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Lazy Knitter Continued...<br />
your finances to purchase yarn on sale. It stands to reason<br />
that the more discounted yarn you buy, the more<br />
money future you will save.<br />
Use More<br />
If we are honest, there are only two ways to reduce<br />
the size of a stash: use more or de-stash. How do you<br />
use more? You could knit more often or knit faster. But<br />
as human beings with limited time, this is not always<br />
possible. Holding a yarn double or triple while knitting<br />
will eat up more yarn per stitch. Two sock yarns held together<br />
can stand in for a worsted weight yarn, while four<br />
sock yarns held together approximates a bulky weight<br />
yarn.<br />
You can learn a new yarn craft. If you don’t already<br />
know how to crochet, now might be the time. Crochet<br />
uses up yardage faster than knitting (on average) and<br />
can take more yarn per square inch of fabric. Weaving<br />
can also use up yarn faster than knitting depending on<br />
the type of loom and the type of weave that you choose.<br />
I have known knitters who purchased knitting machines<br />
to use up stash yarn. Spending nearly $2000 on an Erlbacher<br />
sock knitting machine isn’t necessarily a budgetfriendly<br />
solution, but if you have the disposable income<br />
and the desire to pick up this hobby, go for it! I found an<br />
antique sweater knitting machine on eBay many years<br />
ago. I can tell you that it uses up yarn quickly but many<br />
of the meditative qualities I enjoy about handknitting<br />
are absent from machine knitting. After knitting a handful<br />
of sweaters on it, I hardly ever pull it out.<br />
De-stashing<br />
If you aren’t interested in picking up a new yarn<br />
hobby or learning to knit more or faster, that leaves you<br />
with the de-stashing option. I can’t tell you that it isn’t<br />
hard or painful to give up yarn, but in the end, I found it<br />
well worth it. What is left in my stash is the best of the<br />
best and it fits into the space that I<br />
have without causing any anxiety or<br />
stress.<br />
One thing about de-stashing<br />
that you will have to accept is that<br />
you will likely not be able to recover<br />
the yarn’s full retail value. In<br />
order to entice others to purchase<br />
your yarn through eBay, Facebook,<br />
or Craigslist and forgo the enjoyment<br />
of browsing yarn at the LYS<br />
(local yarn shop) in person, you will<br />
have to offer a discount—sometimes<br />
a deep discount. After packaging<br />
up the yarn and driving it to<br />
the post office to mail it, I<br />
really didn’t make much<br />
of my money back when<br />
de-stashing on eBay. But<br />
that was okay with me.<br />
The yarn wasn’t in a<br />
landfill and it was going<br />
into the hands of a fellow<br />
crafter.<br />
How does a person even begin to figure out how<br />
and what to destash? Consider the space you have, pick<br />
your favorite yarns and begin to fill the space. When<br />
there is no more room, the yarn without a home is rehomed.<br />
This is known as the “pick the best and dump<br />
the rest” method. Another is to ask yourself how much<br />
yarn you actually need. Do you knit sweaters? If you are<br />
into fades or marled sweaters, those single hanks will be<br />
useable. If not, you may want to hold onto the sweater<br />
quantities and limit the single skeins. How many socks<br />
do you knit in a year and how many years of sock yarn<br />
do you want to stash? Ask the same question for hats,<br />
gloves, and shawls.<br />
If you do not want to take the time to sell your yarn,<br />
consider donating it to a local charity, church, or school.<br />
In the current economic climate, it’s important to acknowledge<br />
that not everyone can afford to buy new<br />
yarn. Your donations could be a real blessing to another<br />
knitter who discovers quality yarn in the local thrift store.<br />
Many thrift stores do accept yarn donations! Your loss<br />
could truly help fellow local crafters.<br />
How Much is Too Much?<br />
It’s wonderful to have stash on hand. When we are<br />
inspired, there is no waiting to get to the store. We can<br />
browse our yarn selection and cast on a project right<br />
away. However, if our stashes are out of control, shoved<br />
into bags and bins, or stuffed into dark<br />
corners and closets, we may find ourselves<br />
going to the store anyway. The stash only<br />
serves to stir up more guilt instead of providing<br />
convenience and motivation.<br />
You may love having yarn tucked away in<br />
forgotten places. When you stumble across<br />
an ancient yarn trove, it’s like Christmas. More<br />
often, I hear knitters talk about their stashes<br />
as burdens, and attempts at organization fail<br />
to alleviate the discomfort. In these Marie<br />
Kondo days, I once heard someone say that<br />
organization is simply efficient hoarding.<br />
There is some truth in that sentiment.<br />
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