The pattern or the yarn? The age old question much like the chicken or the egg. I know in the past if a yarn caught my eye, I purchased. My thought process was I can always find a pattern, right? HA! Don’t tell anyone but I still have the very first skein of yarn I purchased from a yarn store. WHY GG? LOL is that your question? That’s my business! hahahahahaa no, if I am to be completely honest I didn’t have a pattern. LOL! NO JUDGING! You do the same thing, don’t you?
Am I alone with these feelings? I can’t tell you how bad I feel when yarn just sits. I wish I was an octopus so I could make all the things. Admittedly, I use to be team all the yarn, damn a pattern. I have so much yarn that was gifted to me that just sits.
LOL I have seen the light and realize I need to have a plan for all the lovely fiber. Raise your hand if you have a bunch of single skeins with no plans. Come on, this is a safe space.
Let’s talk about this seriously though. Do you check your stash and then go searching for something to make? Do you slob on your phone over the recent pattern your favorite designer released and then stash dive. Or do you shop for new yarn?
The last few pieces I finished except the hat from Knit Collage, the yarn came first. Like the sweater I just finished, Adella dyed the yarn and I went hunting for the pattern. So I guess I am motivated either way. LOL!
I want to make this dress from my stash! But I don’t have enough of any one yarn in the right weight. Screams into the wind! Because of this I have decided that from now on, no plans…no yarn. Ha! that felt good typing that. Let’ see if I can do it! Could you?
Have a Fabulous Day On Purpose
Gaye G
It is always yarn!
My stash is a 24 hour store, always open
Patterns are usually knit and go, often use a pattern as inspiration, but seldom follow one
Yarns often just sit on the desk for days while my mind dreams
Lol at 24 hour store
It depends. Yarn often calls to me and if I want it I get it. Having said that, for the last few years my purchases have usualky been kits offered from dyers that I love like lolabean, dapper dyeworks, and Plucky knitter. If available I go for their mystery kits, so that i end up exploring color options i would never make myself. Broadening my yarn horizons.
Having built up a fairly enormous stash for one knitter as a result of buying yarns I fall in love with, without a plan, I’m trying (read trying, not always successfully) to only buy when I have a specific need which, unfortunately seems way too often since I used to buy a lot of single skeins…
I’ve learned that when I buy yarn first it sits…and sits. I don’t really have the vision to see the pattern it belongs to. Yet when I start with the pattern then go buy the yarn BOOM! project on the needles immediately. I love my LYS because they help me so much thinking about options for yarn to use with a pattern. #teampattern
Sometimes I find a yarn that begs to be made into a sweater, a shawl, etc. Other times I just like the yarn and buy it. My 2020, and beyond, goal is to work through the stash, gift what won’t work for me, and be more intentional with my yarn purchases. I am a work in progress….
I have learned my lesson on the single skein purchase as well. I’m pretty much no plans, no yarn too!!!
Since I don’t have LYS by me right now it is pattern first then yarn shopping. When I buy online I am less tempted to just buy random skeins as I can’t pet them and fall in love.
Being relatively new to the world of finer fibers, I am trying to only buy when I have a project in mind. I have LOTS of acrylic that I bought on various sales for my charity hat knitting with our church, and that yarn is just taking up space these days. I want to share it or use it up, and then only get what I need when I need it.
Oh my goodness – you are SO correct!! I have purchased so much yarn just because it was beautiful, and the vast majority is in bins waiting to be called into action. I don’t have enough of any color for a big project – like the “first sweater” I have been putting off – so, shawls and more shawls! I’m getting better about stash diving first, though. Then there’s the WIPS . . . so much more enthusiasm for the cast on that the final 1/3 of a project. Hope it’s not a character flaw. Love you, GG!! Thank you for adding to my Monday <3
Oh my!!! I swing both ways!! Big stash, big queue, and I still buy yarn! ( I guess that’s 3 ways!)
Oh boy…a little of both????? Mostly the pattern first these days-cause I’m really REALLY trying to use only my stash. Well, then I get that email…you know the one…with the pretty shiny things-aka gorgeous new yarns and sometimes it’s just WAY too hard to resist.
Yarn first just about always. But I’m getting better at buying enough for a project. My problem now is I see the pattern I buy the yarn. Then I decide I want to use the yarn for something else. And then I buy another pattern. And repeat
Yes!!!
It is going to take a long time to use up those single skeins in my stash, yes.
I really enjoy knitting scarves so hopefully I can continue to join a solid with at least one of those “special” zany skeins in future.
In recent years I have been trying to only go shopping with specific patterns in mind.
it’s tough though! Sometimes the yarn just says “buy me now!”
Hmmm… It depends. Truthfully, like you, I have so many single skeins that I HAD to have with no specific plan. They just sit there looking at me… Lately, I’ve been looking at patterns first. Instagram has become an incredible vehicle for designers and dyers to feature their craft. I am finding that the color I am expecting is not always what I get. It’s the screen. I know. Anyhow, I have become more discerning when I come across a beautiful skein. Covid is definitely to blame for my increased stash and long que of new projects waiting for me to start 😳
I now am a pattern-first girl. I have lots of single skeins that I bought over the years. But. Please understand that when Grandma passed, I inherited part of her yarn stash. When my mother-in-law passed, I inherited part of her yarn stash and now that my precious Auntie is in assisted living and no longer knits, I have received part of her yarn stash. And I have my own yarn stash. SO. I am determined to use what I have. I am a process knitter, so I just want to learn all the techniques! One of Auntie’s projects was a Knit Picks entrelac beret. I’ve never knit entrelac, so I will do this in her stead. I am in the process of documenting my entire stash on Ravelry–it is a herculean feat, but this way I can “shop” in my home and only purchase yarn for specific projects.
Thanks for coming to my TED talk. LOL
Mostly I buy sock yarn because…I can always knit socks and my husband does wear them! So I’ve bags….BAGS I tell you, of sock yarn. I may have over estimated my knitting speed or my time. Any rate I can stash dive when I want to knit the next pair.
I am inspired by yarn. It is one of the reasons I started designing. It is difficult to match up yarn I have/love with a pattern I want to make. Yarn first, then pattern or design. However, I am struggling to get through my stash. The pandemic has helped, very little shopping, no yarn festivals. However, I couldn’t resist an lys going out of business sale. But I kept my purchases intentional.
Gaye, I started buying yarn because of its beauty! I have many skeins because of that! Next, I started to buy yarn because of being on sale or its content, silk,cotton,wool, and other blends. I try to buy Between 900-1200 yards as that will make most things for me. Now, I try to find a pattern that fits the yarn. It is difficult at times to do that and such beautiful new colors come along! I had to avoid Instagram to avoid seeing new Yarns! I often will make multiples of favorite pieces. I Have a list waiting for me to finish the current project. I don’t want too many skeins about as I don’t have that much time to use all that yarn!
I used to impulse buy yarn and, like you, always said I can always find something to make. Then I noticed I had lots of single skeins and no idea what to make with them. So, now I shop for yarn with intent. If I have something in my stash I check that first and then buy new yarn if I don’t have what I need; but I now have a pattern in mind first. Now my goal has been to knit what I have! The pandemic has been very instrumental in my knitting; but I’ve also done a lot of retail therapy. 😂