Stash Busting – Crocheted Items I Have Loved and Hated

Do you have a LOT of yarn? A lot of yarn that really needs using? I’m pretty sure that many of you have much more than I do. But again, I’ll bet I have a lot more than is normal. Perhaps even healthy?! When your yarn takes up, and way over fills, two full drawers. When your yarn takes up two full sized totes, so much that the lid doesn’t really fit. Plus more…. If this describes you, it’s time for some serious stash busting!

What is This Thing Called Stash Busting?

Some of you may be wondering what is ‘stash busting’? It is where one must bust into their stash of yarn and use it up! I actually always thought it meant using up those little balls you have left over from a project. You know those rolled up balls of 1-4 inches in diameter. That you just know you will use some day. And then don’t…. Well, that is one type of stash busting. I’ve made a few blankets out of those for my kidlets. And it worked, I was able to use up a bin full of those balls. And a few extra skeins of other odds and ends I had lying around.

But it isn’t enough! I have so much yarn. Yarn purchased for projects never made. Some yarn purchased because I thought it was pretty. Yarn purchased because I was in Aus and I needed to bring something back to remind me of the visit. Yarn given as gifts…. You get the picture. More yarn than I deserve!

Well, there is light at the end of the yarn crafting tunnel. Last Christmas I was able to make most of the kidlet’s gifts using up some of my stash. They had requested a few things such as shawls and amigurumi – a Pokemon, to be exact!

Some Ideas to Use Up That Stash

When you have as many skeins of yarn as I do, it’s quite easy to find enough to honor those requests. Especially amigurumi, those take up so little, you can use those balls I mentioned earlier easy enough. You can also make my Dragon Scale Gloves using those balls. The shawls are great for using up the full skeins of yarn purchased, and then never used. And shawls are FUN to make. I love the patterns within the item. They require a little thought, a little counting, but not so much that they take your full concentration. Just enough that you don’t crochet a few long rows to find out you messed up a while back. Not that that doesn’t happen with shawls, just usually not as much. At least for me…

I made shawls for all three of my girls. As a side note, I’ve made shawls for my older girls, too. Perfection received a white one for cold temple visits. Sleepy received one just because the Lost Skulls made me think of her. In a good way, not a creepy yucky way 😉 Finally, Hurricane actually received 4! She really loved the one I made Sleepy and requested I make a blanket for her (she loves blankets!). That project took up 4 skull shawls stitched together.

Honestly, until I discovered the Dragon Scale Gloves and the Mermaid Tail patterns, I pretty much was trying to rely on yarn I already had. I have to admit, there was this amazing sale on yarn at Michaels, and that’s where I purchased my bins full of yarn! I am set for this Christmas! And maybe the next…

More Benefits of Stash Busting?

Making gifts for loved ones, just because I can, is a good reason for stash busting.

<——Here is a really cool pattern I found, using up yarn I had on hand, the Dragon Wing Scarf. It is Perfection’s, but Hungry is the model!

Another – good?- thing came out of my recent spate of stash busting. I’ve discovered the difference a yarn makes. In both feel while doing the actual crochet, as well as, in the final product. I’ve become a bit of a yarn snob. Unfortunately, I cannot justify the expense of paying the price for those yarns. Luckily, Michaels and JoAnn both offer frequent amazing sales to keep me happy. I’m not such a yarn snob that I have to buy the hand spun types.  Yet…

After completing an easy cowl (made three of them) to match my latest sets of gloves – more stash busting – I needed another project.  I searched thought my most recently saved patterns and favorite sites. I decided I wanted to crochet something for myself. I’m not sure, but it might end up being a gift. Once it’s completed I’ll work that part out. I went to Yarnutopia. She has some amazing things to crochet. Some cute, some really cool. I tried my hand at making this cardigan, but, unfortunately, my squares all ended up puckering and not laying right, so I ditched it. Papa didn’t much care for it, either. IE , not at all (he’s adding, “I could not stand it”)!

Luckily, he liked this one much more! As this design takes up more than 1100 yards of yarn, I’m able to at least make it to where ONE of my yarn drawers can shut more easily now!

I’m working hard on getting it completed so as to share with you the final product! Wish me luck!

Edit: I did it!