Yarn Stash

You will know you’re truly addicted to all things ‘yarn’ when you have a stash in danger of taking control of your one spare room! Aside from checking for moths – see my blog post on this very subject – you will get to the point where order needs to be restored. Listed below are a few tips which might help. (Note – it is always advisable that yarn in a stash is kept with its relevant ball band so you know what it is. If you haven’t been that organised in the past make a promise to yourself to do so in the future…you will be so grateful).

• Dig out every ball, skein and scrap of yarn from your stash and organise it into groups such as yarn weight, make and colour.

• Create a new pile of any you don’t want to keep. Depending on what it is and the quantity you could either;

1)      give away the unwanted surplus to a knitting friend

2)      create mini knitting kits to give as a present (include a pattern for something small enough to be made from the yarn)

3)      take part in yarn swap (where you will get an alternative yarn to add back to you stash – possibly not helpful!)

4)      sell at a car boot sale, or on the internet

5)      give away to a knitting charity, or perhaps your local school

• Create another pile where you can clearly identify projects, whether it is small items like accessories, toys, charity knits (like cat and dog blankets made from squares), or larger projects such as striped scarves, Fair Isle garments etc. Having made the effort to identify what is possible make sure you bag up each batch of wool with either the relevant pattern or a note to identify what the yarn will be used for (otherwise you’ll end up doing it all over again!)

• Finally you will be left with the remaining stash that you want to keep but as yet have no plans for. Make sure the yarn is clearly labelled and placed in bags to keep it clean. Keep in a storage box until the next time!!

Moths

One of the worst enemies to gain access to your yarn stash is moths, or to be precise, the larvae. Whilst they will munch in synthetic fabrics they have expensive tastes and will always target natural fibres such as wool, cashmere, silk and alpaca.

What do they look like?

The adult moth is small and a light brownish-grey in colour. The larvae are white, and similar in appearance to a grain of rice.

Can they be kept away?

There are a number of commercially available products ranging from sachets to wooden cubes that can be placed in wardrobes and drawers as appropriate.

You can also make the environment generally less moth friendly. For instance they like quiet, dark and dusty places so vacuum regularly and place dirty laundry, which attracts them, into a basket until it can be washed. Don’t ignore upholstery and furnishings either — rugs and cushions can harbour eggs, so give them a good brush/vacuum and, when possible, hang them on the washing line in the sun.

 For your yarn stash, and precious finished pieces – make sure you sort through it every month or so and if possible keep it in plastic containers or sealed cardboard boxes.

Above all - be vigilant. A clean environment, with light and regular disturbance is what moths and their larvae hate most.