New Year's Resolutions

What happened???  It seems like it was just yesterday that we were making our New Year's Resolutions...and it's now February?  It's time to take stock on how we're doing.  Have you stopped eating sugar?  Are you eating more veggies?  Are you walking 10,000 steps a day? Going to yoga class?  All of these resolutions are important, but we fiber freaks know the resolutions that really matter are those related to our craft.  So, let's talk about it...

When surveyed, the staff and customers of The Stitchin' Den often name a skill they would like to learn or a project they would like to make.  But, overwhelmingly, the resolution to use up stash yarn (or fabric) was at the top of the New Year's Resolution list!   Most of us have a stockpile of yarn (or fabric)  to use "someday".  Whether we fell in love with a yarn, the fabric was on sale, or our friend talked us into buying, many of us have a large collection.  If stash busting was/is your 2017 resolution, you are not alone.  Following are a few ideas for lessening your yarn stash:

Alison knits a lot of socks and has a accumulated a large cache of scrap sock yarn.  She found  the ultimate sock yarn stash buster!  She is making The Beekeeper Quilt, a free Ravelry pattern. This project requires 380 "puffs" for a 3' x 4' quilt!  Ali's goal is to make one puff a day. That is about an hour of knitting per day.  She has finished 150 hexagon-shaped puffs, knitted on a Size 4 needle, stuffed with polyfil, used the Kitchener stitch to seal AND sew puffs together!  That's a huge accomplishment, but she does have a long way to go!  She plans to keep going until she runs out of scrap sock yarn, then add to the quilt as she makes more socks and has more scraps.  Ali says, "Am I mad to have started this?  I'm frightened to stop in case I never pick it up again!"  Good Luck, Ali!

For those of us who are less ambitious, socks, hats, mitts are great projects for using up yarn.  I made the resolution to use up stash yarn by copying the "Knit 52 Hats in 52 Weeks"  group on Ravelry.  Hats use small amounts of yarn, so it takes a while to to use up a sizable amount of yarn, but I love to make hats.  I have nine hats completed since the 1st of January and am pleased with the small dent I'm making in my stash.  And I will have hats ready for gifting and/or donating to charity.  The more yarn I use, the more motivated I become.  

Throws can be a great way to use up yarn and are always a welcome way to keep warm.  
One of our shop models, The "Garter Squish" by Steven West,  is a great stashbuster.  This is a pattern that uses 6 colors of worsted yarn held double,and knit with a Size 15 needle.  If you are wondering what to do with your worsted yarn, consider this pattern/blueprint.  It will be fast and fun and much appreciated when it is completed.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
The Slip Stitch Sampler Throw is another pattern that will eat up the yarn you have 
accumulated.  Color work, slip stitches and lots of different yarns will make this a fun stashbuster!  Find it on Ravelry.








Felted items are a good way to use up wool yarn. There are many patterns for felted slippers and bags that would use up lots of wool yarn.  

If stashbusting is your New Years Resolution, start knitting or crocheting! We would love to hear how you are busting your yarn stash!  Let us know in the comments or in person. Remember....there is something fun YOU can make with your stash, and maybe you can add a new technique to your repertoire at the same time!