Rewards
Really? A blog about organizing yarns? Yes, this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I love playing with all the amazing Darn Good fibers I have but I also love knowing what is where!
Being organized for me, means I have more time for what I want to do. It might be having the grand kids over, long walks that leave a chill in my cheeks, or working on my next craft project. Whatever the reason, I find being organized means less time spend on search and retrieval (though I do feel my husband is trying to sabotage me!!!).
How does that work for yarn? I have had piles of disorderly yarn for years and why start now? Well, I am going to share the whys and hows of organizing your wonderful fibers!
1. Yes, we all love our stashes. We love to grow and nurture them with more unique fibers and that is the most important part of this. Continue to grow your stash and think about where the fiber goes after you make that darn good purchase!
2. Contrary to popular belief, your yarns are not breeding in that stash. Does it feel a bit overwhelming to try and organize them? I hear ya but yarn is to be seen, fondled, and yes, used so start by opening the container, looking into that bag, and literally diving into that stash to find some common categories!
3. Take a minute, breathe, and know that you will be happier for organizing your yarns. What does that organization look like and how will you group the fiber? This is the most critical part - don't stop now! Make a plan!
4. Project organization- How about organizing your fibers by project? That would mean all the baby yarn, the macrame fibers, the UFOs (Unfinished Fiber Objects) are each put in their own container (labeled of course!).
5. Craft type organization-Do you have a multiplicity of fiber interests? Another grouping method might be containers for each such as crocheting and knitting, jewelry making, and weaving. That may mean that your mixed media storage is a conglomeration of it all...hmmm, maybe that doesn't work for mixed media projects!
6. Color organization-If you know me, you know I am a color junkie. What if you put all your peach to burnt orange together, your subtle ice blue to your deep royal co-mingling, and your variegated in another group? Often, I think of adding a certain color to a project and love going to a collection of complementary colors to find just the right shade and texture. Okay, I admit it my clothing closet is in color order, too!!!
7. Fiber organization-This one is simple! Put all your wools together, your cottons, your silk ribbons, etc. If you tend to work in specific fiber for specific projects, this will be an easy way to manage all related fiber!
8. Too many hand made projects want finishing? What about putting 3 projects in bags for "in current use" and them store others in a tub for "back to the future"-the projects you really want to get to but need to prioritize them-for me, this idea is a bit too over the edge. I love working on all projects so for me, it may mean 5-6 different project bags going!
9. As much as I love to kid around, the actual containers for yarn storage matter in this process so be sure to read our yarn storage hacks for simple ideas about the how-to of yarn storage. It really does go hand-in-hand with being organized.
19. Okay, breathe deeply again. This might be a bit painful- are there yarns that you have had forever and just don't use? Is there some really ugly fiber that you bought long ago and you are on to more unique fibers now? Don't be afraid to cull your yarns a bit! Local schools, libraries, senior centers, and other community centers love to use fiber. Gift it to them and move on!
After all, you know where to find more fiber and in moving along the old, you can welcome the new darn good yarn! How do you organize your yarns?
