What to do with your Grandma's 50 yr stash?

My GrandMom is one of those knitters who always bought new yarn for every new project -- looking forward to the next color and texture.  Any left-overs were stashed away in bags and boxes in closets, the attic, or the basement with a few cedar balls thrown in.  When she stopped knitting several years ago, my sister and I inherited the stash.  Five huge boxes each full of yarn.  At first this was very exciting...I'll never have to buy yarn again! and then a challenge...I will find a way to use all of this yarn.  I will discover the perfect project for each skein and ball!  Then frustration...is there enough of a certain color, what if I run out, does the gauge match the project.  Then a burden...my boyfriend says, "No new yarn till the old is used up."  (We're somewhat maxed out on storage space in our tiny brooklyn apartment.)  So no impulse buys at the yarn shop, no choosing a pattern and finding the perfect yarn at the yarn shop, no falling in love with that soft luxurious skein and bringing it home.  

Over the years I have made 4 different afghans (granny squares are perfect stash bashers), 10-15 bags of various sizes, lots of baby sweaters for holiday sales and gifts, a bunch of baby blankets donated to www.projectlinus.org, legwarmers, socks, baby booties, hats, shawls, ponchos, scarves, and I can't forget, crocheted coral for the NYC coral reef project at the World Financial Center this year.   Some nice person posted a video on youtube.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHODQRmMyll  (I actually saw one of my pieces as the video panned across the exhibit. That was pretty exciting for me.)

I can't even remember everything.  

And still there is more yarn.  I actually gave in and donated 2 big grocery bags full of yarn to the coral reef project.  Some especially ugly skeins, acrylic, in colors that didn't inspire me.

   Some of my favorite things to make with little bits of yarn are baby booties, so cute, and of course, socks.  Can't go wrong with socks.

They don't use much and you can always add stripes.  I have a pair that I made with 5 diffe

rent yarn bits.   And two other pairs with contrasting

toes or ankles. I've become very good at toe-up sock knitting.  That way you can adjust the length of the ankle part if and when you run out of yarn.

Finally, I'm getting down to the last usable bits.  I just started a vest.  I'm very excited.  The yarn is a little itchy, which is why I still have it. But it should be fine with a layer underneath. Here I am in progress.  I don't have enough blue, but I'll just add some green stripes.  Knitting clothing is a big step for me.  I've always made things that don't very much if the gauge is off or if the piece turns out a little big or a little smaller.  So far so good.