As someone who is also leaning into a low buy/no buy lifestyle change, it's really helpful to hear someone else talk it through to get it reinforced in my brain :) There is so much of the scarcity mindset and "it's a deal" temptation to lean into. Cheers to anticonsumerism being trendy, its for the best 😂By the way, that shade of purple + texture looks soooo nice on you!

I have a lot of yarn. Most of it is designated for a particular project. If I’m honest with myself, it will take 2-3 years to complete my plans. Last year was supposed to be a low buy year. Failed miserably. Trying again this year, but my husband went to Norway and Iceland for work and brought back yarn. This is awesome, but the tricky part is that none of it is the same weight or type of yarn so making it work into a project might require buying more yarn…. I may be playing this game for the rest of my life. While listening to you, I am unraveling all the projects that I am not happy with, wearing or whatever. It’s a lot of work, but I’m trying to see it as a positive rather than epically demoralizing. Thanks for your highly interesting, inspiring and entertaining videos!

Right after the start of the year I went through my mental list of patterns and yarn, and had about 25 projects that could be made without spending a penny. That was an eye-opener! So I physically wrote down the list so that I can’t say I don’t know what to make next, because the projects are varied enough in size and time commitment so I shouldn’t get bored with what I have. That being said, I will also never punish myself for buying….. I took advantage of a sale yesterday!….. because this is a life-long hobby, but I am definitely more focused on getting through what I have already.

Your videos are so fresh and truthful. You let us see how you cope with challenges and share the triumphs too. But I hope you’ll cut yourself a break about using all your stash. Some of it is just “leftovers” and some was “a learning experience.” ‘ Nuf said, but I have my own rationale if you want to read further. For many years and in small apartments I had no stash. Over the past (30+) years my stash has built up gradually and the contents and my attitude has changed about it. First, I LOVE knitting and creating projects from stash, because I love color ( as you do). A stash frees me to be more creative, and kind of thrifty. Many of these yarns cost much less when I bought them!😅. Two years in stash is minimal, I’d say. I’ve disposed of most acrylics, acquired more cotton…etc. Second, as you do, I have many single yarn balls broken and not, but I try not to keep any yarns that I don’t like or that seem “dated” even if I loved them once. I will keep very small amounts of yarn I do like and sometimes make them into “magic balls” which can be fun for mixed color projects, like a pillow or baby item. Orphan yarns I donate, and feel good about giving them new homes. I figure someone else may want this exact thing. And when you get down to it, a ball of yarn probably cost less than a movie, book, or meal I didn’t like- dispose of it and you can forget it!😮. And happily move on. 😊 You showed us your special relationship with each yarn! Think of all the knowledge you acquired from these, even from the “mistakes.” Knitting is a journey to be explored. 🎉

I really enjoyed how you went into how purchasing yarn tied into your mental health journey. I buy yarn about once per quarter, and I get what you mean about "obsessing" about how it's going to make your life so much better. Girl, I just bought unspun yarn too!!! It's sitting in my yarn chest. About once a day I stare at it and think what in tarnation have I got myself into... I think your yarn would make a great blanket, 7 plates seems like a good amount, and maybe you can use a knitting machine to make it go quicker. I also really like the pink yarn you showed us. I think it would make a great little colorwork cardigan. Or a fuzzy pillow? 😊💗🧶

Because I had to move last year and all my yarn stash and yarn project plans aren't warm enough for my new location, I have been very focused on using my stash in different ways and never getting more than a couple of projects of stash again. Also I don't know whether to be happy or sad that your brain is/ was like mine with the give yourself a couple days to forget about the thing. Mine is all like oh you mean 3 days to hyper focus on that stuff relentlessly. sigh

I'm always trying to limit my yarn purchases for several reasons. All, I'm sure similar to others. Money, space, and I prefer to try and use what I have. I do mainly garments though so unless it's a scrappy project, which I do try to incorporate as often as I can, I can't just "shop" from my limited stash cause I don't have many sweater quantities of yarn. Anywho, it's always nice to see others who have random leftover balls of yarn from past projects who don't know what to do with them either. =)

I also needed to identify the patterns of circular behavior and overthinking that I had. I am still on medication for anxiety tho but I hope it will be taken down in a couple of months. I had still a lot of bad yarn purchases to sell or trade. But I love to watch your stash 🧶

Hey! I have 2 extra skeins of brooklyn tweed peerie in the shade peony if you need them!

@futurefiber

4 ай бұрын

WAIT can I buy them off of you?? Can you send me a DM on insta or futurefiberknits (at) gmail 🙏😭

I've had similar feelings and experiences with my stash, this video is so relatable! Something I like to do with yarns I can't use (because of my hand health) and I can't sell is send them to yarn makers that accept scraps, they use the scraps to create the tweedy nepps in their tweed yarns! I know Hedgehog fibers does it and I'm pretty sure some other yarn producers do too.

i have definitely used shopping as an anti depressant in the past. i did a 2 year no buy for clothes, makeup, books etc (basically non essential) before I was into knitting and crochet, and I thought it kind of taught me not to over-consume beyond what I can use as one person. once I got into knitting I realised for me personally, that my brain still has a lot of those thought patterns, but I had gotten out of the habit of online shopping, but I slid very quickly back into it for yarn, so I am feeling like I might need to do another no buy to refresh and retrain my non-impulsive shopping muscles. with yarn I find it a bit harder because I follow a lot of indie dyers so I feel a bit bad to unfollow and unsubscribe to not be tempted, when I obviously didn't feel any guilt about unsubscribing from sephora etc.

I am dedicating at least 30% of my mindless/easy knitting to charity knits specifically so I use up the yarns I know I'm never going to make a garment out of. Also kids socks, since my husband and I only need 50g for a pair. Donating things and making things to give away gives me the same dopamine rush as buying things and it means single balls and semi skeins don't live forever in my stash.

@futurefiber

4 ай бұрын

this is really good advice - I also found that "shopping my stash" to make anything (even if I give it away) completes a similar mental purchase cycle as buying something new!

Wow I can relate to this so much! My Yarn buying obsession is starting to cause me stress but I can't seem to stop it. Thankfully it is not a problem financially but it is a problem in many other ways. I think I really have to work on it. My knitting is also getting to an unhealthy level. I have always had these obsessive tendencies. Probably time to look into therapy. For the unspun - I have never worked with plotulopi but I absolutely LOVE Nutiden. It is magical. Since plotulopi is so scratchy I would hold it double for an oversized outerwear garment like the miles shirt jacket. It will be nice and warm. I can also recommend holding it with mohair to reduce pilling. Since it's already scratchy you can go cheap and get Drops kid silk. I heard plotulopi isn't nearly as fragile as some other unspuns (like nutiden). Colourwork would be no problem (but would require you to buy another colour...) and probably a brioche style stitch is fine as well especially if you hold it with mohair. I have not attempt that yet with Nutiden but its on my "to try" list.

doing a no buy on yarn however my goal is to spin it and knit it this year and as my ideas for projects come alive puchasing fleece to add to that stash is only if required....have bare fleece/yarn as well that can be dyed for projects too....happy crafting😀

This came out just in time to talk me down from a pre order I was trying to decide on 😂 I identify with a lot of what you included in this video. Thank you for being so candid about mental health and views on mental models of spending money, etc. I also got unspun yarn during nutiden hype and gotta figure out what to do. I will +1 on saying Jenny jacket on a first time unspun project sounds like a bad idea 😅

I'm new subscriber and I'm just watching this video, I kinda felt similar way you did. Tldr version because it will be very long: Mental health is a bitch, and very often you have to trick your brain into doing things the way you want them to be, otherwise it will make you feel even worse. I was definitely overspending few years ago, I spent so much on clothes before I started sewing (so it was around 5 years ago) that it was ridiculous. I just generally spent way too much money on unnecessary things. To the point that I don't have any money left that I got after my dad died. But few months after his death I got diagnosed with bipolar disorder, that kinda explained what happened in my life before and why I had weeks where I couldn't be stopped with spending money. That also gave me guilt trips, how could I spend so much, especially when depressive episode hit. I also can't work because I'm disabled and have few chronic illnesses, so now I'm on disability pension. Really, I never had money to act like that and I regret it so much. The only thing that finally worked (and it was my idea, so no one will have wrong thoughts about this situation) was giving all the money I had and I got every month to my husband, leaving some small amount on my bank account that I can spend, he also has access to my account from his account in bank app. We also want to buy flat this or next year, so I can't spend anything more that this tiny amount (of course meds and general health stuff have different budget) . Now I don't give him all the money, we just pay bills from my account, I have my own small savings, but I just keep them and try to not spend them, unless I really have no other option. I don't buy clothes until I really have to because something ripped, got stained and I don't have time or energy to fix it, so it happens maybe twice a year and it's like one t-shirt and one blouse during last year. I finally relearned how to treat money, but still I tell my husband about every single thing I buy, even if it's something to drink when I was walking outside. In my case there is also second side of it all. I have to have creative outlet, otherwise it gets really bad with my mental health, I have to constantly be doing something and if I'm in pain and can barely move there's only handsewing and knitting left for me. So even if I tell myself that I can't buy anything, I know that I have to buy things that I use (for example, I destroyed 2.5 mm needle cable in the middle of the sock, I had to buy new pair, because I would never finish making it). At least from sewing and knitting I get useful things and don't feel like a waste of space on Earth. And this is the one part my husband fully understands, this is something that gives me some purpose. I don't have that much yarn (2 jumper quantities, 4 50g sock skeins and some random ones, maybe around 8 skeins), but last time when I took it out of cupboard I got overwhelmed and decided to buy yarn only if there would be something really special that I have project in mind for, also if it's not more than 3 50g skeins. Maybe it sounds stupid, but if I want to have something new I browse free patterns on Raverly, I get distracted and forget what I wanted to buy because I'm thinking what yarn could be used for 15 projects 😂 So that's my method in madness, but to be at that point took literal years of really damaging mistakes.

I love your yarn stash. I feel similar about mohair. I like the idea of it more than the execution. I am not doing a low buy, per say, I am doing a deep stash down. The Bay Area Yarn Crawl is happening over the next week, and I have no delusions that I won't support some local yarn stores. But when it comes time to knit, I want to pull out some deep stash yarns and give them the life they deserve. I am excited to see what you make this year!

Ty so much for this video… always interesting to listen to your perspective on mental health…. Gave me pause while knitting 🤔👏🏼🥰 I’ve searched with my plotulopi with a strand of mohair and I like how it looks and it helps with the “texture” of it… just a pullover like the “lento” is quick and a nice project and I’ve really liked the look of Oksa pullover as it shows off pencil rovings fiber in a cool way 😃👏🏼🤩 look forward to your future thoughtful purchases or not…… 😃👏🏼

I started taking up crochet (amigurami specifically) because it takes up very little yarn and seemed perfect for all the semi finished skeins from my knitting projects

I really enjoyed this video since I'm doing a low buy/no buy year. I have so much yarn in my stash that II could probably do a low buy/no buy decade....

I haven’t read all the comments to see if this has been addressed, but I just saw a pattern that calls for Plotulopi in the new MDK Field guide. The pattern is called the Crowberry Sweater. After your video, I wondered whether I would be brave enough to list all the yarn in my stash!

You look so dreamy in this purple cardi!

Another great video! Love your honesty. I have been trying to work mostly from stash since 2021. Of course I've still purchased yarn, but working from stash requires some additional creativity and can be fun. I love your yellow yarns for the Natalie Tweed. I think that would be a fantastic jacket. You should totally make it - SOON! Looks like it would be fun and engaging and would help you get rid of a ton of stash. Good luck!!

Thank you for your video. I have SABLE and am coming to grips with it. First No-Buy this year. Second at the start of the year, I wrote down how many skeins/total yardage. Then wrote down many SQ I have - 12 - 😳😳. And I have spent lots of time knitting for others - it’s time to knit for ME! Of course I am motoring thru a baby cardigan for my sister’s latest grandchild - but they go fast and it was all stash yarn - yay on target. I need to go thru my stash and pull out the stuff I got early on that I never intend to use. Need to find a suitable place to donate it to. Just need more time to knit.😂😂 Keep up the good work with your videos.

PREACH!!! Thank you so much for your vulnerability and frankness. I think you are the absolute best person for sharing that part of you rather than always just 'sunny sunny happy happy I made 50 sweaters this week.' Just what I needed to watch today.

Honestly I’ve been thinking about this since last year. Mostly for yarn or craft supplies. Just being really honest and critical with purchases. I got my brother to give me a budget per month and it’s the equivalent of $10. That u can roll up over months. So yeah. So far I’ve spent nothing this year. Thanks for the advice and giving us the idea for this.

I am so excited by your yellow tweed jacket idea! I think that will look so super duper cool. If you don't end up having enough yarn already, maybe that single ball of white boucle could make an appearance and stretch your yardage slightly?

Thanks for sharing about your mental health journey and shopping habits. I can relate!

I’ve had good success on getting discontinued yarns on ravelry especially for popular brands like purl soho and BT. Check the will sell/trade first but also worth contacting folks with stash marked not for sale and posting to BT group’s ISO thread

This is impressive! Thank you for sharing your journey to intentional buying.

Cozy Slouchy socks by Lauryl Fine (@Knit All The Things and @westmaven) are great for using up mohair scraps! Late 80s vibes 🥰

Maybe for the project where you don't have enough yarn and they are discontinued you could build in some stripes and use something from your second bin?

I love plotulopi! Just finished knitting the Moorland shawl with some. The Cloud Sweater by Petite Knit might be really nice options for the grey plotulopi you have!

Good for you! I’m definitely trying to make it a no buy year and work from my extensive collection. I will at some point clear out a lot of the cottons and acrylics I bought on sale and no longer prefer for my knitting/crochet. Good luck working through your lovely yarns!

my main problem with my stash is that I don’t really like most of it lol. I started knitting at maybe 9 bc my grandma taught me, and so much of my yarn is from her. I don’t even know what most of it is, because either she bought it years ago or I bought it when I was like 12, so it’s understandable that I’ve kind of „outgrown“ them over time, but it still feels like I should use them… I’m probably gonna donate a whole bunch of it later this year.

I seriously need to do this low/no buy thing. I am doing exactly what you described. Seeing something I know would make my life better if I had it. Getting excited about it coming in the mail. Getting excited opening it. Then bill time comes for my necessities and I spiral down hating myself for spending that money I needed.🙁 I just can’t seem to stop.

For the plötulopi I recommend making Fuyuhi By Noriko Ichikawa - maybe you could use something else from the stash for it as well ✨

Fields of Gold by Hundred Acre Wool and the Matthew Pullover by Aimee Sher are both patterns that are designed with unspun wool in mind, and neither of them are pure stockinette projects; they both have fun details. So maybe check those out if you need a project for the Plotulopi!

Ahh, I have less muvh stash than you (i guess it could fit in 2 of those plastic bins), but I have been meaning to decrease the amount as well. But this year I have started the stupid habit of allowing myself to buy small amounts from my local yarn store for projects I start immediately after purchase. So I have this stash that barely moves down as I don't often knit from it. I have also unraveled a few items I never wore to repurpose the yarn, which I am actually using. So that's fun, and this yarn I am actually currently knitting with again.

I'm doing a low buy year again since I'm trying to save up a downpayment (yay comparatively cheap Midwest housing). My stash is way bigger than yours, but I inherited a lot of it and I'd like to at least cut it in half over the next few years. I've been saving up a lot of my random leftovers/ scraps for a Bohemian Scrapsody cardi to wear around the house.

I'm doing a net negative however it is not going well. I stumbled across a going out of business sale and couldn't control my self so I'm at +55 skeins, so I guess my net negative has turned into a no buy 😅

What kind of attention disorder brings someone to put a video on pause for no solicited comment? Whatever it is, I suffer from it. This video of yours came perfectly in time bc I just got out of my yarn wardrobe after spending more than one hour trying to give it some sense. In vain I dare saying. I was overwhelmed by the amount of yarn itself and specifically by the amount of ready-to-start bags laying there waiting for someone to notice them. Seems like SOMEONE has troubles in focusing. Soooo I suddenly made this resolution: I won't get any more yarn until September 😱 Except for one ball that I need to wrap up these leg warmers and the white yarn already in my cart for a hand knit gift for my soon-to-be daughter in law Doesn't it look like cheating already?😓

@futurefiber

4 ай бұрын

HAHA this is relatable

Oh man, you are so real and genuine and I really look forward to your videos! I love that you are learning to read your body and more importantly, your emotions. You are so ahead of most people in that regard. I value you and your content. I too am working at limiting the yarn buys, or at least wait to purchase from my knitting guild’s summer Stash Sale. Right now I’m sitting on two sweater quantities of alpaca that I’m waiting for inspiration on. Have you ever knitted intarsia? Check out this cardigan pattern, “Nola” by yamagara.❤️

Hi! That is significant dent in your stash! I´am going to try to do low buy this year, so far so good - no yarny purchases since new year.. I fear that knitting books are my new shiny gimme gimme.. but I don´t need them. 😬 Idea for the unspun yarn: Miles Shirt Jacket by Ozetta Knitwear (Hailey Smedley). Its originally knitted in manchelopis - by wool dreamers. Manchelopis is essentially Plötulopi "caked"? double. The pattern calls for 8 cakes of Plötulopi, but its oversized and long ... so. I plan on knitting this pattern myself, but so far I "didnt have time".

@futurefiber

4 ай бұрын

books are so hard to resist!! I never knit from them I just buy them to look at 😭

the levitate wrap might be good for the plotulopi!

Oh people are totally still Obsessed with unspun!

we love the long videos, ma'am. do you plan on making another blanket soon? i've been thinking of starting one myself but i couldn't decide the color palette yet

@futurefiber

4 ай бұрын

I don't think I can commit myself to a blanket anytime soon honestly... I need to come up with some way to chunk it up into sections or somehow do it all in one go because I get so de-motivated seeing this large WIP 💀

I started out the year intending on a low buy, but immediately failed... I really do struggle with all these indie dyers doing pre-orders and short-term collections, I get FOMO super badly. I don't even go on instagram, I see these collections mentioned on youtube channels T_T I have projects planned for the majority of what I buy, but I only have so much time to make stuff, and I keep getting new ideas. I can afford it thankfully, but I can't afford the amount of space it takes up. I think this year will be a struggle but I need to learn how to low buy for the sake of my space

@futurefiber

4 ай бұрын

that's relatable - I think space is definitely the big issue for me too!

What about wrist warmers?

If it would be helpful to have another skein of the BT Peerie - that looks like Peony. I have one skein of Peony and I don’t know how I would use it. Let me know if you want it! Would happily send.

@futurefiber

4 ай бұрын

:O!!! I would totally take you up on the offer... (I'll pay for it ofc lol) do you mind sending me a DM on insta or emailing me?

Please tell me about your cardigan. I am inspired to knit the same thing. How do you decide what to knit and what yarn to use when there’s so many choices? The internet has made everything available to everyone all at once! Also why did you come that you aren’t keen for fuzzy yarn these days? I am new to “fuzzy” yarn since I was looking at all these patterns that call for it. My first reaction with knitting a swatch is it’s not a great pleasure to knit with.

@futurefiber

23 күн бұрын

It’s the sunday cardigan by petiteknit 💜

@natalieglickman1445

22 күн бұрын

Pretty color! Can you share the yarn you used?

What is the pattern of the cardigan, you’re wearing?

@futurefiber

18 күн бұрын

Sunday cardigan by petiteknit!

@mettevunsjensen4094

18 күн бұрын

@@futurefiber Thank you❤️