Fact: There is no such thing as too much yarn—at least, that’s what I tell myself.
It’s hard to resist picking up “just one more skein” when I’m visiting a yarn shop, farmers market, or wool festival. Sometimes I fall in love with a project and happily seek out the yarn it calls for. Other times, I take a look at my beautiful stash and think, Surely I can find something to make with all of this! That’s when the questions start: What can I make with this yarn? Do I have enough? What kind of pattern will work best? Finding the right pattern for the yarn I already have can be a challenge, so I’ve gathered some helpful resources to make the process a little easier.
Here are 5 questions I ask myself, and the resources I turn to:
1. What yarn do I have?
The first thing I look at is the weight, yardage, color, and fiber type of the skein or skeins I’ve decided to use. But what about the mystery yarn that has no label?
I find that Leslie Ordal’s tips for knitting with mystery yarn can help.
Colorful skeins of yarn by Wool & Palette. Photo courtesy of Wool & Palette
2. What can I make with the yarn I have?
Once I select a skein I’d like to work with, I’ll look for patterns that suit the yarn’s characteristics and amount.
What patterns use this weight?
Most often, I find myself in the Farm & Fiber Knits Library, narrowing down the patterns by weight. First, select Format: Project/Pattern on the left side, and then select Weight.What patterns use this fiber?
Similarly, I can search by Fiber Type.
3. Do I have enough?
How will I know if I have enough yarn once I select a project to knit?
Here are two great articles I consult:
“How Much Yarn is Enough (Part 1): Estimating by Weight”
Be sure to take into consideration the factors that affect weight, like the density of the fiber type, or whether you’re a loose knitter or not. I, for one, tend to knit very tightly.
“How Much Yarn is Enough (Part 2): Estimating by Area”
I find this article helpful because the author determined the approximate surface area of several popular project sizes, including smaller items I like to consider for my stash like mittens and hats.
In both articles, Rita Buchanan details how to make rough estimates of yarn requirements by weight, or make more specific estimates by measuring a sample swatch. These four swatches show the same weight of yarn—5 grams. Clockwise from top left, Merino/silk singles, wool chainette, Merino/linen/silk blend, and alpaca. Photo by Matt Graves
4. What can I make using my scraps or leftovers?
Every knitter I know ends up with leftover bits and bobs, and I’ve found these articles to be inspirational for what to use mine for:
In “Scrappy Summer: Slipped-Color Exploration,” learn how to put your leftovers to good use with this surprisingly easy stitch (and it’s not stranded colorwork).
In “Choose Colors That Pop! Knit Ilisha’s Mittens,” find notes on selecting colors that work together plus a pattern for a charming pair of mittens that are perfect for using small amounts of yarn in any configuration of colors.
Click to enlarge and learn more about each project.
5. How can I make my “special” yarn stretch farther?
When you only have a few skeins of a yarn you treasure, you want to make every yard count. Anne Merrow shares seven ways to make sure you make the best use of it.
A well-loved stash doesn’t have to stay tucked away waiting for just the right project. With a few helpful resources you may find that the yarn you already have is exactly what you need for your next cast-on.