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Yarn Buying Guide to Save Money

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There’s only one thing better than buying new yarn. And that’s buying new yarn on sale! Seriously is there anything more exciting than getting bargains on your squishy favorites? Scoring these deals takes a little planning and effort, but it’s so worth it! I created a free Yarn Buying Guide ready for you to use. Let’s get to work!

Hand knit rabbit with yellow cable knit sweater.
Ferguson Rabbit

Yarny Regrets

Have you ever stumbled upon an incredible sale only to buy yarn in colors and weights you will never use? That has happened to me more times than I care to admit and is what ultimately led me to creating my Yarn Buying Guide. Never again do I want to regret my yarn purchases just because I didn’t have a plan.

Knitted teddy bear, fox, and bunny.

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

Yarn isn’t cheap. But you already know that. It differs in price from budget friendly options all the way to the luxury hand-spun varieties. There are online and brick-and-mortar stores that offer everything our little hearts could desire.

By spending a little time planning you will be able to make smart purchasing decisions and feel good about your stash. Knowing which yarns you use on a regular basis and what their typical prices are will aid you in making wise decisions.

Yarn Buying Guide to Save Money

This post contains affiliate links and at no cost to you I may earn a teeny tiny commission if you choose to purchase any of these supplies. Please know that I only recommend products I use and love! Thank you for supporting Le Petit Saint Crochet!

Using the Yarn Buying Guide

The first section of the Yarn Buying Guide is where you write out the brand of yarn, the weight, the retail price, and the sale price.

Brand

  • Each worksheet is specific to one brand of yarn. Most crocheters and knitters I know have a few labels that they enjoy working with. One of my favorites for crocheting amigurumi and knitting toys is Berroco Vintage.

Berroco Vintage Yarn

  • Berroco Vintage is a soft, wool blend that comes in so many gorgeous colors. It’s strong enough to withstand the rigors of sewing on of parts like arms, legs, and snouts. I don’t like yarns that will fall apart during the seaming phase and Berroco Vintage fits the bill. But it is soft enough for touching and squishing.

Weight

  • I like adding the weight of the yarn I’m working with to quickly identify the specific yarn. I use different weight yarns in one project when knitting the Little Cotton Rabbits. Their bodies are made in worsted weight but the clothes are knitted in a much lighter weight.
  • My current 4-ply/sport weight favorite is the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. It comes in so many gorgeous colors and don’t even get me started with how soft it is. The 12% cashmere makes this yarn feel luxurious without breaking the bank.

Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

Retail $

  • This is the section where we will list the standard retail price of our yarn (of course we will never pay that much), but it’s good to keep that number in mind. Check out the different online and brick-and-mortar stores you frequently shop at to find their prices.

Sale $

  • Now we are getting to the fun part. This is the block where I write out what my “buy” price is. When my favorite online and brick-and-mortar stores have a sale I know what price will trigger a purchase. I typically will not buy something if it less than 20% off. I want a good deal and I’m willing to wait for it.

Colors

  • Next use this section to write out all of the different colors you currently use and will use in the future. Spend some time planning your projects so that when a sale comes along you’re ready to buy. Since there are 69 different shades of Berroco Vintage, knowing which of my main colors that I use a lot of is important. I regularly use Buttercream, Oatmeal, Fondant, and Charcoal for my handmade toy projects. Having my color information on hand has helped me make smart purchases.

Online Retailers

  • There are so many great places to purchase yarn! It is wonderful to be able to shop from the comfort of our own homes. Typically prices online are better than brick-and-mortar stores. My go-to online sites are Amazon and Love Crafts.

Local Yarn Stores

  • Finally don’t neglect this option! LYS will typically have a discount section or have yearly sales. Recently I found my beloved Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in the half-off section at a brick-and-mortar shop. Thankfully I had already written out which colors I would be using for upcoming projects so I was confident in my choices.

I hope you found this guide helpful, but I would love to hear from you!! What are your best yarn buying strategies? I love learning something new, especially about saving money!

Yarn Buying Guide Free Printable

My Favorite Knitting Needles

addi Knitting Needle Circular Turbo Rocket Lace Skacel Exclusive Blue Cord 16 inch (40cm) Size US 2.75mm

Knitter’s Pride KP200123 2/2.75mm Dreamz Double Pointed Needles, 6″

addi Knitting Needle Turbo Circular Skacel Exclusive Blue Cord 40 inch (100cm) Size US 02 (3.0mm)
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4 Comments

  1. How helpful! Love the printable and especially the tips because I am going to get my mom some for her birthday and I know nothing about it!

  2. Great post! I’m so impulsive with fabric and yarn. Way too much yarn for the amount of time I have. This printable is great. And ohhh…that bunny is absolutely the cutest. Oh my!

    1. Thank you so much, Julie! I have wasted so much money on yarn I will never ever use just because it was on sale. I’m trying to be a wiser crafter and get more organized so I don’t make those costly mistakes again (but let’s be honest, yarn sales are sooooo tempting)! Thanks so very much!! 😘😘😘