It would seem that I have developed something of a stash problem.

Somewhere along the line in my knitting, I gained both the skill and attention span for larger projects.  Sweaters, blankets, hat-mitten-scarf sets - I just wanted something a little bit more than a one-skein wonder tossed out over a few days.

This was impossible with the random assortment of yarn bits I had in my tiny bucket-o-stash.  Assorted weights, assorted fibres, assorted colours, but nothing more than 400yds in anything that went together. So I had to buy some new yarn for a sweater, and then started collecting yarn for the sweater I wanted to knit after that.  And the one after that.  And the three sweaters after that.

Last night, a friend let me pick a few things from her stash (she is leaving town for the West Coast, and was trimming down for the trip), and I snapped up two different worsted weight yarns that would make two great sweaters.  This morning I went to store it in the Ikea dresser that is my stash location, but it became immediately apparent that this was not going to fly.

Every single bloody drawer is stuffed with yarn.

Now, I know that some people out there will say, “bah, one dresser? That’s it?”  and scoff at my meagre supplies.  But seriously, this is bewildering and amazing to me.  When I moved to Montreal in September 2008, I had one half-full Rubbermaid bin of yarn.  That has ballooned to at least four bins worth.  There are several factors that have led to my downfall:

• Having an LYS be the epicentre of my social life in Montreal (they have mom and baby knit groups!  What more can I say!)
• Attending a fibre festival for the first time ever
• Having friends and family who actually wear the things I make
• Having a husband who also knits, and encourages yarn purchases

But in truth, this leads me to some stash anxiety.  I feel the weight of all these un-made projects hanging over my head.  I look at each ball of yarn, and all I see is time.  Days and months and years of knitting in my future, all mapped out.  Most of them big projects, like colourwork sweaters and things I want to design.

It is time to get serious, my friends. I move again in August, and I have got to whittle down this badass pile of yarn.  So, I have some goals, mostly picked by how much space that particular yarn is taking up:

1.  At least four sweaters this winter

• One of my own design for me with Cascade Eco-Wool (that stuff is HUGE)
• Bernhardt for a friend, in O-Wool Classic
• Two toddler-sized sweaters for my little boy, either in Knit Picks wool of the Andes, or the Marra Inca Gold merino/alpaca.

2.  At least four pairs of socks this winter (I’m going for speed, so just plain vanilla socks for me)

• Two pair in assorted Schoeller and Stahl yarns
• One pair in Briggs and Little Tuffy
• One pair in SR Kertzer On Your Toes

3.  HATS HATS HATS BABY HATS MORE HATS SO MANY HATS

• Let’s just leave this one open-ended, shall we?  Got to maintain a little spontaneity in my life.

Well.  There it is, some resolutions for the knitting season to come.  I’ve already got one of the Sockina socks on the needles and the first cuff complete, and I’ve swatched for the sweater I am designing, and just need to dive in and start knitting it.  If I can get all that Eco-Yarn knit up, that’s going to free up a lot of space. I think this is the first time in my life I have ever prioritized my knitting projects by how much space the materials take up.

Oh yes - and feel free to slap me if you see me buying more yarn.

Tags: stash busting projects to-do

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