Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Stash...

I was sitting on the couch thinking about my stash this morning, when I came to a realization.

I was contemplating a little more Sweet Georgia, and trying to figure out a way I could justify more. Well, that wasn't hard, but it came with some conditions.

I decided that I needed to create some yarn buying rules for myself. First, I thought well okay, I've got two sweaters on the go, so if I want to buy more, I have to finish them first. My next thought was that sweaters were really in a different category, and shouldn't stop me from buying sock yarn.

Rule #1: I must finish both sweaters I am making before I can buy more sweater yarn. Because really, sweaters are in a different category from socks and should be treated differently. Really.

Then I figured I should tackle some sock yarn rules, since my stash has been expanding rapidly in the last few months. Now, I'm a firm believer that sock yarn should be subject to the fewest rules possible (beauty in chaos, etc.). So, my next thought was that I should knit X-number of pairs before I can buy more. Considering (in the last two months) my sock yarn stash has expanded by enough to knit about 30 new pairs, I figure 10 pairs is enough to knit before I can buy more. Or maybe 8? 5? You see why I have difficulty with this. No, 10. Must knit 10 pairs.

Rule #2: I must knit 10 pairs of socks before I can purchase more sock yarn.

If you have knit lace, you know it is addictive. You also must realize that the only way to control addiction is full blown abstinence. Yeah right. Not. Going. To. Happen. I mean, let's be realistic.

Rule #3: There is no controlling lace yarn purchasing. It just can't be done. If it can't be done, it's not my fault. So there!

While making these rules, my realization was that I enjoy my stash. I don't just stash because I can't control myself, I stash because it brings me comfort. I like knowing it's there. The reason I don't knit all my stash is because I don't want to use it up, because then it won't be there for me.

11 comments:

Lori said...

Jen was saying the other day how buying yarn is the first (and easiest!) step to knitting a new project, and perhaps that's why we find it so gratifying; that unknit skein holds all the possibility and potential... Enjoy it, (well, perhaps with a little moderation...)

Lori said...

Oops, linked to the wrong Jen, I meant THIS Jen!

Christie said...

Hmmm...I like the rules. It's good to have boundaries to ones self in line.

Anonymous said...

HA! Have no fear....using up one's stash is not possible. So do what you have to do to make your rules work for you. And love every skein Rejpice in it's beauty and the endless possibilities.cg

Rachel said...

I agree about the stash providing enjoyment beyond just its knitting potential. Especially sock yarn - I like knitting with solid sock yarn better than variegated, but seeing those gorgeous hand-painted variegated yarns in the skein just makes me want to buy and squeeze them all. But I just had to set some rules for myself too, after realizing that I had enough sock yarn to make >40 pairs.
And I'm so jealous of all that Sweet Georgia yarn you got! Yum.

LadyLungDoc said...

Resistance is futile!!

Anonymous said...

Your last line... about not wanting to knit up all the stash because then it won't be there for you... I get that.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you all the way - stash comfort!

Asaknitter
www.knittingnutter.com

Anonymous said...

Can I make you break your rule by saying that Sweet Georgia Yarn is going to be very scarce soon? You must buy! tee hee

Anonymous said...

30 pairs of socks, eep! But knitting a third of it before you buy more, that actually sounds tough.

I'm with you on the stash rules, though, I'm at storage capacity for my yarn, so I need to lay down the law very soon...

Theresa said...

I stash because of the beautiful possibilities. But a few rules might make it more beautiful and less . . . overwhelming.