There comes a point in many yarnies’ lives where we arrive at a surprising realization: we have a bunch of yarn we’re never going to use.
That could be for a whole bunch of reasons. Maybe it’s yarn that you bought early in your knitting or crochet journey and then realized you don’t actually like using it. It could be yarn that’s not a color you enjoy. Maybe you have some yarn somebody gave you as a gift that isn’t a good fit. You might have yarn that you ended up having a skin sensitivity to. Perhaps you’re downsizing or just want the yarn to go to a good home.
And sometimes, it’s not the maker who’s destashing the yarn, but their friends or family members after the fiber artist has had a health issue or has passed away.
Regardless of why you need to find a new home for this yarn, there are lots of good options.
A Note for Friends and Family Members
Before we dig into where to sell or donate yarn, here’s a PSA for friends and family members. You should know that sometimes, your loved one’s yarn stash has some expensive stuff in it. We’re talking $30-$50 USD per hank. Depending on your fiber artist, you could be sitting on hundreds of dollars’ worth of yarn.
For some families, that could be a significant contribution to care costs or end-of-life expenses. It’s worth checking before you just get rid of the yarn to the first place that’ll take it.
So how do you tell the difference? Look for these key factors.
How the yarn is packaged
Look at the picture at the top of this post. If the yarn comes twisted up into a hank like that, odds are good it’s worth some money. That’s the packaging format commonly used for hand-dyed yarn and higher-end fibers. Other formats may still be expensive yarns, so don’t give up just yet.
The brand name on the front of the label
Check the label for the brand name and then run a search for it online. If it’s a brand you can find at a big-box store like Michael’s or Hobby Lobby, it’s unlikely to be worth more than a few dollars per ball/skein. If it’s a brand you can’t find anywhere except on its own website and maybe the websites of a few smaller yarn stores you’ve never heard of, odds are good it’s worth some money.
The fiber content on the label
Somewhere on the label will be a section that lists the fiber content of the yarn. If it says the yarn is 100% acrylic or nylon, it probably has very little resale value.
If it says the yarn is merino wool, Targhee, Cormo, or Bluefaced Leicester (all popular sheep breeds for yarn) or has any amount of silk, linen, cashmere, qiviut, alpaca, yak, possum, angora, or mohair, odds are good it’s worth some money. The higher the percentage of natural fibers, the more valuable the yarn is likely to be. Be aware that there are some pretty inexpensive yarns with wool and mohair in them, so that’s not a guarantee.
Ask for help if needed
Finally, you might come across some unlabeled or wound-up yarn. In that case, it helps to ask a long-time knitter or crocheter who works with a wide range of yarns. Many of us can spot a luxury yarn pretty quickly based on a combination of appearance and hand feel.
Selling if the Yarn is in Original Packaging
The best scenario for destashing yarn is a high-end yarn in its original packaging with the label still attached. You can usually resell that yarn for just a few dollars less than its original sale price.
Online Sale Options
Ravelry has great destash functions. You can indicate you’re selling the yarn in your stash or post in destash groups. You can also sell yarns on the Yarn Swap subreddit, as well as in many Facebook groups (just search for “destash”). If you have a large enough following on social media, especially Instagram, that can also be a great option for selling yarn from your stash.
Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist can be useful if you’d like to sell to someone local. These can be nice because you don’t have to deal with the added cost/effort of shipping.
Finally, online sales platforms like eBay and Etsy can be viable places to sell yarn, too. Because these are general-purpose sale sites, though, they can be a little more hit or miss.
In-Person Sale Options
Destashing in person is trickier but still possible. Your best option for getting close to the original sale value is to attend a yarn swap or destash event hosted by a local yarn store or group of stitchers. Attendees at these events tend to be people who know the value of a nice yarn and will be more willing to pay for it.
While you can always try selling the yarn at a rummage sale or yard sale, remember that people go to these sorts of events expecting very steep discounts. If, however, you need to sell the yarn fast and are happy to recover any value for it even if it’s not nearly what the original sale price was, then this could be a good option for you.
Selling if the Yarn is NOT in Original Packaging/is Used
Yarn that has been removed from its original packaging or has been partially used is harder to sell. Don’t give up hope, though! It’s impossible. If, for example, the yarn has been wound up into a ball but still has the label with it (maybe they were stored together in a bag), that’s very helpful.
Most stitchers, however, are not going to pay much for a mystery ball of yarn if they don’t know what the fiber content is and don’t know how many yards are in that mystery ball. If you know what the yarn is but aren’t sure how much you’ve used, you’ll want to get your hands on a scale that can weigh in grams. Then you’ll be able to tell a potential buyer exactly how much yarn you have.
If you have partially used yarn with good documentation, odds are good you can still sell it for a little bit. Your best bet is the Ravelry destash option. That’s because people are often looking for just a few yards to finish up a project where they unexpectedly ran out of yarn.
Destashing Yarn in Any Condition by Donating
If you’re not interested in selling your yarn for whatever reason and just want it to find a good home, there are lots of options. To destash quickly, here are some places I’d check with to see if they can use my yarn:
- Local schools. Check specifically with the art teachers (you may have the most luck with high schools, which tend to have dedicated art teachers). Many use yarns in 3D art projects and would be glad to have more supplies.
- Libraries. Many libraries offer beginner stitching classes or craft classes for kids and adults. Supplies can get expensive. Your yarn might be helpful.
- Craft supply thrift stores. In some communities, there are thrift stores that specifically focus on craft supplies. You can donate your yarn here and know that it’ll be much more likely to end up with a crafter instead of tossed out.
- General purpose thrift stores. Most communities have at least one thrift store nearby where you can donate all sorts of unwanted things. Because these stores are kind of a grab bag, you never quite know how things will be packaged or priced. You’re also not quite so sure a buyer will come along who wants the yarn. Unpurchased items do eventually get tossed. Still, this can be a great way to quickly and easily get the yarn out of your house and probably into the hands of someone who can use it.
- Charitable knitting/crochet/weaving groups. There are so many groups of stitchers who make handmade gifts for people who might need them. They make everything from cozy hats and sweaters for preemies at the local hospital, to lap blankets for seniors in care homes, to stuffies for kids in foster care, to beds for pets at the animal shelter, and so much more. Many of them accept supply donations and would be thrilled to get some useful free yarn.
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