YARN

How to organize your yarn stash

A well-organized stash means you can find the right yarn for a pattern, use up what you have, and stop buying the same colorway twice.

Sort it in a way you’ll use

Most knitters sort first by weight, because patterns call for a weight. Inside each weight, group by fiber or by color, whichever you shop your stash by. Keep yarn for a planned project together in its own bag, with the pattern.

Keep the ball bands

The label tells you the weight, fiber, yardage, needle size, care instructions and dye lot. Tuck it inside the skein or keep it in the same bag. Without it, it’s hard to know whether you have enough for a project.

Store it safely

• Keep yarn clean, dry, and out of direct sunlight, which fades colors.
• Clear bins with lids or zip bags keep out dust and pests and let you see what’s inside.
• Wool, alpaca and other animal fibers attract moths. Check your stash now and then, and keep it clean. Cedar and lavender can help deter them, but don’t rely on them alone.

Know how much is left in a used ball

Weigh it. Then work out the yardage from the label:

Keep a list

A simple list or spreadsheet with a photo, name, weight, color, yardage and how much is left makes it easy to check your stash from a yarn shop. Update it when you start or finish a project.

Planning a swap? See how to substitute yarn in a pattern.