Stash can be a wonderful thing. I love having a range of yarn available to dip into when inspiration strikes.

The downside is that it can quickly multiply and I’ve been working on stash reduction over recent months, trying not to give in to unplanned purchases.

I noticed this week that most of my stash now comprises mainly single skeins or left-overs. There are a couple of batches which are ‘sweater-quantity’, where the original project plan didn’t work, and the yarn was put into storage for future use.

Then there are a couple of oddments that don’t fit into these categories. Nice yarn that has survived periodic stash culls, yet hasn’t been knitted. It set me thinking.

This Rowan DK for example … 8x 50g balls of 100% pure new wool, totalling 920 metres.

Why haven’t I used it?

Somehow there isn’t quite enough for a large wintery cardigan, which the rich red and woolly (slightly scratchy) texture seem to demand. I haven’t had the inclination or occasion to use it for a child’s jumper either. Yet I can’t quite bring myself to use part of it for accessories … If there were 4 or 5 balls, I think it would be easier to consider it suitable for a hat, mittens, or even a cushion. But 8 balls? That feels like a sweater quantity, and that’s why it has languished in my stash for so long!

So now I’m on the look out for a suitable project to help move this yarn out of the stash – sweater, cardigan, accessory, home-ware, anything that makes good use of it. Should I combine it with another colour and if so what? Should I raffle it off for charity?!

All suggestions gratefully received!

Do you have stash that seems to have been around a while? Do you know why you haven’t used it? I’d love to know!

🙂