Wollberg Climb 2022: Live Coverage ;)

Dear users, dear authors,
dear Wollberg climbers,
How’s the Wollberg—your yarn stash—these days? Do you have enough yarn? Have you bought or used any yarn? Are you being kind to the yarn mice? Have you packed your treasures away safely, protected from moths and cats?

Taking your own photos is always a good idea.

Dear Josefa,

funny title for a thread—I’m happy to join the mountain climb and lay the first brick :-) My yarn closet is full, and yet I still didn’t have the right colors for my gift idea for a newborn. As usual, really ;-) The yarn I want to use isn’t available in the stores nearby, so I had to order it online. And since it’s not worth it shipping-wise to order just one or two skeins, I ended up getting a few more. But really, it was just because of the shipping costs *I swear* :-) :-) :-)

I was so happy when the package arrived. New yarn is such a treat!



Now I’m passing the walking stick on to the next mountaineer...

Best regards, Sonja

I actually wanted to add “The mountain is calling.” to the title, but I wasn’t quite sure if you’d like that.

It’s always wise to think about things like shipping costs and combining several small orders into one large order. That’s very economical of you. It’s called common sense. :-)

Thanks, Josefa 😇

Please :-)

Well, to be completely honest, I’ve been really diligent and have knitted a lot, but I’ve also bought a lot.
So my “Wollberg” is more like Mount Everest, but there are just so many great types of yarn and colors out there.

Sonja, your yarn is so beautiful again! Sigh...

I love yarn way too much, which is why my stash isn’t really getting any smaller. Quite the opposite! After my “yarn diet,” I naturally went all out, and now I’m enjoying the lovely “view.”

For me, it’s more like little mounds of yarn—always enough for spontaneous ideas, and yet there’s always something missing. Like right now: I bought yarn for a project, but not yellow—I still have some of that… uuuuh, where is it again? There isn’t a single yellow skein in my yarn stash....
And yes, I don’t have a store nearby either, and ordering just a 50-gram skein online just doesn’t make sense—that would be completely unenvironmental and uneconomical, wouldn’t it?

Hey there, I’m also more of a “flatlander” here 😃.

This is my entire stash 

Still, I actually want to work through some of it. I still had 4 balls of white Bravo. And I thought I could whip up a chic pillow in white and pink using tapestry crochet... and you know what happened next. I’m still working on the front and have started my third white ball… which actually means I have to order more Bravo. Now I have the same problem as Sonja and Veronika B… they only offer free shipping on orders over 75€. 😦

Well, I still need some stuffing, too, and now I’m going to ask a friend if she needs anything. ....

The next problem with my little pile is all the half-used balls of yarn—somehow there just keep getting more and more 😃.... Josef, can we have a “use-up the leftovers” contest in January or February???? Whoever uses up the most leftovers that month wins???? With before-and-after photos of the leftovers

Well, that would (hopefully) motivate me. 

Scrap-Use Challenge January through March 2022: Weigh your scraps now, use them up, and win (No advertising)

You know the drill—you absolutely must keep the free shipping thresholds in mind. Economy comes first. :-)

Since 2018, I’ve been buying less per year (in kilograms) than I knit, and my yarn stash isn’t really getting any smaller....

I could climb a very, very high mountain. But buying yarn is just too much fun for me. I can’t use the “saving on shipping costs” excuse, since I don’t shop online—I buy directly from the producers, and of course the selection there is huge. Everything is so cozy and beautiful.....

  Below you can see my latest purchase from early December. I haven’t really used much of it yet, but I don’t have any yarn for the new baby due in June, and for my sweetheart I need black yarn for a scarf and 6-ply sock yarn. I don’t have any of that at home. So I’ll have to go back in January and buy yarn for these three projects. 



I made the purchase shown below back in 2013, and yesterday I cast on the yarn circled here for a hat. I’ve crossed out everything that’s no longer there. But there are still a few skeins left—well-aged. 



Free shipping doesn’t apply to me. “Throw whatever fits in the trunk into the car”—that’s more like my motto.

Oh dear, I’m ready for therapy when I look at my pictures like this. “Yarn comes from wanting,” I once read, and Petra wants a lot. 

The “wool diet” concept doesn’t really work here on the forum—or at least only for limited periods of time. (Exceptions prove the rule.) After all, you keep buying wool—and more and more of it. That’s why I figured the “Wollberg” concept is a better fit.
Motto for 2022: Buy wool, buy lots of wool, do lots of crafting, and have a ton of fun doing it. :-)

Josefa, you’re right. But isn’t it true of every diet that, shortly after you finish, you end up weighing even more than before?

Wool makes me happy; crafting makes me happy. And when I’m happy, I can pass on that joy and happiness to others. 

Wool really does make you happy, apparently.

Did you get any wool for Christmas?

Hi Josefa,
I didn’t get any yarn for Christmas, but I’d rather buy it myself anyway. 😀

I placed an order today… and I stayed strong. I really only ordered 2 skeins and some stuffing; to be economical, I combined the order with a friend’s, and of course we got free shipping. 

2 skeins and some stuffing?
Are you sure that’s enough? Sounds like very little.

I didn’t get any yarn either. 

1. My loved ones don’t know what kind of yarn I need or what I’d like
2. If I told them, it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore what’s under the Christmas tree. 

Many years ago, the children gave me a set of short wooden double-pointed needles in all sizes for my birthday. That was a great gift. I would never have bought it for myself. 

I’ve actually only ordered yarn for one project. My goal is to keep from letting it pile up too much 😃, and I want to use up all my leftover yarn first..... I also have a yarn shop nearby where I can get plenty “in a pinch”.... but they just don’t have the yarn I need right now. 

A yarn emergency—oh dear.
I didn’t know such a thing existed.

So gift yarn isn’t really your thing because it might not suit the project, and then you first have to find a project that matches the gift yarn?

I treated myself to some yarn… along with a pattern for a hat. Well, not just for a hat—I had to cover the shipping costs somehow.
  My mountain of yarn just doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller, even though I bought much less last year than in previous years, and I’d already donated three moving boxes full....
The “biggest” problem, I think, is that I somehow never have the right yarn for certain projects—either I’m missing a skein or the color doesn’t match.
And sometimes my “preferences” change, too—I definitely have over 60 balls of cotton in all kinds of colors (from all the figures I’ve crocheted), but now I’m knitting sweaters and need wool 🙈
We do have a yarn shop nearby, but the selection is very limited. They have to order everything else.... even if I’d save on shipping.... but who wants that? I’d rather order enough so it ships for free.
I couldn’t even fit my entire stash in a single photo....

Wool mountain. Now it’s getting exciting. :-)

Me neither, Steffi! Cotton really is a problem: the little figures use so little yarn, but you need it in lots of colors.

....I could start making dishcloths or washcloths. 😂. And I’ve already crocheted these tapestry bags—they take quite a bit of yarn in lots of colors, after all.... Maybe “the time” for that will come around again.....
I’m currently looking for yarn for a sweater.... Somehow I just can’t find the right one 🙈
I feel like I have the Dolomites right here, and yet nothing fits the bill.
I’m afraid I’ll have to order some....

You might also want to check out this thread:
Showcase Your Yarn – Get Project Suggestions

***The cotton thing is really a problem: The little figures need so little yarn, but in so many colors***

When I have too many small scraps, I collect a small package or a shoebox full and offer them in a swap group—they’re always snapped up right away, since many people are specifically looking for just scraps for the little figures.

Hi,
I’ve decided to only buy yarn when I know what I want to make with it—
to reduce my stash, I’ve now started a blanket 🤣🤣

But it’s really hard for me to resist “deals” in the colors that are “just right” for me 🙄

When I discovered Bobbels for myself about 2.5 years ago and started crocheting again because of it,
I often bought whole yarn bundles—only to realize that while one color or another was great, it just wasn’t right for me 😲
But I’ve already made good progress “working through” my stash thanks to “gifts.”

This amigurumi—or whatever it’s called—is too fiddly for me—with small scraps, I make things like coasters for cups.
Or maybe I’ll make a tablecloth out of them now 🤔

Hello,
I’d never let anyone give me yarn as a gift - it would definitely be the wrong one 😂🤣 (color / material / yardage, etc.)
These days I actually only work with 50/50 gradient yarn cakes.

I think I still have one or two cotton yarn cakes; I’d already thought about making a basket or washcloth or something like that from them, but maybe I’ll dig them out and post them in Show off your yarn - get project suggestions - Chat Corner forum (crazypatterns.net) 🤔

What’s the deal with the Bobbels, anyway? You really seem to have a lot of fun with them.
Do you buy Bobbels to stock up?

Are you taking a break halfway through right now?

🙈😂🙈 No... Josefa, not quite...
I’ve taken stock of things and am currently working hard to somehow get this mountain of yarn under control. I actually “discovered” another box where I didn’t even remember what was inside anymore.... 
Merino yarn and pure new wool—perfect for fall and winter. It’s just kind of silly, since spring is coming soon 🙈🌸🌺🏵
I really should write down what my mountain is actually made up of. 

I went shopping yesterday. And I’m soooo proud of myself. I only bought what I actually have projects for.

  My sweetheart wants a black scarf. Then I’d like to knit him a pair of slippers (I already bought the soles last year).
My daughter wants a headband—one in pink, one in gray.

And I’ll make hats and a scarf out of the gray yarn—that’s the plan. 

Steffi, over the past few weeks I’ve gone through my entire stash, taken photos, and made a list. I’m not quite finished yet, but right now I have 155 different yarns and colors in my stash.

My “mountain” consists of 469 balls of wool, which, according to the platform, amounts to 24 kilograms of wool.

  My sweetheart says: “That’s three bicycles!” (He weighs his bike parts the same way I weigh my yarn.) 

Inventory lists for your yarn stash. Wow :-)

Yes. And now it’s even better with pictures. That way I know what kind of wool it is. Often I can’t remember the names anymore. 

I think it’s great that you’re putting in so much effort.

Wow, Petra, that’s what you call exemplary! You deserve the title of “Queen of Wool Organization”! Unfortunately, I don’t have that much patience—otherwise I wouldn’t have any time left for knitting and crocheting! Yes, I know, there’s a flaw in that reasoning: A good portion of the time spent on the inventory can be made up later, because I won’t have to spend forever searching for things anymore! How long did it take you, roughly? And do you write the lists down in a notebook, or are they saved on the computer?

There’s a platform where you can catalog your stash.

A lot of my yarn was already listed, but without pictures. That always made it hard for me to find things. So this fall, during my pumpkin-crocheting season, I gathered my stash—partly to tidy up the house. I took pictures and added the missing yarns.

  It wasn’t just “work.” It was also fun.

There was some yarn I didn’t even realize I still had. 

How’s it going?

I’m using up my stash at the bottom, but stocking up at the top… It’s such a bummer when you’re always missing just the right material in the right color! New additions: I ordered a bobble and a few skeins of 6-ply sock yarn.

I’ve already used up or planned out quite a bit through my two blankets, and then I’ve also planned out another 2,000 meters for the poncho.

Otherwise, I do it similarly to Petra, though I use a “homemade” list in Word with a photo list of the yarn (including the amount and planned patterns), so I don’t lose track of my skeins—it’s worked out pretty well so far 😉

I haven’t listed the leftover Scruppy yarn or cotton, though 😇

But I’ve already bought yarn twice “this year”—I just couldn’t resist.

And then there’s the swap package—I’m really looking forward to it. Yarn really is something special 😍😍😍💖💘

Is the mountain getting smaller?

Oh no, I bought some felting wool. But since the 200 grams weren’t enough, I had to knit up another 50 grams from my stash. So my mountain is definitely a little smaller than it was a week ago.

The top part is the yarn from my stash. 



I think it goes great. 

Oh Josefa, don’t even ask *laughs*

Highly motivated to reduce my yarn mountain, I’ve set aside some leftover yarn for a new project: a baby blanket. I still have 300 gr of it, and it’s in a light lilac shade—I thought the color was absolutely perfect. After knitting the first 5 cm, I did the math and realized that the 300 gr wouldn’t be enough. So I wanted to reorder the color—but unfortunately, it was sold out :-( Since I don’t want to wait indefinitely, I had NO CHOICE but to place an order. This time, though, I didn’t stock up to reach the free shipping threshold; I just ordered what I really need. Otherwise, it’ll turn into Mount Everest at my place... ;-)

Who else has bought more wool?

....haven’t bought any (yet), but I’ve swapped some.....
Sonja.... knitting and crocheting from your stash is often tricky—I often find myself with a specific project in mind for a certain yarn, and then I end up just like you..... somehow I end up having to reorder, or I end up adding something completely new.
  What definitely doesn’t work is “giving away” yarn.... I’ve donated a lot of it, some of which I could have really used myself.... Then a pattern comes along and you think, “Great, I have that yarn somewhere in my stash,” and then—poof.... it’s gone.... 
Anyway, I’m glad I still have that thick merino yarn 😇—it’s going to be a “winter snuggle sack” for my sister’s new addition to the family 😍
So, as far as I’m concerned, the mountain of yarn hasn’t really gotten any smaller 🙈

I used to order a lot, and by the time it arrived, I’d forgotten which project I’d had in mind for it. Then a dear friend gave me a notebook where I jot down plans and orders (including fabric purchases) right away.
That was a great tip, because I’ve just ordered some more wool that apparently takes a little longer to arrive. It’s no big deal—it’s all written down. And until then, I’ll crochet up a few scraps.
But I’ve also swapped yarn that I ended up needing myself a few weeks later.

....I always find it funny when “outsiders” can’t understand why I’ve ordered more wool again.... They always say, “But you have so much—you should use that up first”..... 🙈
They just don’t get it 😇😂😇.
The other day at the hardware store… My husband: “I need some more screws…” Me: “Why? You have so many—use those up first…” It took him a little while to get it 😂🤷😂

Oh, that was really good—I’ll have to remember that! *lol*

Right now, I’m taking a break from knitting and crocheting.
My yarn is well packed and safe from my mouser.

My wool stash is like the Hydra: for every head I cut off, new ones grow back…
I did use up a few skeins, but then I was missing exactly the right material for a specific project. At least I ended up “only” buying—or rather, ordering—what I needed for specific projects, and I’ve made a firm resolution to keep doing it that way. And today I gave away a few skeins of sock yarn and similar yarns to a knitting group.

I’m going tomorrow. My daughter wants to knit. I have to support her, of course. She knitted herself a blanket over the Christmas break. Now my son-in-law and grandson want a nice, thick, cozy blanket like that, too. So we’re going to buy some yarn together tomorrow.

I myself need a skein of red Schachenmayr Bravo. For a Pokémon ball I’ve already started.

  As you can see, I’ve already knitted 63 grams more this year than I’ve bought. So I’m allowed to go shopping. 

Wow, that’s some really professional record-keeping!

Yes, I’m a payroll accountant, and I love Excel spreadsheets. That brings two things together at once. 

@Petra
I’m cracking up—seriously, in Excel spreadsheets 😲
How cool 😎 is that?
I also work with Excel (for my job as an office clerk)—but I’m more of a visual person 😉

I keep everything in Word (photos of the yarn with needle size + yardage, plus any planned projects), so whenever I discover something great, I can immediately check if I have the right yarn or enough of it 😇

How’s the yarn mountain doing?

It’s getting smaller… it’s shrunk by 46 grams this year… I just can’t go shopping anymore… 

My “Wollberg” has grown again 🙄
I unraveled a UFO, so I have that yarn back.
Then I bought 4 skeins (to go with the merino wool from the swap package) so I’d have enough for a shawl.
And then there’s the remaining yarn I still have from the swap package 🤔

Then I couldn’t resist and bought 3 Rainbow Rellana yarn cakes for a great price—no idea if it’ll be a crochet shawl or a knitted shawl—it depends on whether I can figure out the pattern—otherwise, I’ll have something for the next swap package 😇

The bobbles are called “Rainbow Mirage” 🤔
And then a friend asked for a lighthouse shawl for her birthday (I took the opportunity to order one for myself too 😇😂)
I just hope I get the yarn in time so it’ll be finished by her birthday 🙄

My mountain of yarn is getting bigger, too....
I’ve almost finished knitting the purple sweater (450g), but for the next project.... Who can guess????? I just didn’t have the right yarn in stock. So, new yarn is coming in the next few days... and since I needed 4 x 100g and wasn’t sure about one color, I had to add a fifth. Unfortunately, the yarn shop here has a pretty “meager” selection, so I “have to” order online.
It just isn’t getting any smaller. 

How’s it going?

I gave in again, and all my hard work at reducing my stash is gone.

But the felting wool was so heavily discounted that I just couldn’t resist. My stash has grown by 600 grams again. I think it’s really just like dieting. Everything you lose, you gain back twice as much.

What’s the Wollberg up to?

Since I stocked up on felting wool back in March, I’m now working through my stash. But doll clothes don’t take much. So it takes a while to crochet through 100 grams.

That means my mountain is still the same height as it was at the start of the year. 

How’s your “Wollberg” looking?

Thanks to LaCritza’s more-than-generously stocked Advent calendar, it’s growing and thriving wonderfully right now! :-)