My weekend project was knitting related. I went looking for a particular bag of yarn, couldn’t find it, and ended up dumping all my storage containers out and reorganizing them. At one point in the project John pointed out “you could open your own yarn store with all this”. Silly man. He’s assuming that I would want to get rid of any of it.
I’ve been planning to do this for a long time. Mostly I’ve been just stuffing yarn in the plastic boxes without any plan. I started out by sorting the yarn into categories, but decided that I need some sort of system to be able to find what I’m looking for. So I fired up the computer and set up an Access database to keep track of stuff. I’ve never used this software before, but it was easy enough to set up a simple table that does what I want it to do. I set up fields for yarn name, fiber content, gauge, yardage per skein, total yardage I own, and most importantly, which box the damn stuff is in. I numbered the boxes and tagged each entry in the database with the box number. I took pictures of everything and attached a photo to each entry. I also added a field for project type. It’s not unusual for me to buy yarn for a specific pattern, then promptly forget what I bought it for. If I have a specific pattern in mind, I put that in the database; if it’s just a generic “sweater”, or “socks”, I note that.
The fields are sortable; for example, if I sort by gauge, I can get a list of all the yarns I have that knit to 20 stitches per 4 inches. Handy, if you are looking for yarn for a specific project.
It dawned on me to take a picture when I was partly done with the whole thing. Keep in mind that I have over half of the yarn catalogued and put away at this point.
OK, maybe I have way more than half of it put away.
I discovered several things while doing this project. I have enough yarn to make at least fifteen or so sweaters. I am too embarrassed to even say how much yarn I have to make socks and hats or scarves and shawls. Even if I knit four or five projects a year from now until the day I die, I don’t need to buy any more yarn. Of course, that won’t stop me. I also discovered that despite all this yarn bounty, I do NOT have any yarn appropriate for Clapotis. It’s just going to have to wait, I guess.
On the project front, here is the progress on Rogue:
I’m getting close to the point where I will need to make a decision on the kangaroo pocket. I like the idea of it, but in this heavy yarn, I’m afraid it will sag and look baggy. It does look fun to do though. Have any of you done the pocket? Any thoughts?
And I’m slowly working on the green socks.
John likes his socks longer, so my plan was to knit these from the toe up in order to use every bit of yarn. The only problem is that the yarn is in three balls, not two. I came up with another ingenious knitting gadget to figure out when I had used half of the second ball.
I’m talking about the scale, not the bottle of Three Buck Chuck in the background.
Weigh the yarn, knit until about half is gone (the yarn, not the wine), then start the second sock.
Wow – great idea on the database. I will be doing the same once I get my stuff out of storage and move back into my house. I also like to store the yarn in plastic bins and because I don’t see the yarn, I lose track of what I have. TUnfortunately, I then buy more ayarn nd somtimes realize I already have something similar -yikes! Thanks for the idea.
Bridget
Great idea! I use Access to track other things at home, and it makes sense to use either Access or Excel to create a comprehensive list of yarns. I’ve been muddling through how best to organize my stash for the past few weeks – by color, by type, by weight – and none of those seemed very satisfactory.
Creating a quick database seems like the best way to handle this – especially with the pictures.
Hey! We have that same bottle of Charles Shaw on our counter!
😉
In California, it’s 2 buck Chuck, but then, we have to deal with other things …
Sweet stash!
Amazing organizational skills! I am hoping not to have enough yarn in my stash to actually have to keep track of it but the idea isn’t going well. The best I’ve come up with is to throw similar weight yarns into the same basket. It seems the fingering weight yarn is overflowing since elann started its sock yarn sale. 🙂 Let us know if that scale trick works so I can finally have a use for that weight watchers one that is gathering dust in my pantry.
The pocket is one of the best parts of Rogue. The design is elegant and the finished pocket isn’t saggy or baggy.
Gee, I am impressed! Data base and everything!
I have just been flooded out in the last week and that is giving me an early start on my spring clean thing 🙂
I had not even aspired to “data base” My goal was to get shelves up and put the yarns and materials in some sort of visable order so that I could eyeball what I have to work with.
Good luck with the rest of your project.
I’m a big fan of the pocket, but then again, I guess it’s totally subjective!!!
you are soo ORGANIZED! I’m jealous… I just throw my stuff in a big ‘ol duffle bag. My stash has a long way to grow, though…
very impressive organizational skills and what better way to use Access than store yarn info. i updated my inventory last weekend during a snowstorm. i have enough yarn for 26 sweaters alone – not including anything else. hahaha!
ps. john’s so funny.