Ask The Audience: The Motherload Of Yarn

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retrochick.JPGIvy says:

As I posted before, we have been cleaning out my Grandma’s stuff following her death. By the way, I appreciate all the condolences. It gets easier every day. And some days, I can laugh. This was one of those days. Earlier this week, my uncle asked me if I wanted all my grandma’s yarn. Being the avid crocheter I am, I told him I absolutely wanted all the yarn. “Are you sure?” he asked. “It’s a lot.”

Of course I wanted it. A lot of yarn? I’m down, homies! So he brought me some yarn last week:

The first batch of yarn

He told me there was more at the other house, but I needed to come pick it up. So today I went to pick it up. Remember I said my grandma was a borderline hoarder? Might change that to just hoarder. I’ve never seen so much yarn in one place other than in a yarn shop. Here’s what I got:

All the worsted weight yarn

That’s just all the worsted weight yarn in skeins. All told, there were 16 moving boxes full of yarn. Here’s a picture of the worsted plus the sport weight and the yarn balls:

Everything but the rug yarn

My original plan was to take a picture with everything all piled up in front of the door. The whole lot fell down before I could do so. Here’s the crochet thread:

Giant box of crochet thread

And, the rug yarn. Both of these boxes are giant boxes full. If I had been able to pile *everything* up, it would have been a very impressive pile:

Giant box of rug yarn

And, here’s the mess after it fell down:

It all falls down

Sorry, yarn snobs, it’s mostly acrylic. Only about 10% of it is plain wool, and there’s nothing particularly fancy. Even so, I generally buy acrylic yarn anyway because I’m po’, and I’m excited to have all this yarn. Well, not quite this much.

What am I going to do with it all? I’m going to donate at least some of it. I’m going to teach a friend’s girl scout troop to crochet. And I’m going to crochet a LOT. I doubt I will ever have to buy yarn again. But dang, that’s half the fun of crocheting, buying yarn, right?

Now, for the ask the audience part. I’d like to know how you guys store your yarn. I have always stored mine in a drawer, but I have never really had that much yarn before. Clearly I’m not going to keep this much yarn, but I’m going to keep quite a bit of it and I need a better storage method. What ideas do you guys have for yarn storage?

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124 thoughts on “Ask The Audience: The Motherload Of Yarn”

  1. there are a LOT of charities that would LOVE some of that yarn! project linus and the preemie project spring to mind. the girl scouts could work on squares to become linus blankies or each could do a hat for preemies, and any girls who really get into it could be sent home with a bag of yarn to make more!

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  2. OMG! You said you had a LOT but this visual is just shocking! Awesome dude! 🙂 I’m so excited you said you’d come and teach my girl scouts how to crochet – let me know what we need (needles, sticks, whatever they’re called?).

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  3. Oh. My. Word! That is just…wow!

    You can come to my Brownie troop and teach us to crochet, too!!

    I think whatever you’re going to store should be in airtight containers. Whatever you want to keep close at hand for immediate and current projects could be kept in a trunk/footlocker in your house.

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  4. haha! I’ve stored yarn but not those amounts..wow.rent a room for yarn? . even if acrylic.. you could make like 90000 totebags or mesh bags..

    My cat would be in heaven if in your living room!

    much luck!

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  5. Oh. My. God.

    That is shocking and brilliant and hilarious.

    I would think using those wire racks with the clear plastic bins to organize them by color or weight, but that is so much yarn it may cost you a fortune.

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  6. Wow, that’s a lot of freaking yarn. I knit like once a year and I just keep my yarn in a bag in the closet (hung from a clothes hanger so the cats can’t get into it). Don’t think that’d work in your case unless you have a big bag and a big closet.

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  7. Wow, that’s a lot of yarn. I was going to suggest one of those big wire racks with a bunch of spare parts bins, but with all that you might need a couple racks full of bins.

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  8. That is a lot of yarn!! I store mine in plastic containers under the beds. You might want to check over the wool carefully in case the moths got into it.

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  9. Makes you want to fall backwards into the heap, just like a leaf pile. 😉 Since nothing particularly eats acrylic, I find mesh storage containers perfectly acceptable: I have a lot of my acrylic yarn in milk crate-type stackables. I think sorting by color/weight is helpful, myself, so I tend to do that with my yarn stash. The wool I’d put in a plastic bin with lavendar or cedar sachets, to keep moths at bay. Definitiely agree that charities and community orgs are useful recipients for donations, if you choose to destribute some of your largesse: you might also approach an elder care facility, as many have craft activities, and residents who enjoy knitting and crocheting; or a community center that offers arts and crafts instruction.

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  10. woah! bedspreads for everybody! Yeah, I’d suggest the clear plastic boxes so you can see shat’s where. Get Mr. Ivy started on that back yard storage building now before the wet weather sets in…and padlock that sucker to keep Aunt B. out.

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  11. OH. MY. GOSH. That is the most yarn I have ever seen in one place, other than the store. This definitely took hoarding to a whole new level. I am sure some of that was really overwhelming to go through!

    I hope you can find a great storage solution for all of it! I always love your sense of humor towards a situation and your awesome writing style, Ivy!!

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  12. I second the vacuum storage bags for the acrylic yarn. As long as it’s put in flat and not overstuffed – it worked well for smaller amounts.

    Most of my yarn is stored in knock off rubbermaid bins either under the bed (wool) or in the garage (acrylic).

    Also, if donating any of the yarn – check at local senior centers. I “inherited” a lot of older acrylic that I had no use for and one of the senior centers in the area was thrilled to have it and offer it up to the area residents who knit.

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  13. We need to become better friends 🙂 You’re welcome to store it at my house but you might not get it back!
    I store my yarn in ziplock bags labeled by potential project but i third the vacuum bags for a pile that size.

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  14. I think my jaw just hit the floor.

    I 4th the vacuum bag idea. You can store 4 times the amount in your plastic tubs and nothing will get to it.

    Hubs owns more wool socks and winter gear than any other man I’ve ever met. It used to suck up an entire closet all summer long, now it just sucks up two shelves during the off season.

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  15. Clutter is a beast. Acrylic is cheap.

    Keep only what you’ll likely use within a year, plus a few extra skeins for the children who visit (or yours?).

    I keep 2 baskets of yarn in the studio, but regularly give away a skein when I buy a new one, to keep the stash down. Because you’re right — buying yarn is half the fun!

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  16. Ahem, I have never seen this much yarn at once before: ) Even in a yarn store!

    It reminds me of my Grandma’s 1000 year supply of plastic beads to make Christmas ornaments. Who knew it was nesecary to have 200 varieties of beads.

    Take Care,

    Trixie

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  17. Wow, that is — impressive.

    My grandmother was a hoarder, too, as well as a crocheter, and yet, when she passed away she didn’t have anywhere near as much yarn as she had Ziplock bags. Oh well.

    For storage, I keep mine in wine racks, though I don’t, well, have as much to store. I kind of wish I did. 🙂

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/70369548@N00/1109978975/

    At any rate, if I were you, my first step would be to check out wine storage, maybe ask around some local liquor stores and see where they get their wall-cases and if they’re available wholesale, or perhaps build your own. I got mine from Pier 1.

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  18. I followed Shauna’s link and have to chime in: that is a mighty HUGE pile o’ yarn and some fabulous pics of it!

    I’d say: weed WAY back – keep what you’ll use, give/swap the rest away! And if you want to do a craft swap with someone in Chicago (yarn for ???)…let me know 🙂

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  19. I honestly feel better about my mom’s stash now. It is the size of a 12×12 shed with a 8 ft ceiling.

    Mom’s is well organized though. first she sorts by type, thread, acrylic, wool etc. then she takes just one type and further sorts it by color. she then puts it in labeled Avon boxes though I would recommend clear storage totes so you can see what color group at a glance. she then moves on to the next type.

    My first suggestion is to go through it and find all the yarn you can’t stand (undesirable color, just don’t like for some reason) and donate it first. Then go through it again and find all the ones you just can’t live without. sort it and store according to directions above. Then look at what you’ve already picked out. Make a firm decision on how much yarn above that amount you will use in the next 5-10 years max. Pick out and store no more than that amount. Donate what’s left. Why a 5 -10 year max? because as frequently happens with those of us that do crafts that require small hand movements, you may get arthritis in your hands at some point and be unable to continue using up that stash.

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  20. Sorry to hear of the loss of your Grandmother. As for storage of yarn, I use those new jumbo zip lock bags. One for each weight of yarn. If I get super organized I might start going by color someday. Enjoy your new stash!

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  21. I store my yarn in a bookshelf. Using a 6′ by 2′ bookshelf, I sort it by color and put like colors or types on the shelves. If you push hard you can really squish a lot in

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  22. I would use plastic containers while adding one more thing. You know those little packs of silica that absorb moisture you find in other products. Save some and then throw them in there. It will help keep it all dry. This way it will keep longer no matter where you store it.
    If you have a garage there may be a cross base underneath of it. Most people forget about this space. It is great to store stuff that you don't use all that often.

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  23. my acrylic is in a bookcase that wasnt being used, wool is in baskets.  I put cedar shavings, peper, & am about to knick of with some tobacco leaves from my dad in the corners to keep away the bugs

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  24. have a destash sale, discount, share it with friends and do giveaways if you can manage the shipping funds. Thanks for asking our opinion!

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  25. I have my yarn in sweater shelving that you get at walmart or wherever.  Those hold a lot of yarn and you can hang them in a spare closet.    I also use acrylic yarn the most.  Some cotton.  I am sorry about your loss.  That is never easy.  

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  26. mymymy………………. such a bounty and joy!!! I think your grandma will be watching from above to see what nice things people make from her beloved stash! A bit of her is in every ball and skein so all projects will turn out wonderful. Keep your spirits up, dear!!!

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  27. I have a cubbyhole-style storage unit for my skeins and bins for my thread. I thought I had an impressive stash…until now! 😉 Enjoy!!!

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  28. I use plastic totes( 25 or 30 gal.) I was given boxes upon boxes of yarn from an elderly friend…Its in Avon delivery boxes and office supply (paper) boxes.so far I have counted and sorted 39 boxes but now there are about 6 packing boxes to be sorted also as many boxes of material

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  29. Holy moly! Because there is sooooo much I would go with space bags. Sort by color and weight. All but the thread spools can pretty much go in them. That way they will take up way less space. Just leave out what you think you will need soon

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  30. I have a huge trunk hard to use if you want the things in bottom. Plus plastic totes. I thought I had a lot when a couple of Aunts passed away and my Mom. I have used a lot making afgans for Project Linus.

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  31. I would use large plastic totes – you can take a picture of the contents with your phone to print out & tape on the front of the box. 

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  32. Condolences & congratulations. Where you store depends on your situation. I have a very small home & bought a large storage shelving unit which lines 1 wall of my home. I store the yarn on the top shelf which makes it out of the way and easy to locate, too!

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  33. Rubbermaid roughneck storage tote, the giant blue ones. I have two.  And GRANDMA, YOU ARE MY HERO.  o/  May your heaven be a room filled from floor to ceiling with full yarn cubbies in every color and may they always produce more.

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  34. Great Story!  I think some great creations will come out of your Gram’s collection of yarn 🙂  I tend to prefer clear rubbermaid tubs, so I can see what’s in them- but with that much: WOW!  I’d especially keep that much in a closed container to avoid dust- I know it’s washable, but I hate the feel of working with yarn that’s got dust on it.  anyone agree?  -Robby

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  35. I’m sorry to hear about the passing of your Grandmother.  It’s wonderful that you both had crocheting/yarn in common.  I use to have people constantly giving me yarn that they didn’t want any more or from friends/relatives.  It got to the point that I told them no more, please!  It took over my house.  I have made so many baby blankets for charity over the years and will continue to do so for as long as I can crochet.  I think everyone has the right idea about the rubber maid containers.  Clear is the way to go so you can see contents at a glance.  Enjoy your yarn and sharing it with others.

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  36. just be sure to put a label on the container stating quantity of color so you can easily (?) find what you want down the road.  and I am sorry for your loss and happy with your gain.  I’m sure you will be thanking and thinking of your grandmother for a long time.

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  37. I like keeping them in boxes, but I store them in the box tail side straight up and stuff the box. That way, I can see all of the colors and crochet straight out of the box and not worry about tangling or falling down. Maybe store them in boxes in a closet and have an empty box on standby for any yarn you’re gonna plan on working with?
    But yes, that is a WHOLE lot of yarn! I’d love it… my husband wouldn’t. lol

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  38. Sorry to hear about your grandmother.  When my grandmother passed, I was able to get her needles and yarn, she had no where as much yarn as your grandmother. I store mine in plastic tubs that I color coordinate that I keep in the attic.  That way my husband can’t see all of the yarn that I have.

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  39. I have stored my yarn in my mother’s cedar chest for a while and then as I could afford to do so i bought plastic totes with lids and stored by type.

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  40. I store mine in comforter, and blanket bags that you get when you buy new blankets etc…I also use the pillow case ones for small projects that i can carry around.  But the Mattress pads bags and comforter bags are great for storing hoards.  I’m not sure about this one, but have fun.  Sorry about your grandmother.  She must have had some pretty lofty goals!!!  🙂

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  41. In my eyes you hit the lottery.   IF not better than the lottery to me.   I us totes all marked with different colors on the outside of the tote. I then store the coordinating colors with the totes.  I have a wonderful walk in closet where I stack my totes neatly and when I need a certain color all I have to do is pull out and open the correct  bin.  My only “search through bin” is the one marked varigated  The matching skeins in that bin are all bundled together in their own grocery bag.  Saves from me rummaging through the bin and ending up with them all mixed up.  Happy Crocheting
     

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  42. God bless your grandmother, and now you!  For storage, I bought from Target (but most stores carry them, including Ikea) a 9 square shelf that is 3 bin holes by 3 bin holes wide and tall and you buy the cloth bins to go into them.  I use the bins for things that can fall all over, like yarn balls, but the skeins I arrange in the bins by color or type of yarn so that I can see what I have and make decisioins on what to use next or if i have a project it all goes into one bin.  I have an entire bedroom as a craft room and actually use three of the units wide to fill an entire wall.  Then all my crafts are organized by type!  The cloth bins that go into each hole are easy to label so you can see at a glance what is “hidden” from view.  I’m an outta sight outta mind type of person so if I can’t see it, I forget about it and then don’t use it.   Please think about making blankets for The Binky Patrol or Project Linus in your area and having the girlscouts and brownie troops help is a great community service project for them.  Making prayer shawls is another good use for folks who are home bound or in nursing homes.  Good luck to you!!!!

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  43. I use the rubbermaid rolling storage carts with the see through drawers. I sorted by color and type, then removed the wheels from another set that are then stacked on top. I have 8 of these (I prefer to call it stockpiling–not hoarding;) Every time you use your new stash, you will be thinking of your grandma and many charities will benefit.
     

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  44. yarn snobs?   what’s wrong with acrylic?  that yarn is beautiful and when you make /donate/share it, you will have wonderful memories of your Grandmother!!!! 
     

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  45. I have a lot of my yarn stored in a bookcase – it’s just deep enough that I can place the yarn with the ends out.

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  46. Totally jealous. I used to have my yarn stored in totes, but I found it was hard to find the one I wanted (I didn’t do what other suggested – take pics and tape to front of tote) and I’d often forget what I had and go buy more.  Now, I have a craft room (shared with the office). My husband had already installed shelves in the closet to store books – now the books are on a bookshelf, and my yarn is on the shelves.  I can just open the door and instantly see (most of) what I have.  Although, I’m not sure all the yarn you inherited would fit in a closet. Glad to hear you’re donating some – I hear nursing home residents often like to see this type of donation.

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  47. Lol, I’m actually happy for you because I understand the thrill it must have been to see all that yarn even though it’s mostly acrylic. Like you I use it for money reasons unless I have something really special I want to make. For me my yarn is therapy. I make stuff and then use it or give it away. Fortunately most people want what I make! 🙂 My stash is pretty large too and all different kinds and sizes since I also thread crochet and tat. I primarly use (large) plastic storage totes sorted by yarn type/size and some even by color. I also have what I call my working bags all over the house. Each one has a partially finished project in it with all of the yarn needed for the project. That way I have the perfect size project to take with me anywhere and I never get bored with a project before it is done. I give special credit to the people who live with us yarn hoarders. I also found your comment about looking for yarn being half the fun, so true! Even though I have lots I sometimes find myself looking and shopping for more anyway just for the fun of seeing what’s out there. Maybe it’s time to downsize my stash and make room…for more! Enjoy your windfall!

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  48. clear plastic crates with lids, fancy yarns seperate from standards, then by weight, eventually it will be by colour too…oh and i think a grandmas memory afghan out of some of it would make a nice family heirloom

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  49. I have one smallish square laundry basket with all my yarn standing on end in it.  You could potentially get a bunch of these?  Or I’ve seen “laundry” projects on pinterest where you build a frame thing for laundry baskets to slide in and out of, that might be another way to go. wow.  I am full of ideas, but just wow.  You’re not near southern Wisconsin, are ya? I’d be happy to help you get rid of a few skeins.  😉
     
    Also, how do you work with rug yarn? I think I bought some at a yard sale but it is crazy thick and I don’t know what to do with it.
    (The memory afghan is a great idea, but considering how much yarn there is she could probably make a half dozen or more!  🙂 )

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  50. I’ve found that pop-up mesh laundry bags are handy for the amount of yarn I have.  They are soft-sided (no stubbed toes), not too heavy when full and it’s easy to see what’s inside.  I sort by-type too.  It looks like MouseMarie does the same thing.Of course, I don’t have nearly the volume of yarn as you do now.  (But I am not going to lie; I did start to salivate at the pictures!)

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  51. That is such a cool inheritence! I’m sorry for your loss, but It’s so neat to see where your love of yarn stems from. We truly are our history. 🙂

    As for storage, I have tons of yarn, bought, inherited and gifted. My tubs and buckets were just not making my stash easily available, being a visual person, so I had my hubby build special shelves for them. The shelves are approximately 8 feet tall(floor to ceiling) and are comprised of three 2 foot sections with an X from corner to corner(like a wine crate). They are 6 inches deep so I can tuck my yarn into the triangles with one end sticking out. I sort by color so once full it looks like an art piece on the wall. The idea was sparked by a picture I saw on the Lion brand blog of their office wall art. My dream is to have a full room of these shelves, totally full of course. Lol

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  52. I buy clear plastic storage containers.  Yes, I have 5 of them full of yarn.  Not as impressive as your grandmother, and I by no means aspire to be like her.  I’m having trouble figuring out hw to use all of the yarn I do have!!!  And I’m willing to part with a bunch of it, if for nothing else than to have more room in my house!

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    • I had bins full of yarn but have gladly made many items and placed all those items to good homes.   I am always searching yard sales and thrift stores for yarn  I am on a fixed income so buying yarn is sometimes out of the question.  When I worked an older gentleman came in one day and handed me 2 very large bags of yarn.  Told me it was laying in a closet since his wife passed away and since he knew I loved to crochet and knit he thought I would like to have it.   I was so over joyed.  I went home that night and started to crochet working every minute that I could on the project.  When it was done, I wrapped it up in the nicest paper I could find wrapped a huge blue bow and ribbon around it and took it into work with me the next day.  When the gentleman came into the diner I ran into the back room and brought out his “new” gift.   When he opened it up  he recognized all the yarn and said “I gave it to you to use”.  I told him I did use it.  His wife had left that yarn behind , he found someone who could turn that yarn into something that would keep him as warm as he had kept her all the years they were married.   I have never felt so proud of any afgan that I have ever made. 

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      • Yes I still take any yarn that is given to me and unless they state that they do not want anything back from it (yes everyone knows me and knows that I would do that for them)  I get to return their yarn to them only it is something that they can use rather than something that is just sitting around.   So all donations are always welcome.   PS… if they don’t ask for anything back or state that they don’t want anything, I use a big portion of the yarn to make caps for the cancer patients where I had my chemo treatments.   

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  53. I crochet hats and scarfs for a local food pantry. They give them to people with children needing help with food. They are fast &noodles easy to make and would use some of that yarn ip fast. Also check if your local food pantry would like to have some for clients who like to crochet and don’t have the money for yarn. Another idea for donations is to check with local nursing homes for residents who knit & crochet. As for storage, the clear totes are great and color code.

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  54. Wow, just wow! I agree with the other posts. Plastic storage totes are my storage unit of choice for my yarn. For the yarn you are not going to use for a while you could get some of those vacuum bags to save space

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  55. Wow, just wow! I agree with the other posts. Plastic storage totes are my storage unit of choice for my yarn. For the yarn you are not going to use for a while you could get some of those vacuum bags to save space. Of course, being an avid crocheter myself, I would love to help you out by providing a new home for some of that stash 🙂

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  56. Sort them by color, then buy a few very large rubbermaid tubs, label them so you know what’s what, store them in your attic. Yarn is super easy to stuff into tubs, but watch out when you open them, it’ll have a volcano effect ahaha good luck
     
    This happened to me too, I got this huge box of yarn (it all smelled really bad) from somebody and I didn’t know what to do with it all. It’ll go quicker than you think, no worries c:

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  57. I use clear stackable tote boxes and have a rectangular laundry basket for the yarn I will be using soon.  I have sorted my yarn by weight (worsted, dk, sock).  I come by my yarn hoarding honestly — I am my grandmother’s girl and I carry on the knit/crochet/yarn hoard traditions.

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  58. I pack my yarns in gallon bags and stack in rubbermaid storage containers by color and type.That way, if you find a pattern you want to use it for, you can put it together with copied instructions. If you find any bugs, you can put it in the freezer and then pack it away. That yarn looks in great shape and is a nice remembrance for you. 

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  59. Wow! Now that’s a stash! My mouth is watering & my fingers are itching to get that on my crochet hook. I make crocheted blankets for Project Linus & that would make a lot of lovely blankets for the kids. You are so lucky to inherit such a goldmine of yarn. So glad you’re sharing the love! Enjoy!
    Alanna

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  60. I am sorry for the loss of your Grandmother. I have more yarn than that but I must explain…I founded and run a non-profit for children here in west central MN. I keep the yarn for the non-profit in my garage in plastic totes and/or cardboard boxes depending on how large the supply at the time is. I also fund the majority of the non-profit by knitting and/or crocheting my own designs and others to sell to the public of which the profits go to the charity to purchase yarn to make the things for the children who live in poverty.
     
    In my own house, I have one large cabinet in the front porch which holds over a thousand skeins and is divided on each shelf by weight. I have a couple of antique trunks lined with cedar that holds the majority of my wool supply. I also have about two trunks worth of crochet cotton. Then I also have numerous other storage pieces that are more decorative displayed around the house that no one would suspect are full of different types of yarn such as lace, fingering, sport, etc. I also have a collection of antique picnic baskets and of course, they are also full of new yarn. I am probably an exception to the rule of the normal yarn enthusiast but I use up many skeins of yarn each and every week and average an output of six to twelve hats a day.
     
    Enjoy your windfall. Whether it’s acrylic or not, yarn is a beautiful thing!

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    • God Love you Mrs Potts.  Your heart has got to be ask big as your yarn supply.  Charity giving fills the heart and soul but when you can make something from your own hands and mind, and give it to those in need fills your “ANGEL WINGS CARD” so much faster.  
       

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  61. Store them in the storage bags that you can suck the air out of. Takes up less room. You could sort by color, weight,etc. Any way you choose.
     

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  62. I’m sorry for the loss of your grandmother.  The yarn is delicious.  Almost all the crocheting I do these days is for charity and all of it uses acrylic, so this just makes me salivate.  I stitch for Heartmade Blessing (afghans for those who are critically ill or families who have lost loved one, particularly military families), Stitches from the Heart (baby items that we donate to over 1,400 NICU centers and hospitals), and Knit (or crochet) a Square for the over 2.4 million AIDs orphans in southern Africa.  So if you’re looking for someone to whom you might donate….  I’ve been unemployed for over two years.As for storage, I separate by color and then store my yarn in 35 gallon labelled Starlight bins in my back room. 

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  63. I keep my yarn in plastic totes…some in baskets for projects I hope to get to some day!!  I think you should take a picture of yourself sitting in the middle of all the yarn with a big smile on your face!!  :^)

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  64. Wow! It will go fast though. I store mine in opaque big plastic tubs/totes with attached lids that fold over. When empty (yeah right) they stack neatly.  When now empty, they stack on top & can been seen though enough to which colors are in them.

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  65. Wow!  It will go fast thought.  I store my yarn in big opaque plastic tubs/totes with attached lids that fold over. When empty (yeah, right) they stack inside one another neatly.  When not empty, they tack on top of one another & can be seen through enough to tell which colors are inside each.

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  66. I have some of my yarn in plastic totes, some in tote bags, some in a cool basket, and some in a big trash bag in the closet. I have a couple of trunks, one from college and one was a toybox that my Mom kept for me. I’m planning to line them both with adhesive contact paper so I can put the tote bags and yarn from the closet in them. I’m also thinking about getting some cedar balls or blocks to toss in the trunks to keep moths out.

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  67. I love this!  I store my yard in clear plastic totes and I tend to sort them by brands so I know what I have for a project.  I also store some of my yarn in the big canvas reusable bags since I need to get more totes.  Happy crocheting 🙂

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  68. My husband is going to build me a walk of pcv pipe stacked between two boards to store my yarn in. Enjoy your find!

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  69. I store mine in big rubbermaid containers with snap on lids.  The bugs and stuff can”t get in.  I keep mine in the garage.  It works great and easy to get in later.

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  70. I keep mine in clear totes and just stack them on top of each other….and yes there are quite a few, but I keep the same color family together.  Good luck, and feel free to ship some to me in UT  😉

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  71. I have this much yarn.  (sigh)  A lot of it is in plastic bins with lids.  A lot is in xxJumbo ziplocs.  More is in letter-sized office cardboard storage.  More is in mesh laundry bags. A lot more is still in the bags it came from the store in.  And the rest is in big piles that are embarrassing!

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  72. Sorry for your loss.  That is some inheritance you got there girl, but they sure will  weave lots of keepsakes.  Her memory will live on in all the completed projects you make out of all this wool.  In order to keep the wool in good shape you will need to store them in labelled plastic container by weight which would be much easier to retrieve the type of wool you would need for whatever project you will endeavor.  Also, to avoid the enclosed smell that might occur, I would through in a fabric softener sheet.
     
    Happy crocheting !

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  73. You should take a skein, add a pattern for a “one skein pattern” like a scarf and the appropriate hook size, tie it in a bundle with a ribbon and give them out as presents!!  Or to random strangers… 
    Or you could drop off balls of yarn at shelters, for the kitties!!!
     

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  74. I use rubbermaid totes, the 35 gallon size.  Stand each skein on end, and it stays clean and neat.  You can color code it or simply use the clear ones for easy visual reference.  I am not ashamed to admit, at times, I have had over 15 such ‘tubs’ of yarn!  ENJOY your legacy, and remember the good times and lessons!

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  75. I got a stash like this from a widower who was selling it. I keep mine by color in clear plastic boxes, the really big ones, and I have two closets full. The easy part of making stuff for people is that if it’s family, they can just come by to pick their colors. I’ll be using mine the rest of my life.

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  76. I store my yarn in those large see thru tubs with locking lids.  I do dark colors together and the lighter colors together.  I do baby yarn separately.  And I use no wool yarn as allergic to it.  When I want a color just pull out the tub , open and since I can see whats there, pick what I want.  And I do have lots, I mean lots, of yarn.  You guessed it , part of the fun is buying the yarn.
                                                                                                      Betsa

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  77. I store my yarn in the largest, hugest Rubbermaid totes — not the small 18 gallon ones (well, those too!) but the double – wide ones with the “locking” covers…..I figure if I took out all my yarn and piled it up, it would fill my walk-in closet (10 x 8) floor to ceiling with no problem….  I also have individual “go green” tote bags lined around my bedroom with projects and other skeins of yarn — large and small.  When I run out of those, I use my Vera Bradley tote bags and the recycle grocery store bags.  you can NEVER have too many bags!

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  78. I store mine in plastic bins with lids.  If you don’t want to keep ALL this yarn, and like you said buying new yarn is half the fun, I can highly recommend listing some of it that you know you won’t use on ebay.  I’ve done that before and made many people very happy!  They pay the shipping and whatever I charge for the yarn ( which is less than half the price of buying it at the store), and I get a little money and space for new yarn!  Win-win!  Have fun with it! 
     
    MGM

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  79. When I lived in a house, I went to the dollar store and bought the jumbo zipper top storage bags, they have handles so hangers or shower curtain hooks to held them off a coat rack I attached to the ceiling in the basement. It went across the floor joists of the main floor. I have my yarn sorted by yarn weight, fibre and then if I have quite a bit, then shades (pastels, brights, etc.) I have a few bags where I have only 1 type and colour of yarn (10 or more balls or enough for 1 afghan).
    I hope this helps

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  80. Several Space Bags in Jumbo size would contain a lot of it without hurting it. These bags would keep it dust free & reduce the size somewhat. Just open the cap when you’re ready to use & take out what you need. You can re-seal the bags if you don’t need all the yarn in it.
     

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  81. Our local senior/ community center gets donations of yarn for our crochet group who makes charity projects. I’m glad to know you will be donating some of it!   Have fun with it!  

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  82. You look like an organized person, as you already have it organized according to color.  I separate my yarns according to fiber, then color and weight.  I have a wall of cubbies (square wire mesh) that it goes into.  I think it’s good to have something you can see colors clearly through.  If you can’t see it, you won’t use it.  Happy handiworking!!!

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  83. Check around for charity knitting groups in your area. Our charity church group received a large donation when one of our member’s mother-in-in law moved into senior housing. It covered six 8″ tables. It was no where as large as your stash, but we made good use of it. It had been stored and had a slight odor, so we spread it out and sprayed it with Fabreeze….no more odor. We knit and crochet for 2 hospitals, 2 hospices, 2 nursing homes, a vets facility and a battered women’s shelter. There are so many possibilities. Enjoy your collection. Everything you make will remind you of your grandmother. She might like the idea that some of her yarn made useful items for someone less fortunate.

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  84. I would love to have at most 1/3 of that kind of stash… Love to wirk with any type of yarns and I crochet for family, homeless, kids in hospitals and such… I believe a stach like that will always be in my dreams.. LOL

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  85. I would love to have some of it as well. You sure racked up. I’m sorry for your loss of your grandmother. If you ever feel like you would like to share I can give you my address….LOL   HUGS

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  86. What a beautiful mess!!!  I belong to a charity group and if you have anything left we can certainly use it.  Or if you are on Ravelry, they have a group to donate yarns to charity groups.  Most of my stash is in rubbermaid totes (large ones), but not very organized.
     

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  87. I am so sorry for your loss, losing my grandmother years ago was so hard.  It does look like you have as much yarn as a yarn store.  I have a sewing-knitting room and use bookcases to store mine in plastic tubs. 

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  88. I, too, as sorry for your loss.  When my grandmother passed away I got the majority of her yarn, too.  It also was acrylic & I was elated to get it. Not only because it was hers, but because I do a lot of charity knitting & crocheting & it would be used. 
     
    As for storage, I bought myself a “seal-a-meal” type machine & actually sorted the yarn into like piles – even matched dye lots!  I then put each individual type into a bag, making sure the bags were no longer than 2 feet long. I then sucked all the air out with the machine & the yarn is safely stored in those large, 30 gallon (?) Rubbermaid storage-type bins (I only have 32 of them!) .  When I want to use the yarn I simply cut the top of the bag & let it air out for a while so the yarn will get some of it’s “life” back.  I have never had a problem with the yarn making an item un-even or out of gauge.  Of course, gauge isn’t normally a problem with hats, scarves & shawls!

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  89. Personally I have invested in some of the 3 drawer plastic dressers and keep most of my yarn that way the drawers are transparent and you can sort by colors so you can see without opening all the drawers

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  90. I use those door hanging shoe organizers; the ones that fit on bedroom door and have about 4 rows across and 6 up and down…they are clear so I  can see the colors..and those clear huge bins from walmart with colored lids ..again I can see thru to what’s inside

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  91. I use big plastic tubs, with yarns more or less separated by material or weight (for instance, I don’t have enough crochet cotton to fill a bin, so it’s in with my baby/fingering yarns). And I’m no yarn snob – wool makes me break out in hives, so most of my yarns are cotton or acrylic. 🙂

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  92. Your story reminds me of the Santa letters in Miracle on 34th Street.
    As for storing, I do plastic tubs, but also recycle kitty litter containers: once washed, they are clean, airtight, and poortable.

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  93. I divided mine by color (or colors) into inexpensive plastic totes….variegateds, brown yellow and black, pinks and reds, etc.

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  94. You asked about storing yarn.  Last year my son moved almost all his stuff when he moved to a larger apartment with his two roommates.  I converted his room to my Craft Studio. I had been storing my yarn for years in cardboard “banker’s” boxes.  Real problem is they are heavy when full and I had trouble accessing the ones on top shelves, finding what I was looking for, etc. In preparation of creating my own space, I began purchasing clear, sturdy plastic totes of various sizes.  I concentrated on two types.  Really Useful Boxes from Staples have handles that secure the top to the tote and “lock” in place.  They are predominantly square and rectangular which I prefer to the sloped sides so as not to waste space.  I also found Sterilite brand boxes in two sizes I liked, again the tops can be secured to the tote, and there is not too much slope.  For my WIPs (works in progress), Queued (things I have in mind for specific projects) and supplies in a wooden cube storage (also available at Staples) with fabric “baskets”.  I began sorting primarily by color, which is still effective.  But now I also sort by yarn types, or project types, for instance: lace yarns, sock yarns, felting projects, blankets (worsted or fingering), etc.  One thing I have been doing since this winter as I go through my “stash” is pull out those yarns I have had a long time and never done anything with, or those yarns I just don’t truly like (a lot of which was either given to me by others or purchased in lots with yarns I DO like) and set them aside to find new homes.  I have a knitting group and we have a de-stash occasionally, and I have a young art student who loves smaller quantities of different fibers and colors.  Good luck and have lots of fun with your new treasure!

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  95. I store mine in rubbermaid containers (with lids) sorted by color or type of yarn.  They are nice to use because they stack and they keep the yarn away from dirt and critters and are pretty much airtight.  Also, if you move the yarn is already packed and ready to go.  That came in handy once for me.  You might want to do a list of what containers are where and what they have in them; label your containers well so you can find things easier.  Good Lord I thought only yarn manufacturers had that much yarn at one time! 

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  96. Oh wow. That must have been an awesome sight in real life.
     
    Wow.
     
    I’m not very good at storing yarn, I mostly buy per project, and at the moment the left overs and yarn from half done projects are stored in bags all over my living room.
    I am intending on storing it in a set of drawers…and add it to ravelry…one day
     
    I just have to say it again…WOW

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  97. The clear plastic bags that sheet sets and comforters and such come in make great storage bins and the stack nice. I have all my friends and family save them for me plus I’m recycling. They also work great when you are presenting some with a crocheted gift.

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  98. Plastic boxes with well fitting lids that will stack are very useful.  Clear sides allow you to see contents and coloured lids could be designated as to type, ie. DK, Chunky, Crochet, etc.

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  99. That is so amazing, you lucky person for inheriting all that wool.  Might be good to get some community projects going, though the chances of using that much wool is pretty slim.  Maybe get rid of a bit of it on Ebay?  Will be nice to create things with your grandmother’s wool!

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  100. I also inherited yarn and other crafting supplies from my grandmother when she passed. (Definitely not this much) But I got storage bins and I like the flat, long ones that you can store under things. I also have those clear plastic drawers and I store things I intend to use soon in those.

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  101. My goodness! I just stumbled upon this post from Pinterest (searching for yarn storage ideas) and HOLY COW that’s definitely the motherlode of yarn. Goodness!

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  102. Hope you solved your storage problems! I’d say for stuff you’re not going to get stuck into for a while, vacuum pack it and the other stuff in plastic boxes to slot into available spaces. Then of course in baskets/bags when you’re working on projects … the donating stuff sounds like it was a good idea x I’ve obtained and given away loads through donation 🙂

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  103. Oh! You lucky dog you!! 🙂 I’m jealous! I love yarn! So much so I call my self an “yarnaholic”! I wonder if they have a “Yarns Anonymous”? LOL! I have mine stored by color in plastic totes and in cabinets that mt hubby put up for me. Little did he know when he put those in it just gave me. more space to get more yarn! I do donate some to a woman’s shelter as I know it’ll be used . If it’s on clearance/good sale, I get some or can’t resist yarn I find at garage sales! I JUST GOTTA HAVE IT!!

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