Goodwill has yarn! (sometimes)

Even more hit and miss than finding yarn at Big Lots is yarn at Goodwill. I've been lucky enough to find cashmere worsted weight and Noro Kureyon sock in single skeins, but a lot of what is there is acrylic. Nothing wrong with acrylic, and I've bought it at Goodwill myself, just I know it's not everyone's favorite. Right now, I've got 4 skeins of a laceweight mohair, a big skein of a microfiber from Joann's, and some baby yarn waiting. Unlike some people who decide what they want to make, then buy the yarn, I find the yarn and then decide what I want to make with it.

If you want to try yarn at Goodwill, here's some tips that I've found helpful.

1. You might have to ask where the yarn is shelved. The usual suspect areas are household goods and domestics.
2. I take a few minutes to check whenever I'm shopping near a Goodwill. You never know when the good stuff will be waiting there for you.
3. Sometimes the yarn is bagged  so it's impossible to feel. I've bought  unlabelled acrylic I thought was wool and  unlabelled wool I thought was acrylic! I was pleasantly surprised with my wool and disappointed with the acrylic, although I did make a crib blanket with it, then re-donated the leftovers.
4. Since the yarn is often unlabelled, not only is its content unknown, so is the yardage, which can also be a problem with vintage yarns that often didn't have yardage listed, just weight.
5. If you're concerned about bringing home unwanted pests, keep the yarn in airtight plastic and away from your other yarns. I've also placed yarn in the freezer for 72 hours, though some sites say a home freezer doesn't get cold enough to kill larvae. However, I've never had a problem with moths.
6. If the yarn seems soiled, you can wash it first. I've washed acrylics still in the skein with no problem.
7. I've rarely found yarn that is still being produced. If there's any question you'll run short, you might forgo using Goodwill yarn, as it's doubtful you'll find more.

Hope that helps. Good luck at Goodwill.