This thing used probably 20 pieces of cardstock and I had all of it in stash! All the embellishments, ink, stamps, & adhesives were on hand, too. I did buy the stonework embossing folder for this project, though. WOO! It took ages, so I took LOTS of pics and it has it’s own topic should you be interested. 
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Two more mostly-stash projects! WOO!
All the lumber from this wood rack is from scrap, mostly left by the last homeowners.
I made a waxed tarpaulin from camouflage broadcloth that I’d been give a few years ago. it’s about 6’ x 8’ and I still have quite a bit of the fabric left. But this made a dent!
Yahoo!
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I love seeing your “homestead” projects! Looks like you are set for brrrrrrrr-winter!
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Aw, thank you! We are so NOT set, though. We still need to fill the woodshed, which means acquiring and stacking about 3 1/2 cords of wood. Slow and steady…
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So I am trying to stop buying stuff when I have so much in stash already, but I am having trouble working out what to do with some of the vintage yarn from my grans stash. I really don’t know if she had projects in mind of she just bought copious amounts of yarn in case she decided on a cardigan or something. Probably just in case, to be honest.
I have eleventy five balls of black Patons Totem (pure wool) which from the logo, I can only assume is 70s vintage. More recent versions of this yarn appear to be 8ply, but from what I found on ravelry, I think this vintage is 5ply.
I also have many, many balls of light blue Patons Cottontop (slubby cotton). This is probably from 80s. I think it is also fairly light weight.
I’m worried the wool may be scratchy, although the swatch I made was not too bad against my skin. The cotton would be really nice for a spring cardigan, but the texture will make it hard to work with. My swatch didn’t go well, so I will have to really pay attention or use it for something other than clothing, where it doesn’t matter if the stitch count goes a bit awry.
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Isn’t there some way of softening scratchy wool, rinsing with hair conditioner I think?
Anyhoo, some people don’t mind it, my man is fond of wearing itchy wool. He can’t be the only one!
For the cotton, have you ever considered a weaving project? That’s what I plan to do with some of mine. Or macrame, cotton could be good for that.
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Would the black yarn be plentiful enough to do something worn over the clothes, like a jacket you could wear over long sleeves and you could trim the collar in another material? Or maybe a sweater vest style (no worry about sleeves on skin)?
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I used fabric purchased over 20(!) years ago to recover two dining chair seats. (The new foam has only been sitting around unopened since April.)
I have quite a bit left over to maybe do a table runner or loose cushions for the other 2 non-matching chairs we have. Nearly everything is hand-me-down here and lots of “eccentric” mixing and matching going on. 
I was originally thinking I would like to paint them and jazz them all up in fun ways, but then I realized that if I keep waiting for a good time to do all that I won’t have comfy seats for eons. I know that I can go back and paint/repair anything another weekend should the mood strike. I do think I’d like to go back and trim the seat width at the back a little and snug it up so it looks a little less “She slap-dashed that together while no one was looking” but I am happy they look so much better and are way more nice to sit on now for lingering over a dinner or a game night.
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I have 15 balls of 150 yards of the wool. So just over 2000 yards. Given its weight (5ply, sport), it may not be quite enough for a full cardigan.
Would it felt? You could do a funky bag? Like felt based with fun things (patches, embroideries, pins…) on it to make it more pizzazzy (If one likes pizazzy things, that is.)
Ooh, OOH, felted tricorn or pointy witch hat! A band of not-itchy stuff can always be sewn onto the inside for more comfy wearing.
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ooohYES.
I’m not sure if it will felt… it IS ‘Patonised’ after all. It makes me laugh that they have turned their brand into a verb.
I finally gave away all of the old yarn that my mom had. I didn’t like the colors, the feel, the fiber and I just did not want to use my time to think of making something just because I had it…sometimes, you have to let things go to do what you love, not what you “have” to…I would keep the black and ditch the blue.
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That is a good perspective. She collected so much, I think if she saw a good special she just bought it. We found metres and metres of cream tracksuit fleece. I mean, almost any other colour you could use, but cream?
I think I thought I should use her stuff to make things for the family. But the blue yarn is not really that appealing to me. Maybe I will ‘destash’ it over on the use it or lose it thread.
lol I keep wondering what people would say about some of my stash…I might go buy cream fleece just to make them wonder more…lol…
To be honest, sometimes I come across yarn or fabric that I purchased and question myself: what was I thinking?
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I ask myself that question so often.
As for that black yarn, the only way to know for sure is swatch it & hot wash/dry to see if it felts up or shrinks any.
Here’s a tricorn pattern, and a witch hat, both free 
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If you are thinking of giving away, and your local schools are in person right now, would they maybe like some supplies for mixed media art projects? The black could be good for Halloween (if that’s allowed).
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I send yarn to a school in Philadelphia where boys and girls crochet small blankets to donate while they learn. They take everything…kids love all the odd colors and textures…maybe you can find someplace near you like that, @mellybelly81 …it is a good cause!
I had some of that yarn…it is like one of the original superwash yarns…it will not fell much at all.
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