Yarn Guilt - meeting your yarn low-buy goals and prioritizing your yarn stash!

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Hello Hello Fiber Folks!!
This video is a follow up to my 2023 video on de-influencing yarn. It feels like most if not all of the knitting content creators have resolved to purchase less yarn in 2024. I imagine that a lot of the knitters in our communities and viewerships are in similar positions. I really think that if we're going to set ourselves up for success in achieving these goals, regardless of how loosely or firmly they are defined, it is important that we set ourselves up for success. For that to be possible, we need to talk about yarn guilt and other actionable strategies for consuming less yarn.
I want to note that this video is meant to be part of a conversation, and this is a journey that I am on along with you. None of these sentiments come from a place of judgement, and a lot of these thoughts come from my own reflections on feelings surrounding my own consumption over time. So this is a friendly reminder to please be gentle to me, to others, and (of course) to yourselves as we have this discussion.
I'll also mention that although I do not delve into the sustainability aspects of yarn consumption in this video I do think it is an important aspect of the conversation, perhaps for another video.
I would love to continue this conversation in the comment section. Let me know what's on your mind!!
Wishing you wellness and happy knitting :)
Emily

[@clc1302]

How sad that so many KZbin presenters have to spend a good 5 minutes of their videos making disclaimers. It may be an effort to reduce the number of negative comments, but presenters will never get there. We could all probably skip at least the first 5 minutes of most videos. Saying that with this disclaimer 😂, I enjoy watching your videos.

[@nata6025]

It's a thing, I normally cut to about 10m to get to the point of the video

[@highfiberknits]

Thank you for your support! Yes I do feel that need to leave no stone unturned, especially with subjects that could be a bit more touchy, but I can be mindful of how it drags on in the future!

[@gabbygabs5107]

Omg hahaha I was literally about to exit out at 6 minutes in

[@gabbygabs5107]

Omg hahaha I was literally about to exit out at 6 minutes in.

[@melissaskaggs7229]

The actual content begins at 7:38. In case people want to skip to the point.

[@annafranklin6568]

So excited for this video! I'm going to write down my no/low-buy rules for 2024 here to keep me accountable 🤗 1. I can buy yarn to make gifts for others 2. I can buy a yarn if it helps complete yarn requirements for something I already have in my stash (ex: buying a corresponding mohair to meet gauge or a contrast color for a stripped project) 3. I can use my tax refund to purchase from indie dyers 4. If I have the opportunity to travel somewhere with a wonderful local yarn store I can get one projects worth

[@highfiberknits]

Thank you for sharing these rules! I love how there is room for joy!!

[@madisonheise]

I definitely went a bit overboard when I started crocheting and bought tons of yarn and ended up with a lot of yarns that I ended up not liking after trying to work with it but then was stuck with multiple skeins of the yarn in various colors and it felt like such a waste of money and space. I also don’t have tons of time to crochet so I was getting through my yarn at a much slower rate than I was buying it. My tipping point of deciding to decrease my stash was when I realized I was spending a lot of time being stressed about trying to find space to store my yarn and reorganizing it. Often times when I went through it I would look at certain ones and just wonder why I even bought it in the first place. So I’ve put my self on a yarn buying ban for 6 months and try to get through as much as I can so I have the space and funds to buy good quality yarns I know I love. Plus I need to free up space cause I currently have all my yarn in our extra bedroom and I just found out I’m pregnant so it’ll be a nursery soon !

[@highfiberknits]

I think this is such a relatable experience! One thing that I think of sometimes too is how we are more reluctant to declutter yarn than other belongings, like clothing for example! It’s totally okay to sell or donate some if that is financially feasible for you. A swap is also a great option!

[@lilidonna]

Loved this insightful and compassionate take on yarn guilt. I agree… it comes down to personalising our own situation and making our own context more important than what’s normalised in our online fibre arts community ❤

[@highfiberknits]

Thank you! To be honest, I was nervous that this might come across as patronizing, so I’m grateful that you received it as compassionate 🥰

[@conor8185]

i honestly think the idea that you DONT have to use the same yarn a pattern sample was made in is very understated generally speaking. in a lot of corners of the knitting community (particularly, i find, on the sadnes garn, KFO, isager, petiteknit, MFTKW, ozetta, caidree side of the community), there is more emphasis than i would have expected on using the exact yarn the pattern calls for. obviously if you want to recreate an object faithfully it's important to use a _compatible_ yarn, ie, something with a similar gauge and physical properties so that the fabric behaves as the design intended, but there's no reason one _has_ to use the exact same yarn. of course, as with anything, you can if you really want to, but in my making experience it can be super beneficial to stray away from the beaten path a little bit and experiment. this is especially true if you already have a compatible yarn in your stash, or if the yarn called for in the pattern is prohibitively expensive (i'm looking at you, poppy tee). i'm not really sure where the notion came from that using the exact same yarn as the sample is the best way to go, but i feel like i see it more often than not, and it's not _necessarily_ true.

[@highfiberknits]

This is SO true!

[@evaniki1995]

so true. But in my case, I went too much with experimenting, always picking a pattern and knitting it with the yarn I want, and not the one suggested. Lots of times I ended up regretting it a lot because it did not look as intended. I was very frustrated and now 95% of the time I am going with the suggested yarn, to know exactly how its going to look and feel. For me it works better. But if someone has a 10 years of experience and knows a lot about yarn qualities, they for sure can be confident to substitute yarn choices

[@pairswellwithknitting]

A great reminder to pump the brakes when it comes to purchasing. Another area that I reflect on is time as a limited resource. How do I want to spend my time? Can I be more efficient? Productive? Scrolling vs. making? How might I make time for the activities I love doing? Knitting is high on the queue of enjoyment for me and has become a priority within my days. I always carry my emergency knitting with me, never to waste a glorious moment of hand-freedom!

[@lynnshier9551]

Hi from Northern Ontario. Well done and the timing is perfect for me. Lately I’ve felt and realized I’m a glutton/hoarder for many many things. Yarn included. I’ve decided to start with baby steps and cut off all unnecessary purchases for the next 40 days (lent) and go from there. Thank you for your insightful podcasts.

[@highfiberknits]

Thank you for sharing! Having grown up catholic myself, one of the messages I do really appreciate is finding satisfaction in “simplifying”. I think it is beautiful that your faith is supporting your making intentions 😁

[@laerke112]

I love all my yarn. I don't have a lot of money, so I only buy yarn when I know what I am going to use it for (except once in the 3 years I have been knitting). I am extremely lucky though because my grandma and my boyfriends grandma often gifts me some yarn. This also means I have some odd quantities sometimes, which makes it hard to find good use for it. I often take all my yarn out and look at it to get new inspiration. I had some yarn I wanted to knit a sweater for my boyfriend in. I didn't have enough to hold it double, which meant I used the last 3 months to find the perfect yarn to hold with it 😅 It's a love hate relationship I have with it. I finally found the yarn and casted on for the sweater (Peters sjømannsribb) yesterday 😍

[@highfiberknits]

I’m so happy you landed on a yarn combo you enjoy! Personal finances are so different for everyone, so I love that you have a system that works well for you!

[@mlea79]

You’re so right about spending time with your yarn. I have a tub for my sweater quantities, a large tote for single skeins and the a small bag for minis. I forget what beautiful single skeins i have until i look through it. I love how you mention social media too. Thanks for another thought invoking video. ❤

[@highfiberknits]

It’s like rediscovering joy, isn’t it?!

[@GoldenHour.Knitwear]

Love this! My husband and I use a budgeting app (YNAB) and budget and track literally every penny that comes in and out. That allows us to set a little hobby budget for ourselves each month, and it works really really well for us. Because I know how much money I’m allotted to make my knitting plans happen, I have to prioritize what projects to work when, and what yarns to purchase so that I’m never left without a project. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to build up my stash over the last year so that my “hobby budget” can mostly go towards patterns, notions/accessories like buttons, little mommy-daughter dates, etc. rather than saving up for yarn one project at a time. But all in all, having that set budget for not only your hobbies, but also for everything else allows you to freely yet intentionally spend money on your hobby without feeling the guilt that it’s taking away from other bills/necessities. Freely, because that’s what that money is intended for, yet intentionally because you’re always limited on how much you can spend- so there needs to be some planning on what it’s spent on. This is all assuming, of course, that your budget in general is prioritizing those bills/necessities and the “hobby budget” is a bi product of extra cash laying around at the end of the month when everything else has been taken care of rather than setting a hobby budget of a certain dollar amount and prioritizing that over groceries or something. Long story short - I’m a HUGE fan of setting a precise budget and keeping it 😜

[@highfiberknits]

Thank you for sharing what works for you! My boyfriend and I have started to build a structure for tracking finances since we purchased our condo last spring; we're fortunate right now to have both of our families still supporting us as well, so a more explicit budget is something I'd like to work toward for when we become more independent!

[@Susie_F]

This video couldn’t have come at a better time! I need(ed) this. I really appreciate your transparency and insight. I definitely agree on the points you made. Thank you!! 🩷

[@highfiberknits]

Thank you for watching! I’m so glad you found it valuable 😁

[@hannahmay11]

Loved this video Emily. I don’t have this yarn consumption experience yet as I’m a pretty new garment knitter and honestly the idea of buying a large quantity without a plan overwhelms me immensely. However I do come from the booktube corner of the internet where we talk a lot about unread books / tbr reduction and so much of this is applicable to that hobby too🫶🏻

[@highfiberknits]

Thanks for watching! I hope you find a lot of fulfillment in garment knitting 😄 one of the reasons why I enjoy making content like this is that I feel it’s so broadly applicable in other areas. We see it with beauty products, clothes, and as you said, books!

[@myraaar]

I told myself I'm not allowed to buy online anymore because the colours don't work out to be what I think it'll be... it helps too because I can support my LYS or fibre festival

[@queennsydney]

My biggest problem is a great thrift find. It’s so difficult to turn down. “But what if I find a use for this sweater quantity of wool that I don’t really love the color of”. I have, at least, committed to using the weird medium amounts I have (not enough for an adult sweater, too much for an accessory) for children’s clothing. I have a kid and I was reluctant to craft for her because she grows so fast, but I have all this yarn that would be perfect for it. I think I have to accept that childhood is fleeting but that doesn’t mean I can’t create objects that are useful for a short period of time. Nothing is forever, after all! And I can always reclaim the yarn or pass things on when she’s too big.

[@highfiberknits]

As yes! The awkward quantities are things I’m hoping to tackle this year too!

[@rockstarkate78]

I enjoy having a decent amount of yarn and currently I am able to make nice palettes out of my stash for the fun shawls and accessories I like making most of all. I have 3 sweaters on the needles and don't plan to start any more until they are all finished. That probably won't be this year! So I do not need to buy any more yarn, and I will not, with some exceptions. If I go to a festival or trunk show and there's something exciting I think I can use in an accessory, I will buy that. Or if I am traveling and it feels like more of a souvenir. But I definitely do not need to be placing any online orders for yarn, probably for years to come. The idea of having a huge yarn stash I could never knit bothers me. I also don't want to have so little I can't pull from my stash when I get inspired. I think I actually have the perfect amount! Zero guilt.

[@highfiberknits]

I feel like we’re on the same page! I still have the freedom and flexibility to be creative with my pantry, and I think the key idea here is “nothing sets you free like a boundary”. I think if I had a much larger stash, I would succumb to the paradox of choice and go to defaults more often than doing something new and playful or adventurous!

[@sandracroley9784]

I'm a bit taken aback at my yarn pantry, so I'm going to try to be a bit more careful. I'm one to jump at a test knit...now I'm going to ask myself if it would be a pattern I'd consider buying...if not, don't apply for the test. I also love sales (don't we all?)...but I'm telling myself there will always be a sale in the future. Even today, I found a pattern that uses a technique I'd like to try, so I started looking at yarn online...but no, search the pantry first, or wait. I have enough sweater's quantities to last me 3yrs....a new pattern/yarn purchase is not needed....it will only bump back other projects I'd love to work on

[@highfiberknits]

Yes! There will always be another sale. And yes, this is a great question to ask about test knits! I think for some folks test knits are a good chance to try out new techniques, so this might not always be the case, but certainly applies to some of those staple patterns!

[@crochetingcatholic]

I realized if I saw a few dyers' posts/stories, I'd be more tempted to buy yarn when I really didn't need it (or feel particularly in love with any specific color) so while I still follow them, I actually changed my settings to not show their stories or posts. If I'm curious about their new collection, I can look them up, or someone I follow will share one of their posts but this makes it so I'm not completely overwhelmed by their content.

[@marybeneteau6009]

I love talking about the elephant in the room, excellent podcast, thanks.

[@highfiberknits]

Thank you! It can definitely be a little nerve wracking, so I’m im thankful for your support 😁

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I’ll share what has worked for me. As the name suggests, it’s the premise for my channel. All I’m doing is yarn out > yarn in. My general guidelines are that I can buy yarn if it is for a gift knit, if it is to accompany stash yarn in a project, or if it is going to be knit up within 30 days. *checks notes to see if I missed one* Vacation yarn is permitted. I did a yarn crawl for my birthday last year without guilt and it was one of the best days ever! I do a total of grams in versus grams out each month to monitor how I’m doing and if I need improvement. No buys don’t work for me. I don’t think they work for most people. I’ve been doing this for more than a year and it’s working well for me.

[@highfiberknits]

Love the concept of a birthday yarn crawl! What I love about this is that you’ve left so much space for joy 🤩

[@bgummeson]

I decided that I am going to knit from my existing fiber inventory in 2024 with just a few exceptions. If I knit a minimum of three already-owned WestKnits shawl kits by the 2024 MKAL launch, I will buy a kit for the MKAL. I will buy locally for the Westknits Surprise Sockalong provided that I make no other yarn purchases from now until then. I am still buying books and patterns, but am setting some parameters on that as well. I try to buy used or digital copies, but did recently get Summer Lee’s new sock book because it is so bright and colorful, and most of all, joyful. Reducing inventory and consumption is not as good for retailers, but I want to be a responsible consumer. I also have to be realistic about space and time, and work on consolidating my belongings so that someone else doesn’t have to go through a mountain of yarn and other materials when I can’t do it myself. I have reached the age where that has become a meaningful consideration. BTW I found a couple of KZbinrs really helpful in giving some guidance on how to support ourselves when we want to reduce consumption. Elin Lesser has a list of tips about managing spending urges in a recent video, and Christina Mychas, whose focus is on simple living with an emphasis on beauty and fashion, and who like you is also in the GTA, has some specific tips for low-buy challenges. I made notes from their videos and review the strategies when I’m lingering in an online shopping platform and feeling tempted. Going to do the same with yours!

[@highfiberknits]

Thank you SO much for sharing your goals and considerations! I think sometimes we (content creators) tend to neutralize some of our very personal considerations for the sake of being relatable. My BIG “why” is space as well, knowing that I will be moving to a small condo in a year’s time. I also watch both of the creators you mentioned; one of my favorite things to reflect on is how their messaging relates to crafting!

[@eleonorahof1001]

It is interesting to see how this resonates with people, since it does not really with me. I am very lucky to pass a wonderful LYS every day on my way back to work, and I frequent it often, but will usually only buy for a specific project. I know the yarn will be there anyway and I don't want to buy too much in advance because I get so excited to cast on immediately after buying. And usually I buy some souvenir yarn if I'm travelling.

[@highfiberknits]

Thanks for sharing your perspective! I knew it would be nearly impossible to have this resonate with everyone, so I really appreciate your engagement anyway 😁 I think the perspective that the yarn will always be close by is a helpful one for those of us who might struggle with the scarcity mindset that can be leveraged by some common marketing strategies!

[@noamleora]

This was my exact thought process in the start of 2024. At the moment, i am waiting for 4 orders I've already put in this year😮. Two of them are gift knits so they don't count! I will be making my daughter the fern sweater for my daughters 26th birthday and a zipper sweater light man for my husband. One order is zippers for the zipper sweater man I'm currently making for my father from yarn i had in stash for a year! So, of course i ordered 3 zippers (one for dad, for my husband, and for me! I dont have yarn for mine! 😂) but I'm also making a baby blanket feom yarn I've had in stash for 3 years and this year i will be looking for patterns that will help me work through my special skeins I purchased without a game plan in mind. I have a goal, I do not know if i will make it out of 2024 with less old yarn than i did at the start! But that is my goal! I will not judge myself if not because this is what makes me happy! But I will be purchasing with much more purpose than i have in the past and work through my planned purchased sweater quantities I have!

[@highfiberknits]

I love these goals! I think one of the most important things you have mentioned is purchasing with purchase! I’ll never tell folks they have to stop consuming, but having some purpose (even if the purpose is stash building) is important!

[@noamleora]

@highfiberknits I feel that after 3 years of garment knitting, I have built up some knowledge about the yarns I like to use and wear, what wears better, and what I need to use when gift knitting (because not everyone wants to handwash their garments) however, when I first started crocheting and knitting I had no concept of anything that had to do with yarn. Had no yarn stores near me, so I purchased online, what was cheaper, odd balls of yarn just to see what they were like and accumulated a stupid amount of yarn I can't really do anything with. So this year, I donated a full garbage bag of acrylic yarn to an old folks home. And with the acrylic yarn I knew I can use to either knit up toys, baby blankets, or other things I'm looking to work through and gift this year. If I can do that.....I will be a happy camper! 😊

[@bestofemse]

My goal for this year (same as last year) is simple my stash just need to be net negative be that 1 skein or 50, since 1 skein is also a step towards reducing my stash. I have an excel sheet where I keep track of the purchases and completed projects so I can hold myself accountable. Right now I'm up 2.7KG (I found a going out of business sale) so now I know I won't be purchasing anything now for the foreseeable future. Oh and it really helps me to not go and look at the different shops online or physical since every time I look I'm tempted to buy something.

[@highfiberknits]

I love the net negative goal! It’s the perfect balance of broad and specific 😁

[@annabelle7123]

🤔 I wouldn’t feel guilt if I’m knitting fast and a lot like some others who knit over 40 items a year. I don’t buy that much yarn as knitters around me but still I think I buy more than I can knit! 😅 The problem is when things are on sale, we tend to buy more patterns and yarn skeins without much thought and plan! I’m really trying to buy less yarn on impulse. Also trying to go through my yarn pantry (mine is on bookshelf!) first before buying! Hope I use more of what I have than add more at the end of the year.

[@annabelle7123]

Just wanted to say that consumption =/ purchase! It’s okay to consume by using/knitting yarn, I think. The problem is buying/biting more than I can chew.

[@highfiberknits]

Love this phrasing of biting off more than you can chew! I think this is something I resonate with a lot!

[@wigglymoose]

i really needed to hear this today 😂

[@highfiberknits]

I’m so happy it resonated with you!

[@jennye3473]

The message presented here seems detrimental to local indie artists, as well as other members of the community. It’s perfectly fine to appreciate and contribute for the sake of doing so. Caring for others in our community includes local public assess tv stations, symphonies, museums, churches, and yes- local indie artists. I understand personal budget, but if we don’t make just a little room to care for others, we are less quality individuals.

[@highfiberknits]

Thank you for sharing! I hear you and agree with most of what you are saying. Of course it is not my intention to say that we stop supporting our favourite indie dyers. However, by and large the messaging from knitting content creators is that supporting indie only = buying indie, and this is something I disagree with. For example, I can share the work of these talented and hardworking people on social media, thereby contributing to exposure and potentially generating sales. The point of this is about balance and making space to reflect on how was can consume responsibly and in a way that aligns with our other personal values, and of course this can include the choice to support indie artists through purchasing!