Sharon Chow is a physical therapist by day who likes to get a little crafty at night. In 2019, she stumbled upon a weaving loom at a local garage sale. Since then, she's been hooked on creating her own woven wall hangings to share with the world! She loves getting creative and designing each wall hanging as she goes, making each piece one of a kind. Her wish is that her weavings will bring happiness to any room they're hung in.

 

 

What system do you use to organize your yarn?

I currently use a cubed wire shelf to store my yarn, organizing them by color. I like to use my yarn winder to create yarn cakes so that they're more easily stackable. I recently purchased a spinning wheel, and began spinning and selling art yarn through my Etsy. Each skein/hank features multiple colors, so I've been trying to find a system to organize these. (humble brag alert) However, I find them so beautiful that I'm absolutely fine with hanging them on my doorknobs, hooks on the wall, or anywhere they can be displayed.

 

What furniture/storage systems do you use to organize your yarn?

As mentioned before, I use a wire cubed shelf that I purchased from Amazon.

 

How do you like to de-stash?

I haven't needed to de-stash yet. When I first started weaving, I purchased a ton of different colored yarns that I wouldn't necessarily use now. I might have to think about de-stashing soon, either by selling them or possibly just by donating to the local craft thrift shop we have in San Francisco.

 

 

More often than not, what colors are always in your office/yarn corner?

More recently, I've been drawn to pink/orange and teal/orange combos.

 

Do you like to work in the same space where your yarn is stored? Why or why not?

This is sort of a yes and no answer. I have a craft room/space that is meant for me to use and keep all of my craft supplies in; however, a lot of the time, I honestly get bored of being in the same place for long periods of time, so I'll move my loom out to other parts of the house and continue crafting there.

 

When you are working on a project, do you have a specific spot you put it when you aren't working on it, or does it follow you around beyond your space?

It definitely follows me everywhere, from my craft room, to the living room and hallway. My family often finds random scraps of yarn everywhere. It probably annoys them a bit but just makes me laugh.

 

 

Was the majority of your yarn bought with a project idea in mind?

Most of the time, no. I love going to the craft stores and getting inspired by the textures and colors themselves.

 

Do you or have you ever found it difficult to manage/organize your yarn?

Definitely. As hard as I try, my yarn still ends up all over the place. I'm always pulling yarn from the shelf for new projects/weavings and everything is packed so tightly that others will fall out of place when I'm trying to grab just one. I also tend to have a lot more of one color that others (i.e., orange and pink), so they end up flowing into adjacent cubes with other colors.

 

How did you find an organization system that works for you?

I was inspired by other organizational systems that I've seen through social media. Some systems are more feasible than others. I found it most convenient to purchase something I could easily put together from Amazon. However, I would love to be able to create custom shelving, or simply add extra shelving to the walls.

 

 

How important is a well-organized yarn corner/office to your mental wellbeing?

A messy craft room probably doesn't bother me as much it may others. I wish I could say I was a more organized person, but that's far from the truth, so my craft room can get embarrassingly messy before I'm forced to do anything about it. However, once I've actually organized and put everything away, it definitely gives off a more calm vibe and gets me more excited to create.

 

Where did you purchase everything shown in your photos?

My cubed storage is from Amazon. This is probably the only thing I use to organize. Thumb tacks and command hooks can be purchased just about anywhere. Wish I could give you a more exciting answer!

 

Do you have any tips or advice you have for someone who is trying to reorganize their stash? I

think a ball winder is super useful in keeping yarn easily stacked and organized. I enjoy the cubed system because it keeps the colors separate. My advice would also be to treat your yarn like pieces of art! If possible, find ways to store them so they loom more visually appealing.

 

Are there any current projects or promotions you'd like to share?

I'm always adding new weavings and art yarns to my Etsy shop (hanginwithsharon.etsy.com) and you can find updates on Instagram/Facebook @hanginwithsharon! I also created Fiber Santa on Instagram!

 

Photos courtesy of Sharon Chow.