Rediscovering the Stash
I'll just say it; I love my stash. As much as I complain and worry and attempt to dwindle it down, I love the yarn I own. I have to, otherwise it wouldn't currently be sitting in my house, right? (Don't answer that.)
After months of 'No Touch' time in order to finish last year's knit gift list, and my signing up for the Stash Knit Down 2008 on Ravelry, I decided to re-organize everything. I do this every few weeks, mostly because things get cluttered rather quickly when you're a knitter, or if you're rather lazy one such as myself.
What I found was a small treasure trove. There's the beautiful Lorna's Laces in cranberry, leftover from a scarf I made two years ago, the Rowan Cotton Rope I bought and made into Elena's toddler tank dress, my stash of Wool Ease for a shawl and perhaps a sweater, my collection of Tesoro.... the list goes ever on. There's always a sense of excitement that comes as I organize. My memory is jogged of all I want to make, how pretty the colors are, how soft the yarn feels, and all the wonderful possibilities. By the time I'm done, I usually want to cast on a dozen different projects.
That's why I signed up for this group. As much as I love buying yarn (who doesn't? Again, don't answer that.) I also know my limits. I can be pretty week-willed when it comes to buying new yarn. As such, careful planning is needed.
Last year was about getting the stash under control. While not perfect, I feel as though I was successful. Now's the time to roll up my sleeves and get started on this project list I've established. This doesn't mean I won't be buying yarn throughout the year - I know of at least four intended projects which I do not own the yarn to make. For me, it's about being smart, shopping my stash before I buy, and resisting those impulse splurge trips that got me into trouble.
To help me get started, I joined the January Knit Down Challenge, called Knit a Mile. The idea is how it sounds; participants are to knit a mile of yarn (1,760 yards) between January 5 and Febuary 19. The dates may sound strange, but go along with a robotics challenge. (Don't ask - I don't know)
Shortly after the challenge was announced, folks began organizing a pair of teams people could join. I decided to become a member of Team Hare, the 'overconfident' as some might say. I love it; everyone on the team is so pumped. Plus being surrounded by people who are quicker than myself will hopefully spur me on to the finish line. At this point, I really think this is a possible goal to achieve, and will be working hard towards it.
There are a few other goals I've set for the year to go along with restricted yarn buying and completing a mile. First, I'd love to finally use up the skeins of yarn that has been in my stash a long time. It's been bothering me for a few months now how these skeins have lurked in my little basket of random yarn:
[1] Caron One Pound in light blue and black - bought January of 2007, intended for a scarf
[2] Wool Ease in cranberry - bought January/Febuary of 2007, originally for poncho, now to be made into a Cozy shawl
[3] Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in cranberry - bought November of 2006, used for a scarf, about 1/2 skein left
[4] Berroco Ultra Alpaca in black -bought December of 2006, used for pair of Fetching, 1/2 skein left
[5] Cascade 220 Quatro in jamaica - recieved November of 2006, used to make a pair of socks, 1/3 skein left
In the case of the first two, I've always had intended projects, yet lacked the true willpower to start either. The rest have been waiting for me to find those just-right projects. Occassionally I pull them out, think it over, then put them back. Wouldn't it be amazing to be able to not only find projects for all of these, but to actually knit them?
Another of my goals is to focus more on charity knitting. I have plenty of yarn set aside for it, and there are certainly plenty of oppurtunities out there as well. My overall goal is 60 items for the year, or about five per month. My goals for the month are to finish a pair of socks I started last month and clean out my acrylic stash.
All that said, looks as if my year is to be rather full. Better get started.