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Arts & crafts

The stash

(52 Posts)
MawsRosie Fri 04-Sept-26 11:56:25

I challenge anybody who has ever knitted, or crocheted etc to deny they have a stash of wool either still to be knitted, or leftover because it ‘might come in useful’ or just left over.

dragonfly46 Fri 16-Oct-26 11:49:32

Yes I have a bag with wool for a hat that is unfinished.

JenniRen Fri 16-Oct-26 11:38:20

I have a patterns for bed jackets, inherited from my mother and mother-in-law but have never knitted one.

Whiff Fri 16-Oct-26 05:18:41

Aely thats sad. My daughter has taken up knitting again . She is knitting for babies and you childrn . Everything she does is for a local charity she supports. They make up kits for families on low incomes. The the families on the lists love hand knitted garments for new borns to 3 year olds as they are warmer and unquie. Local hospitals welcomes especially knitted hats for prem babies .

My mom always knitted my children cardis and jumpers for school. It was only after mom died the kids said they didn't like wearing the school ones as they wanted to be the same as their friends. But loved cardis and jumpers mom knitted for them for other times.

Does anyone remember knitting bed jackets? My mom knitted lot of me and my nan and herself.

yogitree Tue 13-Oct-26 13:15:41

karmalady

I have a big stash of yarn and fluff for spinning, all safe and away from moths in secured boxes and even in two big drums. I buy from a local spinning mill in Devon, they use antique equipment.

It is good to know that my stash is an investment for me and a bit of help towards the mill, to help keep them going. The next open day is next summer and I will be there with a pocketful of money

I love my hobbies, they keep me content and grounded, working with animal fibre has this effect

Re spinning, Are there places that do little taster sessions do you know? I have reason to want to do a small amount of spinning with some material I have although I have no knowledge or expertise. I'm in Scotland though so courses/tester sessions may be different.

Witzend Tue 13-Oct-26 12:53:59

Aely

I did have a wool stash. Much of it was real wool! Then, four years ago, my younger daughter presented me with a grandson. I raided the stash, dug out my patterns and knitted and knitted and knitted. My daughter didn't use the garments as they were "old-fashioned".

I have not replenished the stash and no longer knit.

How sad!
I don’t knit for the Gdcs, since the other granny is much better at making lovely jumpers, but she’s made a lot for them over the years, and they’ve certainly been worn.

The two elder (10 and 11) are more likely to want more fashionable shop items now, but they’ve worn and certainly enjoyed many granny knits over the years.

Aely Tue 13-Oct-26 12:14:26

I did have a wool stash. Much of it was real wool! Then, four years ago, my younger daughter presented me with a grandson. I raided the stash, dug out my patterns and knitted and knitted and knitted. My daughter didn't use the garments as they were "old-fashioned".

I have not replenished the stash and no longer knit.

Oldnproud Tue 13-Oct-26 12:01:57

DamaskRose

JenniRen

But why, despite the ever-growing stash, do you never have quite the right yarn/cotton thread/piece of fabric you need for the next project?

I knew I had just the right yarn but must have used it up and it seems that colour blend is discontinued now.

This is my ongoing cry!! I have a yarn stash, a fabric stash, a kits stash, a threads stash and so it goes on. I had a big (who am I kidding) clear out the other day and “rationalised” it all. Most of it is still there just in different baskets …

Ah yes, I can relate to that too, and actually my fabric stash is the biggest problem . A cupboard full of remnants, but no matter what I think in advance, none are ever suitable for my next sewing project. I recently tried to offload some onto dgd who was wanting to do some patchwork, but even she couldn't find any amongst them that she wanted to use!

Witzend Tue 13-Oct-26 12:00:06

Despite my vow to make nothing I can’t knit with what I’ve got, I fear I’m about to put in another order to Wool Warehouse.

Well, the person who runs Knit for Nowt has said she’d love us to knit some more apes and monkeys - they are SO popular with the children, so of course I’m morally obliged to order at least 2 each of the two shades of brown I usually use for the apes - Walnut and Gingerbread - aren’t I? And some more safety eyes, just in case?

DamaskRose Tue 13-Oct-26 11:54:35

JenniRen

But why, despite the ever-growing stash, do you never have quite the right yarn/cotton thread/piece of fabric you need for the next project?

I knew I had just the right yarn but must have used it up and it seems that colour blend is discontinued now.

This is my ongoing cry!! I have a yarn stash, a fabric stash, a kits stash, a threads stash and so it goes on. I had a big (who am I kidding) clear out the other day and “rationalised” it all. Most of it is still there just in different baskets …

Oldnproud Tue 13-Oct-26 11:54:12

Earlier this year, I decided that I wanted to crochet some flowers, which I did - lots of them - but I wanted cotton yarn for that, and of course i had to buy a lot of different colours for that. Now that I have finished that project, I have a stash of 4ply cotton that is far too good to get rid of ... .
It is fighting for space with my knitting yarn stash!

Oldnproud Tue 13-Oct-26 11:45:03

Right now I am wearing a multi-coloured, randomly-striped cardigan that I knitted about 3 years ago to use up some of my yarn stash.
It must have about a dozen different colours in it, and was a great way to use up small quantities of yarn, but my stash didnt feel any smaller afterwards.
And as a yarn stash tends to do, it has just kept growing ever since.

Ive just started knitting another cardigan from the same pattern, but this time just using two colours (I wouldnt quite have enough of the main one, which is a dusky pink), so will stripe it with a left-over skein of cream.

The pattern is lacy, and I'd forgotten how tricky I'd initially found it last time, so nearly as much pulling back as knitting going on at the moment.

Meanwhile, I doubt it will make much of a dent in my stash. I probably have enough yarn to knit dozens of cardigans if I could be bothered. Which if I am being honest, I can't!

JenniRen Tue 13-Oct-26 11:02:34

I do know what I should be doing Deudits!

😀

Jmay Tue 13-Oct-26 09:30:02

I was bad at the knitting stash but gave most of to a local group who knit for charity, however my art stash is another story!! I have to stop watching art videos and doing nothing myself I agree hoarding craft stuff is a hobby on it's own, help

Deudits Tue 13-Oct-26 07:26:35

JenniRen, the "I knew I had just the right one" moment is really a stocktaking problem rather than a stash problem! Number the bags or boxes and keep one line per box of what's in it, by colour and weight. It's a dull afternoon once, then you only add a line when something goes in and cross it out when it's used up. NotSpaghetti would at least know the purples were never there, rather than wondering. A photo of each open box on the phone, with the box number in the picture, does half the job in five minutes.

NotSpaghetti Fri 09-Oct-26 18:45:11

I could find almost no purples recently - but maybe 80 shades of dark blues.
🤷‍♀️

Oldnproud Fri 09-Oct-26 18:41:43

MawsRosie

I challenge anybody who has ever knitted, or crocheted etc to deny they have a stash of wool either still to be knitted, or leftover because it ‘might come in useful’ or just left over.

Guilty as charged.

Over the years, there have been times several times when for one reason or another, I have got rid of my stash - and patterns too.
I wish I could say that I have never regretted it at some later date, but that would be a lie. 😔

JenniRen Fri 09-Oct-26 17:51:56

But why, despite the ever-growing stash, do you never have quite the right yarn/cotton thread/piece of fabric you need for the next project?

I knew I had just the right yarn but must have used it up and it seems that colour blend is discontinued now.

Whiff Fri 09-Oct-26 17:41:00

My stash is DMC threads for cross stitch have just over 1,000. Did sort out my stash of cross stitch magazines and gave the hospice shop 136 of them .

Dread to think how many I have got that I am keeping. Also have nearly 600 novels.

Perhaps we need to start a 12 step programme ha ha

Chocolatelovinggran Thu 08-Oct-26 16:26:40

Thank you for the clip, NotSpaghetti. It made me smile...a little ruefully...

keepcalmandcavachon Thu 08-Oct-26 15:10:52

There is an annual 'de-stash' sale at a village hall near me, profits from table hire to charity, tea & cake but-
I just know I'd be coming home with more stash than cash!

JenniRen Thu 08-Oct-26 11:23:51

NotSpaghetti

JenniRen my "craft room" is already full with overspill from my "loom room" - except the "craft room" is known as my son's old bedroom...
I can get away with this because it still has a bed in it - covered with boxes of yarn!

😀
Our Little Bedroom (ie son's then grandchildren's old bedroom) has bags and boxes of Stuff that should be going to the charity shop. Big Ted, who sits on the bed, is rather fed up with having his space taken over.
If I made an effort to clear it all, it could make a good craft room. Or Stash room.

Marydoll Thu 08-Oct-26 09:16:05

I am in the process of emptying my craft room. I cannot believe, the amount of unused kits.
The school, Guides and charity shop have all benefited.

However, I am loathe to let go of my jewellery items, which are worth a fair bit.

NotSpaghetti Thu 08-Oct-26 09:09:01

JenniRen my "craft room" is already full with overspill from my "loom room" - except the "craft room" is known as my son's old bedroom...
I can get away with this because it still has a bed in it - covered with boxes of yarn!

NotSpaghetti Thu 08-Oct-26 09:05:14

Just had to share this!
Ha ha ha!

www.facebook.com/share/r/14v7qujrWgv/

JenniRen Mon 14-Sept-26 16:21:27

Norah

I stash paint.

Paint pots, canvases, and brushes may take over this house.

I'm aware paint is not wool.

Oh yes, that as well, but at least it's confined to a large fitted wardrobe in a spare bedroom. I did sort through it recently and threw out some very old paints etc but most went back just in case.
Just in case a grandchild decides to take art for GCSE or A level (none so far), just in case I decide to go back to painting.

Really all the different stashes could be stored in one room, labelled the Craft Room. That would be tidier, wouldn't it?

This winter's project - sorting the various stashes.