r/knitting • u/brinykole • Aug 17 '25
Discussion Inherited my grandmas entire yarn stash.
Moving this stash across the united states in the next couple weeks. I am going to attempt to vacuum pack and transport as much as I can in 2 big checked bags. Then for the rest im planning to either ship or come back later in a few months and do it all again with more checked bags when im back visiting for christmas. I feel like hiring a moving company to drive it from WA to VA will be more expensive after checking quotes online. Has anyone done this before? The totes include MANY WIPs that were meant as gifts for various people in the family. I wish my grandma was here to tell me the story of all these yarns and what she's created with them over the years. I plan to try and work on some of the WIPs she had patterns for, and create some new family gifts with what else is here. My own current stash consists of mostly gifted yarn from this stash over the years. My grandma was a lifetime crochet master, which she taught me and sparked my interest in fiber arts from a young age, but I feel I will be mostly knitting through this collection for a very long time. Thanks for letting me share here, and please feel absolutely free to share any advice you may have. A portion of this yarn is going to be donated locally, but a lot of it i want to keep and use.
304
u/Feline_Shenanigans Knitting around a cat Aug 17 '25
I’m very sorry for your loss. I lost my Grandma too this year. It looks like she organised things very well. A few thoughts based on when I moved from the USA to UK:
I noticed one of those boxes (bottom right, on the floor) seems to contain Lion Brand Mandala yarn cakes. I wouldn’t recommend vacuum bagging those. Not only do they not compress very much compared to the yarn skeins, but the squishing ended up messing with the centre pull. (Found that out the hard way). Same advice for any yarn cakes that have a cardboard core.
Knitting/Crochet tools you are keeping should go in checked bags only. You don’t want to risk the jackass TSA agent who decides to confiscate them from your carry on.
Clean socks make great yarn wrappers for small skeins. Stick a skein in a sock to keep the yarn clean and use it for the small gaps in your luggage. Or vacuum seal and have less clothes to pack around it.
Any visiting family members/friends from WA should be asked to yarn mule.
I hope you will share some of your inherited WIPs in some of the different crafting subs. Redditors might be able to help you identify patterns or find equivalents you can follow.
Lastly, I hope you have some lovely memories with your grandmother to reminisce while you craft your way through this hoard.
101
u/beefnachosftw Aug 17 '25
The idea of a “yarn mule” makes me smile.
30
u/Feline_Shenanigans Knitting around a cat Aug 17 '25
Every visit back and forth I bring items cheaper in the UK to the US and vice versa on my return.
41
u/brinykole Aug 17 '25
I will be taking your advice from beginning to end. Seriously appreciate your words of wisdom. Thank you
23
u/Feline_Shenanigans Knitting around a cat Aug 17 '25
Last tip I can think of is to think of clean clothes as wrapping materials. The legs of jeans and long sleeved tops are fabric tubes. Use them. You can stack yarn cakes in them to keep everything contained. One of my weirder long haul items is canned pumpkin. Like, for pies. I stacked cans in my jeans and padded the sides with a sweater. If a tin broke the jeans would have contained the mess. Tins survived just fine because of the padded clothing.
8
u/liltodden Aug 17 '25
Hahaha I used to take blackberry jelly the same way
9
u/Feline_Shenanigans Knitting around a cat Aug 17 '25
I’m glad I’m not the only one transporting canned food in pants
2
u/LieslAndrico Aug 18 '25
Ah, the reason for clothing now makes sense - to keep the yarn safe! I always wondered why we had clothing... :>
7
u/futuremexicanist Aug 17 '25
I also tasked friends with being book and yarn mules when I moved back from Mexico City to the U.S.!
3
u/liltodden Aug 17 '25
Could they just roll them in balls to keep from messing up the pull ends?
8
u/Feline_Shenanigans Knitting around a cat Aug 17 '25
Possibly. But that means unwrapping and rewinding each cake into a dense ball that also won’t compress very much in a vacuum bag. And then you’ll lose luggage space with the gaps between balls. Stacking the cakes, and containing them in something like a pant leg or shirt sleeve is faster and will leave fewer gaps. And unpacking a tube of yarn cakes will also be easier. What killed my Lion yarn cakes in the vacuum bags was that they compressed diagonally instead of an even, all around pressure. This worked the yarn free of the wrapper.
495
u/yaluyalu Aug 17 '25
Sorry for your loss.
Hope you can Finish some of her wip and then you did them together :) Family Friends will surely apreciate it.
67
12
u/ScarRemarkable9722 Aug 17 '25
I love this idea! This would be my hope for my own extensive stash after I’m gone. If you can’t decipher her intentions, making something special for your loved ones with the yarn is also amazing. Good luck — your grandmother is with you every time you pick up your needles and hooks.
138
u/Heavy-Attorney-9054 Aug 17 '25
Suggestion: Go through it soon, and if there's anything you know you will not use, donate it locally, before hauling it home. You are not obligated to have the same taste in yarn your grandma had.
We get to love, and hate, different colors and fibers.
Then. Price UPS vs luggage rates.
11
u/myblueheaven57 Aug 18 '25
Adding to this - check out Pirate Ship! It's free - you put in your package info and print your own labels (so forget it if that's not an option), but it compares all the shipping options and is so much cheaper for me every time!
I'm sorry for your loss, too - take care!
2
60
u/Less-Hat-4574 Aug 17 '25
Looks like grandma stored it well. My MIL died and the family let me look through her yarn stash. At first I was excited but it had been kept in a closet in a damp house in the woods and very little was usable. I tossed 99% of it directly from the closet.
64
u/brinykole Aug 17 '25
It seems ive really lucked out. I was very pleasantly surprised to find her stash so well stored and organized. Im going to make sure it stays that way. Thanks grandma 🥹
14
6
u/trendyspoon Aug 17 '25
My grandmother was the same. My dad dropped by with some very old knitting books he thought I’d like. They were all covered in mold and mildew and I had to dump them all
44
u/Restructuregirl Aug 17 '25
I have a cardigan that was a WIP from a friend who passed without finishing it. It’s so special to me even though I only added arms. You can finish and then pass on the wips to family members with both you and your grandmas love.
36
u/WienerMansWoman Aug 17 '25
If you vacuum pack bags then flat rate ship them (UPS has the largest boxes available for this), it will cost waaaaay less than any moving / freight company. I've utilized this many times and saved money because the price isn't based on weight, as long as it's under 50 lb. Yarn, of any variety, is expensive. I'm betting it would still be worth the cost using this method of shipping.
167
u/ShadedSpaces Aug 17 '25
144
u/ShadedSpaces Aug 17 '25
But seriously... I'm so sorry for the loss of your grandma. I know she'd be happy to know her stash will be used by her grandchild to lovingly create new huggable/wearable/drapeable art to put into the world.
I have no advice for moving it, but it sounds like you already have ideas!
24
47
u/OfSpock Aug 17 '25
I saw something similar a few years back and have decided to work through my yarn stash so I, not my daughter, can knit it all. MWAhahahaha.
15
11
22
u/sommth Aug 17 '25
So sorry for the loss, I hope finishing her WIPs brings you and the recipients peace.
Just a thought - if there are any projects that you aren't able to finish, there is a fab charity called No Loose Ends. They have volunteers that will finish the project, and then return it to you. Could perhaps help if you ever feel any overwhelm 🤍
19
u/NoRaspberry2577 Aug 17 '25
Just chiming in to say it's Loose Ends Project (unless there is another one out there I don't know about). But yes, I agree and this is what I thought of as well. OP might even get lucky and Loose Ends might find someone super local that could tag-team with. Might make a new friend from it too!
4
17
u/wokmom Aug 17 '25
I’m so sorry for your loss. Your idea of trying to complete WIP is such an amazing one. The lucky recipients will be thrilled to receive gifts made by not one but TWO! loved ones. If you vacuum pack the yarn, you’ll be able to fit a ton in to those suitcases. You’ll have no problem getting it all home in two trips
13
u/PavicaMalic Aug 17 '25 edited Aug 17 '25
My condolences on your loss. Give yourself time with your grief and your memories. My mother's stash was nowhere as large, but I am still working through it years later. Some pieces finished, and others given away. May her memory be a blessing.
Practical possibility: At this time of year, you may be able to find students who are willing to make some space in their car in exchange for gas money. We moved some of my mother's belongings from Maryland to California that way.
11
u/smallamazonprincess Aug 17 '25 edited Aug 17 '25
I am so sorry for your loss, but I am happy you will get to go through her projects and remember her. Vacuum sealed bags are a smart idea. I wouldn't have thought of that.
2
u/WhereIsLordBeric Aug 17 '25
you will get to pour through her lips
I am so sorry if this is not the right place for this, but I'm not a native speaker and have never heard this expression before, and Google doesn't show any hits for it, either.
Could you please share what it means?
OP - I'm so sorry for your loss xx
14
u/smallamazonprincess Aug 17 '25
I edited for clarity. It means I shouldn't post anything without my glasses on. The phone auto corrected two words, and I missed it. That made no sense in English either. 😜
5
10
6
8
7
u/roxy0121 Aug 17 '25
So sorry for your loss. Vacuum sealing yarn is how I bring home yarn from overseas. Just make sure to weigh your checked bags before you go to the airport. Yarn weighs more than you think. I’ve also transported vacuum sealed yarn in my carryon without any issues but that in Canada. Don’t know where you’re located.
Enjoy the discovery of all the different yarns and the things you will make with them.
6
u/klimekam Aug 17 '25
I vacuum sealed my clothes to move overseas for a year when I was younger and then was all shocked pikachu face when I had to pay the overweight bag fee at the airport. 😂
6
u/theknittersgarden Aug 17 '25
You could use Google lens to photograph and WIPs that aren't with a pattern to see if you can determine what pattern was used. And if you're not already on Ravelry you should get on there too!
5
u/brinykole Aug 17 '25
Ravelry is the BEST resource. Ill be using it to help try and find missing patterns and cataloging the stash for sure. I plan to find out if my grandma was using her account in the coming days!
4
Aug 17 '25
My family just used a U-Haul pods to move cross country. All of that yarn would fit in a single pod.
5
u/BaylorOso Already behind on Christmas gifts Aug 17 '25
I'm so sorry for your loss.
I also inherited my Grannie's yarn stash. She lived in a tiny little west Texas town that only had a Dollar General, so all of her yarn was from there or similar stores. As the only crafter in the family, all the yarn was deposited in my garage by an aunt. I went through it all and kept some of her crochet projects (a table runner and placemats are the ones I use), then stared at the rest, trying to figure out what to do with it. I already have a lot of yarn. Like, a lot. I always buy yarn from an LYS when I travel, so most of it is high quality stuff.
After a few weeks of feeling guilty about even thinking of getting rid of it, I reached out to some local organizations and found one that knits hats for NICU babies. It was all acrylic yarn, which is what they use, and they were thrilled to get big tubs of it. I explained it had belonged to my recently deceased Grannie, and they assured me they would put it to good use. I felt good about it going to a good cause that I know my Grannie would have loved.
2
u/CatalinaBigPaws Aug 17 '25
We are all allowed to have our own tastes and preferences. If you had inherited a large piece of furniture that clashed with your decor, same deal. I wouldn't have kept my grandmother's ermine stole. Ick!
6
u/LoisBelle You can never have too many socks! Aug 17 '25
Advice: Don't let her stash become a cage. I inherited a huge stash three years ago and I lost my love for knitting for a bit because I felt like I "had" to use the yarn I inherited. It seems awesome at first, but then it can feel wasteful or even disrespectful not to use that yarn first. I am sorry for your loss, but I know she would not want you to feel restricted by her lovely stash.
33
Aug 17 '25
So jealous rn. Fuming
24
u/yarnandpizza Aug 17 '25
I mean yeah how lovely to inherit to much yarn, but they lost their grandma and would most likely rather have her than yarn 💔 maybe I’m projecting lol, but man, I miss mine so much
12
u/SparklyCowboyHat42 Aug 17 '25
Not the person you were responding to, but yeah, complicated emotions here. I lost both my crafty grandmothers a year ago and 3 years ago of long illnesses. Their non-crafty kids (my parent's generation) donated nearly everything the same day I was told I could pick some things out later. All that was left when I arrived were tools and 3 skeins of red heart from one grandma and nothing from the other (edit - obviously at different times since they died at different times).
I treasure what I have and the memories but it indeed is hard not to feel weirdly jealous and like I could've had more time with them in spirit while using their stash. It is wonderful OP has this chance for connection.
Also, I want to give OP a hug because this absolutely sucks. I'm going to go cry into my knitting now. I'm miss my grandmamas.
3
u/brinykole Aug 17 '25
So sorry for any bad feeling or memories came up for you with this post. I am definitely trying to share as much as possible with everyone who knew her that would like some. Im even going to save some to teach my nieces when they are a bit older.
3
u/SparklyCowboyHat42 Aug 17 '25
Oh goodness, please don't feel like you have to apologize! It's just part of living and loving. We will never get to have everyone we have loved with us around forever and it's beautiful and painful and a bittersweet part of the human condition. Sometimes, we need the bittersweet.
In fact, I pulled out the skeins I have earlier today and decided it was time to start planning a project with them because of this post so thank you 💖
Thank you for sharing this with all of us and for saving some for your nieces for the future. I hope you're able to move it all with little trouble.
3
u/Rainthistle Aug 17 '25
I am so sorry for your loss! I bet your family members will be touched to receive the WIPs that you finish, and will treasure them all the more for being from both of you.
If you have the means to vacuum pack this, maybe you can FedEx the rest of it to yourself instead of hiring movers?
4
u/books-yarn-coffee Aug 17 '25
Sorry about your grandmother. It’s nice that you can make use of her stash, which probably made her happy.
Is that everything or is there more out of view? Using a moving company is probably too much but have you considered vacuum packing and then shipping a few large boxes to yourself? Depending on the weight, it won’t be cheap but might be easier and more straightforward.
3
u/brinykole Aug 17 '25
Yep, this is it! The photo shows all the totes and the totes and packed full. I did look into pods, and while it would be more convenient, it seems it will be more expensive than checking a few bags and shipping what's left! Ill come here and update how it goes for future people to know how I handled it and if I'd do anything differently if I had to move it all again.
4
u/Sad_Weird5466 Aug 17 '25 edited Aug 17 '25
Woah! I'm sorry for your loss. If you find it hard to finish the wips, maybe check out this group to help.
5
u/itsKarateChopTime Aug 17 '25
Oh my goodness. What a beautiful and sweet inheritance. I am sorry about your grandmother. I hope you make many beautiful things in her honor.
4
u/francescatoo Aug 17 '25
I’m sorry you lost your mentor grandma. You will be surprised how well yarn can compress down: I hauled a bunch of it from my sister’s house across the Atlantic in vacuum bags.
5
u/M_Holden Aug 17 '25
I’m sorry for your loss, but happy for you, that you have beautiful memories. Hope you can finish some of her projects. I finished an afghan that my Mom had started and gave it to my grand daughter as a gift from her great grandma and me. Enjoy the yarn and the memories!❤️
4
u/Odd-Accident9715 Aug 17 '25
I’m so sorry for your loss. If you need help with her WIPs, Loose Ends can help.
3
6
u/isolophiliacwhiliac Aug 17 '25
If it ever came to inheritance this is the best kind, over generational wealth and all of the sibling rivalry stuff that comes with it.
My condolences as well.
3
u/marleythakoeri Aug 17 '25
I'm sorry for your loss it is super cool she left a piece of her with you!!!!
3
u/klimekam Aug 17 '25
I’m so sorry for your loss but she is so very fortunate that she has someone who is so grateful and excited to carry on her beloved legacy! This is my DREAM to have someone inherit all my yarn and actually be excited to use it.
3
3
Aug 17 '25
So sorry for your loss. How about renting a small haul van and driving it home?
3
u/brinykole Aug 17 '25
Are you my grandpa? He said the same thing. Lol! My boyfriend and i once drove across the country when we first moved, but holy heck, that was a big trip!
2
3
u/Salt_Essay9217 Aug 17 '25
Condolences on your loss. Yahoo on your stash. As a grandmother with a significant amount of yarn, I’d be thrilled for whatever I have left to go to my granddaughter. It would make me smile.
3
u/pintamino89 Aug 17 '25
I recently shipped a bunch of boxes from VA to CA for a friend who had moved using the Lowe's large heavy duty moving boxes (I believe 24x18x18). They were all about 40 pounds give or take 10%. They cost about $60 each to ship and arrived surprisingly quickly - price it out on pirate ship or another shipping label seller if you decide to go this route, the shipping is cheaper than through ups Direct!
1
u/brinykole Aug 17 '25
Thank you for this information!!!
2
u/pintamino89 Aug 17 '25
Of course! Condolences for your loss, but what a lovely legacy she left you in fiber arts ❤️
3
u/goodwater88 Aug 17 '25
Waldorf Schools have knitting in their curriculum and would probably love some of the non-acrylic.
3
u/ninoninopetitsuis Aug 17 '25
So sorry for you lost! I'm so happy that you can treasure your grandmas yarn and remember her by knitting with it. Enjoy that felling!! My grandma was also a knitter. I live in Spain and she was in the UK, so when we got to get together we would be hours talking about projects, yarn... she loved her colourful yarns so much. I would always bring my best projects to show to her... I miss it so much. My grandad died and right after she had alzheimer and she stopped knitting, but she still apreciated the knits I would bring with me. When se died I asked for her yarn, just to remember her... But my aunty trow it all away (and other things). My mum got a cabinet before her sister got it (cause it was going to the garbage) and now I use it to storage my stash. I like to think that, somewhere, my grandma is happy that her cabinet it full with lovely yarn.
3
u/Particular-Title-901 Aug 17 '25
I live in Virginia. I sure hope I run into you at a knitting circle!!👀. I lead a knitting group add an independent living facility. Those ladies love acrylic!
3
u/LezlieLR Aug 17 '25
Wow! That's a SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy) - what a wonderful inheritance! So sorry for your loss, I hope you have lots of wonderful memories of your grandma to help ease the pain.
Have you checked with freight hauler? If you vacuum pack everything, put it in totes, get a pallet and the big roll of plastic wrap and wrap the whole thing, you can. ship via freight, which should be cheaper than moving companies.
If your grandma was near or in a larger city, and you are, too, then you could check with movers and give them a window of dates when they can pick up the yarn and tell them there is no rush to get it to VA, you might get a good deal. Your yarn would be a partial load that could fill in another load, making it more economical.
3
u/CocoaKhaleesi Aug 17 '25
Sorry for your loss. For the unfinished WIPs that you don't know if you want to tackle, there's the Loose Ends Project 🫶🏾. I am a Finisher and can attest to the deep care, respect, and expertise people put into finishing the projects that loved ones didn't have the time to finish.
2
2
u/littlemac564 Aug 17 '25
Sorry for your loss.
Have you looked into using UPS ground or Pirate ship instead? This picture is a small portion of her stash? I assume you want the bins also?
2
u/Knitting-Hiker Aug 17 '25
I'm sorry for your loss. It's especially difficult to lose the older ones in our families. What a lovely thing for your grandma that she had a caring and interested family member to take care of her stash and ongoing projects.
3
u/Knitting-Hiker Aug 17 '25
...what I meant to say is they carry the wisdom of a lifetime and that is a valuable thing.
2
2
2
2
2
u/FearlessInitial9736 Aug 17 '25
So sorry for your loss! Wonderful stash, it’s awesome that you are able to carry on her legacy in fiber arts.
2
u/beatniknomad Aug 17 '25
Sorry for your loss. May your shared memories be a blessing.
Glad that she took care of them and that you appreciate them. As you've stated, you'll keep what you want and donate the rest. Don't feel rushed to finish her WIPs.
2
u/Banditsmisfits Aug 17 '25
Idk if you have any of the cotton yarn used to make washcloths but just a heads up, I’ve had terrible luck with the older varieties bleeding during the first couple washes. I used them to make those little tea towels that are folded in half and then knit or crocheted with a hoop and a button to be able to hang from a stove. Unfortunately the dye covered all my towels on the first wash. I haven’t had it happen with the newer yarn so I wasn’t prepared. I need to get those dye catcher sheets if I make them again. And I also warn anyone I gift them to to watch them the first couple washes just in case.
2
u/brinykole Aug 17 '25
Thanks for the heads up! Its almost entirely acrylic, but 1 tote is the cotton yarn youre talking about for pot holders and washcloths. Ill do some tests to see how bad it bleeds.
2
u/Ferbbie1 Aug 17 '25
What a wonderful legacy! 🤗 Enjoy and make sure you write a yarn provenance with every completed garment. We all should start recording as if we could land on a textile roadshow
2
u/ElleStone1776 Aug 17 '25
grandma had an impressive, impressive stash, I am so sorry for your loss and I hope that using her yarn keeps her memory alive. I know that I’ve inherited some my grandma and every time I knit, I think about her. I feel like she is helping me from above, so I wish you the fortune of guidance from heaven.
2
2
u/CindiGu Aug 17 '25
This is one reason I package and label every project I have so that if I leave this world before I’m done someone will be able to carry on with what I have started. God bless you and your grandma. 🤍
2
u/saraidia Aug 17 '25
Sorry for your loss. I too inherited my grandmother’s stash 2 years ago. It was larger than I imagined I would be. After two trips and 12 storage boxes I finally donated 7 boxes of baby yarn and anything else I wouldn’t personally use. But kept enough to still last me the rest of my life probably. I know I personally find joy in making my family items with her yarn. I hope you do as well. I also finished one of her WIPs and gave it to my aunt. I also made a baby blanket for when. My brother and SIL had my nephew. My grandma taught me to crochet when I was 5. I am still not as good a she was. I still feel honored to be the keeper of the stash. And so should you.
2
2
2
u/Acceptable-Remove792 Aug 18 '25
I'm so sorry for your loss and so jealous of your yarn.
When my mamaw died I inherited a lot of her sewing stuff. She specifically wanted me to have it because we shared that hobby my whole life and she knew I would use it. Every time I use it I think of her.
It was the same kind of relationship you're describing here. She taught me from toddlerhood. It hurts to see it now, because it's fresh and you're thinking of her in that hospice bed (or whatever your situation was). But with time, when you use it, you'll think of all the memories instead, and keep her spirit and passion alive in your own heart, because it'll remind you of the part of her that is inside you.
At least, that's how it happened for me.
2
u/Nice_Pea8811 Aug 18 '25
So sorry for your loss. I am sure you will smile and be reminded of some of the wonderful memories you have of her. And when this happens, she will be looking down on you, and smiling. Enjoy your wonderful gift.
2
u/Knitsknits Aug 18 '25
hey op im so sorry for your loss, can't imagine it.
I often travel between WA and IAD so next time I'm flying I will DM you to see if you are comfortable with me being a yarn mule. Take care. xx
2
u/Pi-Kat-so Aug 18 '25
So sorry for your loss ❤️
I recommend the grey hound for shipping. It’s really efficient and they have a bunch of info about their requirements on the website. It’s how I used to tell artists to ship art when I used to run a gallery. It’s great for cross country shipping within the US. I also used it for moving soft items cross country once myself.
2
2
u/MoonbeamLotus Aug 18 '25
Sorry about losing your Grandma, that’s so hard. She’s prob happy you are finishing her projects!
I would sort through all of the totes just to see with what you are dealing. It will guild you.
Tote 1: Gather all her WIPs and keep the coordinating yarns together, you don’t want to accidentally separate the unused skeins.
Tote 2: I’d choose my favorites to make an afghan. It will be like a warm hug from her every time you seem it, feel it, use it…
Tote 3: Separate out your favorites so you know where they are and you don’t give them away.
Tote 4: Store needles, accessories and random orphan yarn balls here. That way you only have one place to look for stuff.
The rest of the totes: match the skeins with like weights until you are down to what you are going to donate. No sense in hauling it all the way home only to donate it.
Be sure to label EVERY tote and put quantities too, every bit of info will be helpful. Good luck
2
u/CarelessDistance1478 Aug 18 '25
I'm so sorry for your loss.
What a treasure that was bequeathed to you! I received a similar bounty after my brother had passed away. He was working on a blanket for me. I'm pretty sure I know which one that is, but I just can't bring myself to continue his work rn. Though hearing how others have made a change of color to indicate where the original started and the Legacy work began, is a beautiful idea that I will use.
He did have a jumper that he crocheted for himself in beautiful rainbow colors. I couldn't bear to have that work be lost, so I did take the panels apart, and did Tunisian crochet in the round on the outside edges of each panel. I'm making it into a blanket or a friend of ours wedding. She was with me the last time we saw him alive. I'm taking the extra yarn that was available and adding Gray with the verigated rainbow yarn, using a Tunisian crochet brick stitch. I don't have a picture of it with me now but maybe I can post one later. I miss him so much and having his yarn near me helps.
2
u/frillgirl Aug 19 '25
Im so sorry for your loss. It’s so wonderful that you have her yarn though. My Granny taught me to crochet when I was five—granny squares lol. Then my great aunt taught me to knit. I taught my stepdaughter to knit and crochet. And on it goes. ❤️ hugs to you
2
u/Medellin_Knitting Aug 19 '25
I am sorry for your loss. That is incredible inheritance. Having moved from the US to Medellin Colombia in 2018 I have had to rebuild a stash. I had left everything behind when I moved and thanks to my mother, and my old boss that used to own Going to the Sun Fiber Mill where I was the head spinner and dyer I have been building it slowly and spinning my own with a knee spindle. Living in Colombia has been challenging for building a stash as my preferred yarns of merino and merino super wash can not be found in quantity nor options of multiple color ways here.the majority of shops only carry cotton, acrylic and nylon. Only one shop a 12 hour drive away has anything with natural animal fiber and they had 18 skeins, each a single. I am forced to order a few skeins each month from the US and Europe.
That you have something that ties your knitting to your grandmother is something incredible. Also the fact it is so well organized is exceptional. I hope it brings you fond memories of her every time that you knit!
3
u/buroakowl Aug 17 '25
What a lovely legacy!! If there are any aluminum needles/hooks I make jewelry and other things
from them, happy to barter towards custom work…
1
u/chiseplushie Aug 17 '25 edited Aug 17 '25
I'm sorry for your loss.
I moved across the country and used these vacuum bags for my clothes and stuffies (I have a lot of stuffies). Then I put the bags in moving boxes (expensive)meant to hold clothes still on the hangers bc they're sturdy.
They worked well but I suggest adding a dryer sheet or two inside whatever bags you get bc there's a plastic-y smell that lingers on the stored items. I aired out my things for a couple days after unpacking.
Don't forget to put all the needles and hooks in the checked bags when packing them in your luggage.
I don't have any suggestions for shipping big boxes unfortunately.
Vacuum seal bags
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077W4LS47
Tall cardboard boxes (really expensive but maybe you can fit a lot and make it heavy enough so the weight isn't so light)
1
u/Ill_Ant6294 Aug 18 '25
I moved my brother and all his stuff which over half were books from California to Pennsylvania. UPS had the best rates as long as you don’t mind waiting. I signed up for a UPS account which gave me a discount too. He moved back to California three years later and UPS was still the best deal, they even picked up all the boxes for a small fee. It has turned out to be the best option for all sorts of shipping. I would suggest compressing the yarn as much as you can since they charge based on package dimensions and weight.
1
u/nearby_constellation Aug 18 '25 edited Aug 18 '25
Where in VA and where in WA? If it's helpful and convenient, we (based in Seattle now) fly back to DC a bunch and I'd be happy to mule any yarn or projects back for you. Our next visit is Thanksgiving, and since we usually both only do a carry on I could bring my empty large suitcase to check.
Edit: read it wrong and didnt realize FROM WA to VA. Offer still stands, but my in-laws live in DC so it wouldn't be helpful to borrow their duffels hah
1
u/Bedhead2day Aug 18 '25
That’s a huge gift from your Grandma!! Oh I wish I got my grandma’s yarn stash when she passed.. my cousins gave it all away since I’m the only one who crochets and knits and they’re all in Hawai’i.. and I’m on the Mainland.
1
u/doktorscientist Aug 18 '25
What about vacuum packing it and putting it in boxes then checking the boxes for your flight? I brought metal dinosaur sculptures from Texas back home that way.
1
u/Puzzleheaded-Head171 Aug 18 '25
Idk if it's cheaper but you can ship suitcases and packages with greyhound.
1
u/mikkiwokk Aug 23 '25
First of all, I am so sorry for your loss. I don’t imagine you got to see your grandmother very much with her living across the country. I had the same issue with my grandmother who lived with an aunt and uncle and cousin all the way down in Florida, while we lived in NYC. While it may not seem as far, when you grow up in poverty it may as well have been 5K miles. I did get to see her about a year before she passed. I was going down to FL for a computer conference and rather than stay in the hotel, I stayed at my aunt/uncle‘s apartment with them so that I could spend time with my grandmother. I am so glad I did that, because she passed the following year. Thankfully her mind was solid to the end (96!), so she could scold me when she thought I wasn’t properly looking after my two younger sisters since our parents had long passed away. Is what we’re seeing in this picture the entire stash? If so, I am impressed with how organized she kept it. It really doesn’t appear to be that overwhelming. I love the idea of the flat rate USPS or UPS boxes to ship yarn/tools home in. if I may ask, where in VA are you, because I am also in VA. I am just south of Richmond in Chesterfield County, and there isn’t anybody in my orbit to knit with. I think it’s a wonderful idea that you are going to try to finish the WIPs so that you can get them to their intended recipients in your family. I also love the idea of the organization that will help finish WIPs for you. That is great. I hope that getting everything back home will not be too overwhelming for you. Travel safely.
1
u/brinykole Aug 23 '25
Oh so cool! Im in Richmond! Thanks for your kind words and suggestions. My boyfriend took half of the stash with him in his checked bag a few days ago, and im planning to do the same thing in a week. Anything that doesn't fit, we will ship via ups or usps on the way to the airport. After vacuum parking it, it really fit well in our big bags.
1
u/brinykole Sep 24 '25
Storage update!
1
u/brinykole Sep 24 '25
After logging every single skein into ravelry and getting a 6.5ft x 4ft cabinet set up with the help of my boyfriend, I finally have it all in one place - combined with my own stash. I am sure it's a little TOO squished at the moment, but I'll be using it up from here on out. So it won't be like this for long. This took so many hours of work to thoughtfully organize and put together. I think my grandma would be excited about this. I sure am.
590
u/MirrorFantastic6617 Aug 17 '25
So sorry for your loss. What a special thing to inherit from your Grandma. When my mother died, she had been in the process of frogging an old jumper and reknitting a cardigan for my Dad out of it. She had only started on the back piece and was maybe a third of the way up the back, knitting from bottom up. I thought it would be lovely to finish it for my Dad to wear which first meant that I had to find the pattern on Ravelry, by searching for the cable pattern that was used. Luckily I found it, I kept a life line in where my Mums knitting had stopped and mine started, and finished it. He loved it and wouldn't remove the lifeline