Do you buy yarn with a pattern in mind?

[granola_mom]

... or do you just buy yarn 'cuz you like it, and figure someday you'll put it to use?

It's hard for me to buy yarn with a project in mind... I always usually buy it on impulse because I like the yarn, which screws me over in the end because ∑œ usually I only buy one skein, because i'm not thinking "hey this might make a nice sweater" im thinking, "ooh this is soft and pretty and i want it!"

I'm an immediate satisfaction knitter and I like knitting one skein projects, but I'm running out of things to use one skein of yarn for... dd is getting older and one skein doesn't cut it for most things except hats. I don't have a huge stash, though, and usually I find something to knit with the yarn I do buy... I like having a variety of things on hand for when inspiration strikes, but I'm stumped as to how to do this for things that take more than one skein... does your stash contain random odd balls of pretty yarn, or do you have several balls of each, even if you don't have anything in mind for them?

I'm asking because my LYS annual tent sale is coming up and I'm really wanting to stash up on yarn for christmas presents and the coming year because its such a good deal, but I dread going through and deciding what types of projects I want to do and then selecting yarn for them all... I just want to go there and hoard a bunch of it!! So I'm probably going to get several balls of some favourites so I can either do several small things of each or one larger project...

Anyway, how do you do it?

[Realrellim]

Usually I buy yarn with a project in mind. I have an awful lot of projects in mind and not as much time as I'd like so I have a rather large stash. Occasionally I'll see something I can't pass up though and that gets added too. I try to keep my impulse buys to sock yarn because I knit a lot of socks (does that count as with a project in mind?).

[kwilki8]

I don't do very many one-skein projects, so I usually buy with a project in mind. My problem is that I seem to think that I have much more available knitting time than I actually do, so I end up planning many more projects than I really have time to complete.

[mhurst]

Not usually and that bites me every time. I used to knit a lot of little soakers which were perfect 1 skein projects, but now the kids are older so that is out. (I still have quite a bit of "soaker" yarn in my stash).

Now I knit a lot of socks so that is great for 1 skein projects.

But I have a lot of Peace Fleece in lots of 1-2 skeins and unless I want to make something stripey I am out of luck.

[iowaorganic]

Both... If the impluse strikes- who am I to turn it down? (Or especially if DD is with me and starts tearing off ball bands and yanking apart skiens- that gets old quick- you end up with wierd stash yarn). But why not go on rav- and pick a bunch of favorites and look at how much yardage it takes for certain things.... That should give you a good start at how much of certain kinds you should buy when the urge hits. Like 50 gr of wool is not practical at all for anything...

[lifeguard]

I try to only buy with a specific project in mind. Even by doing that I end up with a lot of extra yarn around 'cause I always buy too much so I have stuff for the impulse projects.

I'm trying to do the same with fabric. With both things I'm mainly trying to keep the clutter down.

[Alison]

Either. Both. Depends on the time and place! I will "shop the stash" first when I have a project, and if I can't find something there that works, I'll go buy with a project in mind. However, I'll also buy yarn just cause--it's on sale or something. I try to buy enough to make something specific--ie 4 skeins to make a small sweater, or 2 skeins of laceweight, because that's usually enough to make a small shawl or a lacy scarf. But I do indeed have single skeins just waiting around for the right project!

The the pp who mentioned one-skein projects, the 101 Designer One Skein Wonders book is really nice, and full of ideas!

[lilyka]

I usually buy with a project in mind unless it is clearance. our LYS has the best 75% off sales. . . .

[lovesdaffodils]

Generally I buy for a project. I have bought quite a bit when a deal was just too good to pass up though.

[MamaWolfe]

I have a baby so one or two skeins will do a project so I just buy yarn when it's on sale or when I fall in love with something. I make mostly diaper covers/shorties/pants so it makes buying this way okay. When he gets bigger I don't think I'll be able to be so impulsive!

[honeybunmom]

I shop for yarn constantly (online). Knowing full well I have not the time to complete all the projects I want to do! I've got some yarn sitting in the shopping cart on Webs right now! And I do have specific projects in mind for that yarn. Sweater for me, sweater for dd. But, I know I bought enough of the sweater yarn form me so that if I change my mind from wanting to knit the 600 yd, short sleeved sweater, there's enough for a long sleeved, hooded number if I choose. And, of course, ravelry is great for that yarn whose project I abandoned before even starting the first stitch. If I go into my LYS, I go with a list of project and required yarn. Now that taxes have gone up to 10.25% here in Chicago, you can be darn sure that my impulse buying at the LYS will come to a screeching halt!

I started out knitting soakers and longies and am still buying that yarn for the next baby. I have enough in girly/boyish/gn to halt that consumption for a while. Next up is buying yarn in sweater quantities to be able to knit for dh.

[lyttlewon]

I was buying for the sake of buying and I stopped doing that. The only unused yarn I have I bought just because.

[ErinBird]

I used to buy yarn regularly without really having a project in mind. My yarn stash is much larger then I would like, so I am knitting it down this year. I basically have a spreadsheet with projects and the yarn I have tagged for use. When I need a new project, I try to work on something on the spreadsheet.

[Kyamo]

Mostly with projects in mind, but I like to make sweaters, so buying 1 or 2 doesn't help me. However I am sometimes tempted by very good sales, and have some yarn I don't know what to do with.