There is a buzz many knitters are talking about this first week of the new year and it's how they are going to knit down their yarn stashes. Buying yarn because it's beautiful, or soft, or a "great deal" is like choosing to line up behind me, a big mistake!
I have developed a sixth sense when things are about to turn ugly while waiting in the checkout line. It has always been, and will forever be, that ninety percent of the time the person in front of me has picked up an unpriced item or is about to argue with the clerk about the price wrung up. I feel that it's only fair I give those behind me in line a chance, so I'll turn around and suggest they go to the next line.
It never occurred to me to buy yarn for yarns sake. When I decide to begin a project the first thing I need to know is who the recipient will be. Next, I pick out a pattern and finally it's off to the yarn shop to buy yarn. It would never work for me to just buy blindly! What color would you buy? Are they careful with the finished project or are they sweater killers and need to have their sweater in acrylic? How much do you buy for an unknown project? No matter how much yarn I'd buy, I would buy one skein less than necessary or three skeins to many to complete the chosen item. This is just the way my luck runs.
I do have a stash but it is all leftover yarn. I love to knit from this pile of yarn. I consider it "Free Yarn" and the completed projects "Bonus Items." I have made many beautiful items from this pile, baby sweaters and booties, mittens, fingerless mitts, charity knitting, and just last month The Tiger's new stripes.
But last week I was sorely tempted to join the crowd, and just buy yarn. I saw the most beautiful hand dyed alpaca yarn from Wolf Creek Wools, a company located in Montana. Oh, I wanted to break my stashing rule! But finally I left the yarn shop without my beautiful yarn because I just couldn't think of a project.
Then, just three days ago I was listening to a favorite podcaster, Paula, from the Knitting Pipeline. She was requesting test knitters for a shawl she had just designed and is soon to be published! I jumped on the internet and wrote that I'd love to be her test knitter and YEA, now I can't wait to show you the finished project, it's going to be beautiful!
I have developed a sixth sense when things are about to turn ugly while waiting in the checkout line. It has always been, and will forever be, that ninety percent of the time the person in front of me has picked up an unpriced item or is about to argue with the clerk about the price wrung up. I feel that it's only fair I give those behind me in line a chance, so I'll turn around and suggest they go to the next line.
It never occurred to me to buy yarn for yarns sake. When I decide to begin a project the first thing I need to know is who the recipient will be. Next, I pick out a pattern and finally it's off to the yarn shop to buy yarn. It would never work for me to just buy blindly! What color would you buy? Are they careful with the finished project or are they sweater killers and need to have their sweater in acrylic? How much do you buy for an unknown project? No matter how much yarn I'd buy, I would buy one skein less than necessary or three skeins to many to complete the chosen item. This is just the way my luck runs.
I do have a stash but it is all leftover yarn. I love to knit from this pile of yarn. I consider it "Free Yarn" and the completed projects "Bonus Items." I have made many beautiful items from this pile, baby sweaters and booties, mittens, fingerless mitts, charity knitting, and just last month The Tiger's new stripes.
But last week I was sorely tempted to join the crowd, and just buy yarn. I saw the most beautiful hand dyed alpaca yarn from Wolf Creek Wools, a company located in Montana. Oh, I wanted to break my stashing rule! But finally I left the yarn shop without my beautiful yarn because I just couldn't think of a project.
Comments
Post a Comment