Being an academic means that I am forever on a student's timetable. This has pluses and minuses. A minus: the average age of the person that I see most often is about 20, yet I keep getting older, meaning that I remain a permanent adolescent as I enter middle age. A plus: Winter Break. I have been using this time in my customary way--knitting, traveling, reading back issues of the New Yorker, the Nation and Allure, staying up late and drinking, knitting, and thinking about knitting. All of this free time has permitted me to confront the grim realities of my stash. In two words: it's hideous. It has grown to gargantuan proportions and is making me feel mentally ill. If anyone had this much, say, vodka in their house, they'd be the object of an AA intervention right quick. Most people in my life don't know about the stash. To my kids it's just my yarn, and they think nothing of it. The Darling Resident Marxist Curmudgeon has commented on it, although not as much as I would have expected given that it embodies so many things that he despises (gluttony, greed, excess, expenditure of ca$h money). But because it's up on the third floor of our house, no one ever really sees it, so I can go on pretending that I'm actually a normal person. I can hold my head up high during the day...yet like Arthur Dimsdale in the Scarlet Letter, at night I lock myself in a closet and whip myself (ok, not really, but you get the whole self-flagellation image) for being such an evil, evil knitter. It's so much yarn, and it feels so wrong!
So I have decided to join the ranks of the Lone Knitter ( and her chastening yarn diet), Très Chic Véronique, and Wendy and knit only from my stash in 2007. Believe me, this will not be even slightly difficult! If you click here you can read about the project. I am making several modifications, however. Wendy and co. are allowing themselves to buy sock yarn. I def. will not be doing this, as sock yarn is one of my biggest problems. Buying sock yarn for me is like eating one of those fun size Snickers bars. It's so small you tell yourself that it doesn't really count, and then you wind up eating about 8 more. (Did I mention that I'm also doing Weight Watchers right now?) To illustrate how much a little can add up to a lot, I have included pictures or only my sock yarn stash. Believe me, I'm not proud of this (see below).
So, you won't catch me buying any yarn in 2007...although technically I already broke this as several days ago I ordered a gigantic project from Knitpicks that should keep me occupied for months--knowing that I now love fair isle knitting, can you guess which one it is? I'll post more info when the dust settles...
So I have decided to join the ranks of the Lone Knitter ( and her chastening yarn diet), Très Chic Véronique, and Wendy and knit only from my stash in 2007. Believe me, this will not be even slightly difficult! If you click here you can read about the project. I am making several modifications, however. Wendy and co. are allowing themselves to buy sock yarn. I def. will not be doing this, as sock yarn is one of my biggest problems. Buying sock yarn for me is like eating one of those fun size Snickers bars. It's so small you tell yourself that it doesn't really count, and then you wind up eating about 8 more. (Did I mention that I'm also doing Weight Watchers right now?) To illustrate how much a little can add up to a lot, I have included pictures or only my sock yarn stash. Believe me, I'm not proud of this (see below).
So, you won't catch me buying any yarn in 2007...although technically I already broke this as several days ago I ordered a gigantic project from Knitpicks that should keep me occupied for months--knowing that I now love fair isle knitting, can you guess which one it is? I'll post more info when the dust settles...
19 comments:
Holy stash Batman!!
You should definitely do the Lime N Violet Sock Marathon!
Don't hang your head in shame - embrace your stash in all it's gloriousness!! Sock yarn is my downfall too. I was blog surfing the other day and someone had figured out their sock yarn stash in miles and was ashamed. I then had to figure mine - it was over twice as big as hers. I'm horrified!!
Not only do you have a lot of stash...you have a lot of a**kicking stash. You go girl. There's a lot of great potential there. I, on the other hand, now see that I need more stash. Perhaps I will collect stash in 2007 and knit it in 2008!
can i come over and roll around in your stash? It looks lovely!
Sock yarn is my weakness too, its so easy to pick up a skein! Good luck knitting up your stash girl : )
You go, girl! That's some amazing stash. You just need to break it up a little, you know, a few skeins under the bed, a few more in the closet...
Yay! Would it be cheating if I say I know which Fair Isle pattern you'll be knitting?? :)
Stash enhancement is one thing....but girl, your stash of sock yarn alone makes me think you know a secret about the immediate irradication of all the sheep, goats, rabbits and alpacas in the world. Are you stock piling because you heard they'll be gone next year?
Holy cr*p! That's some good stash there, enjoy it! I, for one, and totally jealous.
I am in awe of your stash size!!! I can't even begin to match your size!!! I'm jealous. I so am not doing the knit from your stash thing. I have nothing compared to most of you guys.
I made it through 2006 without buying yarn. It can be done and it can be wonderful too. Honest and true. You'll even be glad you did it. Maybe even glad while you are doing it.
Especially if you're knitting on the KPPFI sweater.
Hmm. I'm doing that too. Are we twins or something?
Happy stash shopping.
An amazing stash! I admire your willpower and will cheer you on while knitting from it (notice I said nothing about joining in though!) ;)
Can't wait to see the new fair isle project....the Telemark sweater maybe?
What a great sock yarn stash. You need never wear anything but handknit socks....
I am so ashamed. I started shopping your stash. OOOOhhh I like that... Hmmm...I think I have that...Wish I could see that one up close...Wonder is that's good yarn for sock... is it soft... We all have problems Baby!
Well, you certainly have a beautiful sock yarn stash! Aren't you so excited about knitting some of it up! I think that's what really made me feel great about going on a yarn diet: it meant I could finally knit up my yarn. I read somewhere, I think it was in Knitting Rules by McPhee, that sock yarn doesn't count as stash--but what if it's the only thing you're stashing? Hmmm.
I'm going to have to modify the yarn diet. There is no way that I have the will power to not buy ANY wool. Your stash is beautiful. I took pictures of my stash but I can't seem to get them up, I have a Mac and it doesn't seem to be compatible-I may have to switch back to my laptop. Watch for my Wool Watchers Diet----the modifications will make it so much easier for everyone to live with, well at least those that are as weak as I am.
I'm going to have to modify the yarn diet. There is no way that I have the will power to not buy ANY wool. Your stash is beautiful. I took pictures of my stash but I can't seem to get them up, I have a Mac and it doesn't seem to be compatible-I may have to switch back to my laptop. Watch for my Wool Watchers Diet----the modifications will make it so much easier for everyone to live with, well at least those that are as weak as I am.
I just posted my version of the yarn diet, I thought it might interest you.
It all makes perfect sense to me.
Sock yarn stash does not count. Just keep repeating it and you will realize that this is true.
Or you can do what I have done which is go go through my sock yarn stash with a serious eye and decide if I will actually ever knit with the yarn. If the answer is no, it goes into one pile. If the answer is maybe, another pile. And yes, it goes back into the stash. The maybe pile gets looked at again in a week. Most of the time, the anser is no and I end up with 2 piles. I havve either traded or sold or given away the stuff in the no pile.
I have one thing to say..
I LOVE YOUR SOCK YARN STASH!!
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