I was smart enough not to take a picture of the before--or maybe I was a tad embarrassed--but it is looking soooo much better. Wanna see?
I think it was those partial skeins that were making me crazy--the ones with little yarn tails scattered about. You know what I'm talking about. The ones that are just too floppy to stack nicely with your fuller balls. The ones that are too long to wind around a clothes pin like this...
The ones that need to be wound into balls (I don't have a ball-winder yet to make nice little cakes.) But then there is the trouble of keeping those ends in place--and able to be found when you need the end.
Here are some suggestions from some folks on how to cope with them...
~wrap into center-pull balls (cakes)--brilliant, and keeps the balls from rolling around while working, but I don't yet have a ball winder and am admittedly lazy
~elastic bands around the ball
~sc around some of the final strands wrapped around the outside of the ball
~bread ties/clips
~stitch markers (admittedly I never figured out how to secure the ends with these)
~tuck the final tail under a few strands
Here is what I came up with...
These mini hair clips were perfect for me and here's why I like them...
Inexpensive
Easy to locate on the ball
Quickly clips in place
Secure
I found mine at Wal Mart, but I've seen them at the dollar store, too! And if you have girls in the house, you probably just need to check the sofa cushions or back of the bathroom drawers. ;)
Now I'm breathing much easier as my stash is all neatly organized and fastened in place.
Oddly, the creativity is flowing better now, and I'm getting ready to release a new pattern. Let me know in the comments any creative ways you have come up with to keep those rascally tails in place.
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| On the Board | -- If you want light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining.
Que reacntos maravilhosos e de um colorido bem primaveril!
ReplyDeleteNão me importava nada de ser a dona de tanta lã!
Bj
Oh it looks amazing!! Very clever idea with the little balls! Can I come visit please?!?! Love the rug too!
ReplyDeletePlease come visit, Helen! We can crochet and chat and have a great time!
DeleteI find that the creativity always flows easier after I organize my yarn (or fabric or thread or whatever). I think for me it is being able to see all of the colors so pretty and organized, my head starts going crazy with new ideas of ways to use all of the pretty colors. Of course, then I start a bunch of new projects to try out all of those ideas and pretty soon it is time to organize again. I keep all of my yarn in a plastic drawer thing and I sort it by color regardless of whether or not the skeins are full. I do have the ends of the balls get kind of crazy because they unwind a little but to be honest I never really thought to try to do anything about it. I may have to try that out.
ReplyDeleteI think our brains might work similarly, Erica. I will organize, get a flood of new ideas and then get distracted or start too many at once and end up with a scattered mess in my brain and workspace again!
DeleteWhat a clever idea for keeping the ends in place. And I must say that is the best I have seen the crochet room for a long time. Looking good my friend. I don't know how you come up with all your patterns. I know your mind is going all the time. Mine is also, but I think my find is just full of useless stuff. LOL! Hugs to you my friend. Karie
ReplyDeleteYou and me and our brains, huh!? That must be why we are friends! Thanks for your sweet comment, Karie! Hugs to you, too!
DeleteI love your 4x4 white organizer! Where did you get it? I need to organize my stash SO badly! Love your blog and your patterns. :)
ReplyDeleteI got it at IKEA. I bought several more for shoes and clothes for inside my closet. The 2 x 4 fits perfectly under hanging clothes, too. Thanks for the sweet comment!
Delete