Oh, our beloved weaving yarn stashes—treasured like a dragon’s hoard, fiercely guarded from anyone who dares suggest we have too much or should part with any of it.

We can all agree: shopping for yarn is fun. The thrill of discovering new textures and colors is part of what makes us passionate weavers. But when it comes to actually using our stash? Suddenly, it feels like work.

What if we could make it fun? Imagine the freedom of diving into your stash and confidently designing a stash-busting project that looks intentional and beautifully crafted.

Unlike following a pattern and purchasing the exact materials, working from your stash comes with unique challenges—like designing with colors you don’t love or dealing with mystery fibers in unknown quantities. Weaving is precise and mathematical, and these roadblocks can sap the joy from the creative process. No wonder we keep accumulating yarn while struggling to use what we already have!

If your weaving yarn stash feels overwhelming, give yourself some grace. Designing under these conditions is hard—while picking up another skein (or three) is all too easy. But maybe this is the year you face your stash-hoarding dragon and learn the skills to weave directly from what you already own.

The Plan

First, Janet and Carly will guide you through identifying unknown yarns, calculating yardage, and testing for stretch and shrinkage.

Once you have the tools to decode your stash, Tien brings her expertise in color and design. In her upcoming class, Design Recipes: Stash Weaving, she’ll teach you how to work with a limited color palette and select the right draft and project to complement your stash’s unique properties. She even offers three foolproof “design recipes” to ensure success in your next project.

The Fun

Now that we’ve tackled the challenges of stash weaving let’s make it exciting—a community of weavers planning and weaving together with our weaving along starting March 7th. Share your progress in the forums, ask questions in Peer Support Meetings, and enjoy the process alongside fellow stash-busting adventurers.

We’re confident you’ll come to love stash weaving once you see the creative possibilities hiding in your own collection. You’ll save money, develop your design skills, and create one-of-a-kind pieces. And the best part? With all that new space, you’ll finally have room to buy more yarn!

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From the course Working with Stash Yarns: