If you are big on crafts, you may use a lot of yarn. Yarn is not just for knitting or crocheting, it is also used in many other crafts, though perhaps not in large quantities. If you want to find some great deals when buying yarn, you can look for discontinued yarn for your next project. Not only can you get a great deal, you can find colors that you won't find again, and that no one else will be using. There are a few things to remember though, as using anything that has been discontinued can mean you don't get to finish your project. Shop wisely when going with anything that is no longer being produced.
Some colors of discontinued yarns are colors that have been around for a long time but that are not in style any longer. Sales of the color may have dipped in popularity and sales, and the manufacturer feels that it is not profitable to sell that lot color of yarn any longer. When that choice is made and that dye lot is no longer made, that color becomes discontinued yarn and you can save a ton when you buy it. It could also be a newer color that never seemed to sell well and has not taken off the way the manufacturer has hoped. These too become discontinued.
This can be a bonus for you if you like either the new color or the color is old and you still want to use it. An old color does not mean a bad color, it just means others have become more popular and it is not the first choice any longer. If you buy up what you can find, you may have enough for many projects. However, don't make the mistake of buying just a little of a color of discontinued yarn, as you may not find more anywhere else and you won't be able to finish what you have started. Buy up what you can find first so you do not run out mid-project. You'll have to finish it with something else or throw it out.
Don't just rely on one source for your discontinued yarn. If you find it at one outlet online or in your local area, you can probably find it in other places as long as it was well stocked and just taken from the market. That means it is on sale and everywhere, though not always. Search for multiple web sites that may have it is stock and buy up what you want. See if you can find it through an online auction, as many people also buy up discontinued yarn and the try to sell it to people like you that want to get your hands on it.
It could be also that discontinued yarn has nothing to do with the dye lot. It could be an entire company that went out of business or a line that is inferior to types of yarns produced today. Unless you are familiar with the company, do a little research. You could be buying discontinued yarn that does not hold up well over time. You don't want to give someone a blanket that will fall apart in a year. Most discontinued yarns are great as long as you get enough for your project, but double check brands you don't normally use or recognize.