THE KNITORIOUS MRS.B

Knitting A Purposeful Life.....

The summer has been officially over for a few weeks now, and I am caught up in the mad frenzy of cleaning, organizing, disgarding, and knitting, but not necessarily in that order.

I am in the process of moving my immense, yet glorious, yarn stash out of the t.v. room and basement into an upstairs small, spare bedroom. Problems lay with the issues of "immense' verses "small". There is minimal closet and dresser space. I am contemplating various storage options. I must make this work somehow.

The motivation for this massive undertaking was the observation that my family room was beginning to resemble:

1. My local yarn store.
2. A crowded and messy workshop.

I was feeling claustrophobic.....

This has caused me to reflect on my knitting life, and reach a conclusion:

THE FIRST STEP IS ADMITTING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!

In an effort to prevent an inevitable family intervention, I decided the time had come to take measures to contain, manage and resolve this little problem of mine. Let's relocate the stash!

It has turned into one major project!

Taking yarn inventory has forced me to face the fact that I have accumulated over the course of 8 years colossal amounts of yarn!!!

I've gotten re-acquainted with little fiberfriends I hadn't seen in years and had long forgotten about. "Hello Koigu"! "How ya doin', Noro"? "What's up, Bartlets?"

Yarn purchased with specific projects in mind, waiting patiently for years for that magic moment to occur when it is whisked away on golden needles to be created into beautiful gifts for my loved ones! There are many, many of these groups with the stash.

Others bought as single, precious, lonely oddballs, perfectly suited as a hat or combined with other orphans to form some small item for an emergency baby gift..

Yarn that was "On Sale', discontinued, or designated for charity knitting projects.

Yarns purchased in abundance for the latest KAL.
Can we say "ballband dishcloth?" The Lily people should feature my picture on their Sugar and Cream cotton labels.

Let's not even get into the novelty scarf knitting craze that isn't winding down as far as I can see, despite the indrustry trend reports!

I think you get the picture.

What the heck was I thinking?

Is this yet another example of gross consumerism? Or, perhaps the signs of serious mental illness? Am I a hoarder, in need of the false sense of security that having yarn somehow provides? A serious collector of fiber? A woman with an obsession? A Material Girl?

I could photograph Le Stash, but I am too ashamed to have an official record of my vice.

I cannot fathom the $ amount I've invested in my craft. Nor do I want to.

Catholic Guilt leads me to question how the money spent on yarn could have served a more practical purpose. I wanted only to bring happiness to others.

SIGH!

One last thought about my yarn issues.

Stitches East is one month away.

And, yes, I am going.

Be afraid. Be very afraid....