I will run out and not be able to match a dye lot.

Right now I have one laundry basket of assorted skeins and tidbits.

I am learning that knitting takes much less yardage than crochet. For example, I made a knit shrug that took less than 6 oz of knitting worsted. The same basic shrug in crochet? 3 skeins of the same! Granted the crocheted shrug is THICKER and STURDIER than the knit, but the knit drapes nicely like fabric and shows off the variegated yarn better.

I can see lots and lots of slippers, hats, and mitts in that laundry basket!

Dances.

I have about a small laundry basket full of yarn, some of it leftovers from previous projects. It's not much. I recently went through my stash, matching yarn with copies of patterns which would work with them, then putting the yarn and pattern in a clear zippered bag.

The frugal side of me just won't let me collect much more.

Susan

Growing by the minute! I got back into knitting a year or two ago and have been adding to my stash since. Thank you for starting this thread - I thought I was alone in my craziness. LOL I have several plastic boxes full and have just received my 3rd internet order in a month, in addition to yarn I've gotten on several trips to the store recently. I hope to have a number of projects finished by next Christmas.
Sally

I have yarn for 14 projects right now. About a laundry basket full. Also about the same amount of leftovers. Everyone repeat after me: I WILL NOT BUY ANY MORE YARN TILL THIS IS ALL GONE!!!!! (Yeah right!)

At the moment I have two 22 US gal totes full plus two grocery bags because they wouldn't fit into the totes. This is after I just delivered five large garbage bags full to my 77 year old aunt who knits constantly. My problem is I have become addicted to buying yarn at Value Village. I cant seem to stop although I must say I am becoming much more picky in what I buy and that has slowed me down some.

I have a large plastic container full of yarn that my mother game. On my own, I have several boxes and bags of yarn that are waiting for me to get busy on. I have lots of leftovers from projects, because I too tend to over buy when planning a project because I don't want to run out. I keep telling myself I should be knitting dishcloths and stash them away for last minute gifts, also mittens and scarves.

Y'all are a bad influence on me! LOL!

Went to Michaels today and the Wool Ease was only $1.97 per skein! I like that yarn. So I bought 4 skeins!

Susan
The "frugal" one

now I don't feel so bad that I have more than enough to keep me busy for about a year! I am using those plaid shopping bags (very large) that I found in the dollar store to hold most of it (yes, more than one) and also have the cotton yarn in a blanket bag since I use that for bibs, dish cloths, & placemats. I have another blanket bag of baby sport yarn since I am in that mode now for awhile and another blanket bag of small granny squares that I make with my scraps - one of these days I'll use a coordinating black to put them all together but don't use that happening soon since I hate doing that but don't want to waste the yarn. Since every week I get a 40% off coupon for AC Moore, Michaels & JoAnns, it is too tempting not to buy something. Lately, I have been buying what I really need and have bought two books instead of yarn. Need to retire so I can do something I enjoy!

You all are going to like this because you can say to your spouses (or others) that you're not bad at all! I have currently, 78 drawers (those that come on wheels, three drawers to a stack at Wally World) and a variety of bags sitting around with projects. I use those large vinyl bags with zippers that bedding comes in, or buy Hefty Jumbo zipper bags, for projects. It's a yarn store here, for sure. I am soooooooo guilty!

I need to print this off and show my DH. We have had many a discussion about my "stashes" of craft supplies.

Eliz, can you email me your websites. I don't make it to this forum very often but would love to know someplace that sells yarn other than Walmrt!

Thanks

I gave up Knitting & crocheting a few years ago Gave all my yarn to different people. My DIL was here and so I gave all my knitting needles to her to take to a womans place. I had the 10 inch and 14 inch in sizes from I think size 4 to 13. Plus I had double pointed. Jumper needles and circular needles in most sizes. Then I had the extras like for cable needles and more.
Now the problem. After I became house bound in a wheel chair I started in again. I have croched at least 25 afghans in the last 3 years. Also I am starting some knitting again. Think I have a problem???

Velleen, I don't think you have a problem at all!! LOL! You solved a problem with a wonderful hobby, making beautiful things. Good for you!

PS I did the same thing, gave away all my mother's knitting things, then later took up knitting myself. Sure wish I had those needles back!

I have you all beat I have a 5 x 10 storage room that is full to the ceiling with tubs of yarn of every kind

I have 7 lg totes. I bought them at walmart. I bet I have about 200 full skeins.
Lori

I found a woman who spins her own natural yarn. I bought abot twenty skeins from her. They're in a box in a closet, I just hope the wool doesn't "go bad" in any way. Oh,the closet has cedar wood panelling on the walls, so moths won't get into it.

Just joined this site, although I have been reading the forums for awhile. Personally, I don't think a stash can be too large; you never know what you will need it for... I buy yarn (and Fabric) even if I am not sure what I will make out of it. I once went into a yarn shop with a fellow knit-a -holic & we both had more in our stash than she had in her shop!!! LOL!!

janie ga, a really great yarn supply store that does mail/web order is Patternworks. they used to be nearby (in the Hudson Valley NY) but moved to NH (such nerve!) They have all sorts of yarns- wool, cotton, silk etc etc.

And for everyone, a book that will make you laugh till you cry: "At Knit's End, Meditations for women who knit too much" by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, The Yarn Harlot

Keep knittin' !!!

i thought i was bad. i only have 2 laundry baskets full of leftovers. then i found 40 skiens (they were a good price and were small)of a lovely dusty pink in the attic-- i'll need a project or two. I'm thinking a set of afgans done in
strips and put together.

I only buy enough yarn for my current project. If I have any leftover, I use it to tie gift packages or out in the garden when "staking" plants. I'm afraid if I bought yarn on sale, I'd soon run out of storage and I'd have to move!

NOT BIG ENOUGH! heehee!

I had to bring up this thread ;-) My little room upstairs is bulging with yarn. DH is a terrible enabler and encourages me to buy more "in case you need it", but then he's a BJs junkie. I have now put a halt to any more buying and Freecycle begging as I have enough truly to last me through winter!! However, I will have to cruise the townwide garage sale in September, where last year I got 33 skeins for $9........Just in case....

Carol

I have at least two large totes of yarn, plus a few bags, mostly sock yarn. DH loves trains, so we do a lot of traveling to ride the excursion trains. The deal is, whereever we go for trains, we try to find a yarn shop near by. Mostly I buy sock yarn when we travel, as it is easiest to find someplace to stash in whichever vehicle we are driving, especially if it's the pickup truck!

Tami

I have become addicted to looking at yarn/knitting sites on my computer. Problem is I see all the expensive and absolutely gorgeous handpainted yarns available now and just have to order some for the patterns I have accumulated. I also order a lot of patterns off the net. I am moving away from JoAnns and Michaels and getting into the wonderful $$$ yarns on the net and at the better yarn shops. My stash is getting bigger and more expensive all the time. I've got to stop and use up what I've got before I go broke.

And so it goes on: In July I advertised on Freecycle for yarn for donations of afghans and lapgans, and was given a huge shopping bag of wonderful yarn which I am holding for winter crocheting. Well, today the same lady emailed that she had come across more yarn and was I interested? Huh??? of course. She had found another shopping bag full of white Caron Simply Soft - perfect for baby afghans for the hospital gift store!! I really won't have to buy yarn all winter. Just stay home and hook!!!

Just as a note: I was in a craft store yesterday that sells yarns and they had some great yarns discounted to $1 each. I was talking to a fellow knitter there and she told me her husband told her NOT TO BRING HOME ANY MORE YARN.
She brings it in the house in disguise now. There is even tyranny in yarn, now. Free the yarn addicts! Let them buy!

I probably have 8 large garbage bags full and various boxes, too. A friend of mine called me last winter to say I HAD to go to a house sale...she had been pricing things for them and said they had bags of yarn. BOY, did they...I only bought the bags that had wool or mohair, and they were chocked full and $4.00 a garbage bag.....I probably bought 6 of them...wonderful, wonderful yarns! I also spin my own, and have several fleece, black and white ones, left to spin, PLUS a lot of roving. I have a lot of cones of Harrisville yarn, that I bought before they started selling to knitters...when you're going to use yarn to weave with, you can't pay as much for it as knitters do, so yarn for weavers is always cheaper....I bought a lot of that a few years ago, when it was on sale......So, I don't need to buy anything for a LONG time (or until I see something I can't resist - whichever comes first!)

I'm glad it's a common affliction. I feel guilty every time I leave my yarn room (which is also my treadmill room, my electonic keyboard room, my extra closet room, my wrapping paper room, my plant room and my business files room) because of the multiple large plastic shopping bags of yarn. But I go down there to look at all the pretty colors and fibers; some cotton, some silk, some alpaca, some rayon, some wool. And to my credit, I've put some yarns together in what I call "project bags" and have a project in mind for them. Yes, I do call it a yarn store, but I treasure each ball, skein and leftover strands as if they were beloved pets with an eventual purpose. There are 5 local yarn shops for sure (not counting Joann, Michaels, or Hobby Lobby) who know me at least by sight, if not by name. And guess what??? One of the other altos in my community chorus invited me to her knitting group and THEY have yarn, too!!