Crafting Clarity: How to Plan Your Next Knitting or Crochet Project After a Fiber Event 🧶
Did you attend the Bay Area Yarn Crawl?
From my experience, fiber events are an excellent opportunity to indulge your passion for knitting and crochet. Still, they can leave you with a sizable stash of yarn and a daunting task: deciding what to make next. Here are some tips to help you organize your yarn, find inspiration, and tackle your next project with enthusiasm.
1. Organize Your Yarn Stash
Start by sorting your yarn stash. You might already have your stash tidy and organized, but you need to see and touch it if you're like me. It doesn't exist if I don't see and feel it, lol. This is an excellent way to assess your stash and plan accordingly for your future projects.
Separate yarn by weight, fiber content, and or color. Consider using clear bins or shelves to store your yarn so you can easily see what you have. Labeling bins or shelves can also help you quickly find the yarn you need for a specific project.
2. Take Inventory
Once your yarn is organized, take a moment to revel in the sense of accomplishment and control that comes with taking Inventory. Adding your stash to Ravelry, where it can meticulously keep track of your yardage from each project, or making a list or using a spreadsheet to keep track of your yarn stash, can be a powerful tool. Note down the weight, fiber content, color, and quantity of each yarn. This will not only help you avoid buying duplicate yarn but also give you a clear picture of what you have available for future projects, empowering you to make informed creative decisions.
I highly recommend Ravelry as the place to store your yarn and keep track of your stash. I am hosting a free workshop on how I do this for those who have never ventured into the Ravelry stash keeper. Click here to join the waitlist for the free online workshop.
If you feel that there is yarn that isn’t your style anymore, it’s normal. At that point, consider whether you want to donate or hand it off to a friend who you know will love and use the yarn. Think of it as passing on the fiber love. This act of generosity cannot only clear your stash but also connect you to the wider crafting community, enhancing your joy in the process.
3. Search for Ideas and Patterns
With your yarn stash organized, it's time to unleash your creativity and find inspiration for your next project. Now, you might have already been envisioning a project while you were shopping. You’ll want to either gauge swatch or verify that you have the correct yardage for the project you had in mind.
Let's also consider what we have in our stash. You may have bought a yarn thinking you would like it for a particular garment, but after looking at the yardage and the size, you might need to rethink or consider something you already have in your stash or even combine them.
Browse knitting and crochet websites, magazines, and books for patterns that ignite your imagination. Consider contacting the yarn shop you purchased the yarn from for advice or ideas on what patterns or projects suit that yarn. Then, take a look at that yarn in Ravelry and view the recommended patterns and projects made by others with that yarn.
4. Consider Your Skill Level and Time Commitment
When choosing a pattern, it's crucial to consider your skill level and the time you're willing to commit to the project. If you're a beginner, starting with a simple pattern can be a confidence booster. If you need more time, choosing a smaller project that you can complete quickly can give you a sense of accomplishment. If you're like me, you take this fiber event as a way to build on your skill set and push yourself to learn new techniques. Consider taking a class or a workshop that will help teach you techniques to move you along in your maker's journey, further boosting your confidence and success in your projects.
If you are planning to make gifts for those you love, plan on working on those projects earlier rather than later so you can avoid getting yourself in a time crunch when the deadline quickly approaches.
5. Don't Feel Overwhelmed
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by a large yarn stash, but remember there's no rush to use it all up. Here's the great thing about yarn: It's different from what you buy at the supermarket. It doesn't have a shelf life. When the yarn inspires us, we use it. When it doesn't, it stays waiting for us when we're ready. But don't let this get you down, and don't let this prevent you from using your creative genius. Take your time and enjoy the process of planning and creating your next project. Experiment with different yarn combinations and patterns to keep things exciting.
6. Share Your Progress
Finally, remember to share your progress with others. Post pictures of your yarn stash and projects on social media, Ravelry, or join a knitting or crochet group to connect with fellow crafters. Sharing your passion for fiber arts can be a great source of motivation and inspiration. Plus, you might not realize it, but your fiber journey inspires, challenges, and motivates people to learn to be creative, too, with yarn. I often hear my students tell me that they don't want to share their projects on social media because they feel that they're too new or not as talented as they would like to be in their knitting or crochet. The truth is that most people have yet to start to knit or crochet and that you, even just beginning your journey or maybe years you have been knitting, are creating inspiration and helping people see that they too can enjoy Fiber Arts.
Closing Thoughts
By following these tips, you can make the most of your yarn stash and confidently plan your next knitting or crochet project. As always, please comment below or reach out to me to let me know how things are going and how you plan on using your Yarn Haul for your crafty dreams.
Happy crafting!
