Yarn can be a fickle character sometimes; in the years that I have been knitting I have learned that yarn has a tendency to tell you what it wants to become.

Acrylic, for example, is easy to use but difficult to master. It sucks you in with the allure of its potential. Easy to wash, gentle for blankets, perfect for small children and especially helpful for those with fiber allergies. Every so often I’ll see an amazing granny blanket at a thrift store, or a baby’s throw in a friend’s bag that has the tell tale sheen of spun plastic. The farthest I’ve gotten with acrylic yarn was making a massive blanket to fit my queen size bed. It’s also the wrong gauge, so the stitches open and warp with every wash. I’ve come to terms with this, primarily because while the blanket is not a masterpiece it does get the job done and I have no desire to make it again.

There are some yarns, however, that every knitter holds on to knowing that as long as they have “The Right Pattern” it will knit seamlessly and with ease. It’s not always the case, but we like to dream.

I felt this phenomenon some years ago after being gifted my first skein of Madelinetosh yarn. With only one skein and with not a lot of skill, I took to Ravelry to find a pattern that would fit my limited parameters. Eventually I came a cross a shawl pattern and thought to myself “Yeah, maybe.”

The shawl, while the pattern itself was simple, took longer to complete than I anticipated. I was attempting to knit this object at a time where my mental and psychological limits were being tested. I was working in a hostile environment and (admittedly) was participating in some toxic circles that brought out the worst in me. At one point I even put my needles down and walked away from knitting all together for about six months. When I picked it back up again, it was if my personal world righted itself again and suddenly there was a shawl in my hands.

It’s a shawl that belongs to me. I had considered giving it away as a holiday or birthday gift, but each and every time I reach for it, it goes around my neck and it feels… Right.

A hill that I will always die on, regardless of the hobby, is to not always wait for “The Right Pattern”. Sure, having nice materials is great and the little magpie in my heart will always screech ‘shiny shiny!‘ when I look at my collection. But, wherefore have a collection if not to craft?

Here are some tips you can use to keep your collection under control, while also enjoying your hobby.

Collect Things That Spark Joy

Yes, I’m taking some notes from Marie Kondo on this one. As enjoying as her Netflix show is, in the book she goes into greater detail about some of the reasons people would collect things and still be miserable. For me, personally, I was able to identify that I had a fear of missing out (aka FOMO) so I’d collect as much as I could of my chosen hobby at the time. Granted, this isn’t a tenable way to live life, especially if you live in less than 500 square feet in a major city. Identify the things that truly bring you joy, and be ready to say goodbye to the things in your collection that don’t.

Keep Your Reference Material In Easy To Access Spaces

This one might be a “no brainer” for some people, but for others like myself it’s a helpful tip to keep in mind. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been inspired to make something, only to be derailed because I can’t find the right book on my shelf, or having to spend an hour filtering through digital files because I downloaded a pattern and then didn’t save it to the right folder; it happens more often than you think. Don’t fight with your brain, keep stuff in handy, easy to access spaces.

If You’ve Got Extras, Share Them!

Yarn types will come and go, but giving will always be in style. If you’ve got extras of yarn that you don’t plan on using (or can’t use), nothing feels better than sharing the love of crafting with others. This can come in the form of swap meets, classes, and in the time of covid: contactless trades. I’ve done a few of those in the past year.

When in Doubt, Make

Last but not least, make stuff from your collection! over the years I’ve designed my yarn collection to be less “Oh, shiny!” and more “Oh, I can make [a thing] with this!“, and that’s because I’ve taken a larger role in creating things from my current collection. For larger projects like sweaters or blankets, most often you’ll end up with slightly more yarn than you initially budgeted for. Yes, that beautiful felted wool looks great in your stash, but I bet it would look even more beautiful as a hat or a pair of mittens. When in doubt, make.

Waiting for “The Right Pattern” can be rewarding but don’t let it stop you from creating in general. Not everything you make has to be a masterpiece or even a challenge, because you’re in control of what you make. Sometimes even the “why” isn’t that important, the point is that you want to.