Stash woes

There are two main subgroups of fiberholics:  those who confront their stash and those who don't.  I've spent the better part of the last week sorting, spreadsheeting, and storing the fiberstash and the yarn stash.  The fact that this is being done just before New Hampshire Sheep and Wool is unfortunate coincidence.

The fiberstash trumps the yarn collection.  Sheer quantity doesn't hurt as much as the purposeless orphans I found.  I see that I fall in love with a color.  Or I lose it over a combination of fibers.  (The spreadsheet shows that 2006 was the year of cormo/silk.)  I'm realistic about how many sweaters I can stockpile (five) so I buy onesies and twosies.  And threesies.

How many scarves/mittlets/hats can a knitter use?  That is the question that is looming before me as I finish the cataloging and sorting.  How many fleeces can be stockpiled before it (what is 'it'?) becomes ridiculous? I don't have ready answers to these musings.  I'm finding it helpful to know what I have so I can sharpen my focus.  I'm not promising restraint on Saturday, just maybe a wee bit more mindfulness. 

The sock has been making some steady progress.   I cannot explain to you why the Fleece Artist pattern on the ball band told me to pick up 13 stitches on a 31 row heelflap.  It looked wrong, so I picked up enough stitches to make it look better.  I'm sure that means I've now answered the next question:  Will I run out of yarn?  That leads to the third perpetual question:  When will I learn toe-up?  I've decided on Louet black toes if necessary.  I think it will be necessary.  Sock yarns were packaged for smaller feet than mine. 

I've started binding off for the armscyes of the Dzined wool/hemp/mohair vest.  I have about nine more inches to knit for the back.  I'll probably start the front (ribbing and set-up for the cables), then put it aside til cooler temperatures return.  While knitterly monogamy gets things finished, I really do need to work on something cooler:  GreenGables in Tess microfiber ribbon yarn.  Both pattern and yarn have marinated long enough.

I'm taking garden pictures from the driveway.  Ticks have overrun Massachusetts.  I'm waiting for the lawn guys to spray death dealing rays so that I can continue garden cleanup and mulch.   These are shots of the crabapple tree, a new plant happily blooming in the driveway garden, and a quaintly confused wisteria.  She lives in the garage in the winter until I find a spot for her in the garden.  She thinks she lives in Maryland or Virginia, where it doesn't get cold, and life warms up in March.  Her blooms are pushed out at least two weeks early. 

NHS&W will be fun.  I'm going to test whether enabling is as much fun as buying.  You've been warned.

Comments

[maryse]

you're a pretty good enabler if i recall.

i'm the queen of onesies and twosies though. i hear you there. and i haven't a clue what to do with it all. i'm thinking cozies. ;)

i'll see you saturday! i'm not planning on buying anything -- we'll see what catches my fancy.

[Theresa]

Organizing the stash is a brilliant thing to do before going to a fiber festival. I always tend to do these things afterwards. . .

[Marcia Cooke]

The crab apple across the street is about a day from peak....I think it sold that house, it's so beautiful! Ticks, eh? We hates ticks. Do try to have fun in New Hampshire and think of us miserable unfortunates who can't go!

[margene]

You can always spin the onsies and give them away. Then it's someone else's problem to find something to knit;-)
Wish I could be there to have you enable me!

[Teresa C]

Heh, me too. Damn Ravelry. So, probably no yarn purchases for me this weekend, and realistically I shouldn't get any fiber either. So, I should stay home. Something to think about. Of course, I could buy one fleece to have processed and then dye it (because I am taking a dye class) and spin it (because I am taking a plying class) and then make something out of it (because, well, I can). But I haven't the slightest idea of fleeces, so probably not. Can I justify the spindle purchases? Hmmm.....

Time for a stash sale I think.

[naomi]

So...do you not know what the "new plant in the driveway garden" *is*, or are you just trying to see how many people ask? ;)

I'm finding my freeform-blanket project to be great for the bits and pieces of fiber (and yarn, actually) I can't resist.

[Carole]

Enabling? Oh crap.

[PumpkinMama]

You'll do great in your enabling role, I am sure. Have a blast, I will miss both the fiber and the friends this year, and although my soul will miss it, I don't think the stash will.

[Lorrie]

Warned, eh? We'll see about that... ;-)

[LaurieM]

Think of it as art. Or a collection. Has anyone ever said "I think I have enough stamps now." I don't think so.

[Sharon Plavnick]

In an effort to stop buying the onesies, I gave myself free rein to buy patterns instead. I spent today sifting and sorting through them. There's an awful lot of "What was I thinking?" going on! I hear you loud and clear, Laurie.

[Lorette]

Must be going around. My database is in sad need of updating and reorganizing. I also need to get rid of some dead wood; I must have loved it at one time, but someone else probably will love it more now. Have you seen this?

http://destash.blogspot.com/

I'm signing up.

[Lucia]

Very, very afraid...

[Sylvia]

I generally only buy for myself what I'm actually going to use within a 2-year span, nearly always goal-based. I use up my small amount of compulsive, "Oh, I *must* buy That!" buying presents for textile friends.

Haven't kept a spreadsheet since I was in business, and then only to satisfy the IRS. I prefer simply to have a comprehensive stash, enough of each likely permutation, akin to having all the standard colors of oil paints, a stock set of stretched sizes of canvas, and an array of brushes on hand.

See if you can "enable" Carole into buying a fiber other than wool to spin. Get her to stretch her wings a bit?

[Kathy]

I updated the fiber list this week after Connecticut. I can't bear to update the yarn list, but will do so before Cummington (Webs, oh Webs!) It does lead to more purposeful shopping. And enabling -- those attending on Saturday should be afraid :-)

[Cassie]

Who're you threating to enable? ;-)

I am, most decidedly, one who does not confront the stash. Your methodical tendencies, while thorough, do disturb me a little. Isn't it supposed to be about friendship and fun, not spreadsheets and realistic expectations? Isn't there enough of all of that in the rest of life? Wondering aloud ...

[Cassie]

gah. That would be "threatening", now wouldn't it?

[Caroline M]

Spin it first and worry about the yarn later. It will always find itself a project at some time. I have a pattern in the post that does something lovely with a few hundred yards of fingering, or at least I hope it does.

[Manise]

Hehehe. And you said something about "absolutely no fleece" acquisition? Well I'll enable you as well as you have enabled me right into the path of a gorgeous fleece! Boy, this IS going to be fun! What a wonderful way to celebrate the one year anniversary of my first S&W!

[janine]

mmmm. I am about to tackle my stash prior to entering it in Ravelry. I just hope the camera batteries hold out :-)

[LauraJ]

See you there! Doug and I have bought a lovely horse trough to wash fleeces and homebrewing bottles in, so I am pretty much OBLIGED.... but I really shouldn't get anything. I got my Precious Metal Clay starter kit yesterday.

[Chris]

The problem with enabling is that getting people to put their hands in a Must. Have. That. fiber works so well that the enabler often enables self. But, yeah, it's fun.

[Bookish Wendy]

I'll be at NH S&W too!!! So glad you're going to be there...

[Risa]

Have a great time at NH! I try not to examine my stash ;)

[Cheryl]

I don't think enabling is nearly as much fun as acquiring. Maybe that's why I have so much stuff.

[elizabeth]

I was just thinking this morning that if I could get some space in my husband's closet, I could convert my closet to a YARN CLOSET! Well, yarn and fiber. My fiber stash is rapidly growing and I've committed to buy a fleece soon....

Have fun at NHS&W and enable LOTS of folks!

[Diane E]

Mindfulness is always a good thing. I like to know what I have and what I may be looking for. As for the hummingbirds... I'm sure they've found you now.

[Anne]

Mwhahahaha! The caped enabler strikes again! (Of course, now you have to wear a cape to NH, maybe a mask and some red boots. Do you have your string - or should I say - singles yarn of truth?)

[Ruth]

We're going to have to have an enable-off. I've been told I'm a pretty dab hand at the skill, myself.

[Cathy]

Anne's right on ;-)
I know you will have lots of fun! Besides, (and this is what M pointed out to me the other day) you can NOT buy it all. Therefore, you must enable.

[Kim]

How many fleeces can be stockpiled before it (what is 'it'?) becomes ridiculous?

Depends how much of an R value you are trying to obtain in the additional insulation of your house! :)

[JessaLu]

It was great to see you today!

I prefer to hide from my stash. It's at a point now where it could take over the house in rebellion if I try to make it conform ;o)

[Helen]

It was wonderful to see you today!

We'll have to go over stash storage at the blegger. ;-)

[Rhonda from Baddeck]

I routinely make top-down socks from Fleece Artist yarn with 8" before the heel flap. I wear size 9-1/2 shoe, and have PLENTY left over. (I don't use their pattern, either.) I hope you find the same results.

[rho]

everyone else talked about the yarn but I will talk about the ticks - kill those suckers....from a person who has had both Lymes and babesosis - not fun - and I still think I am paying for them...

[Juno]

I dunno. Form the way you were weighted down when I saw you at 11 on Saturday, I thin it was buying, not enabling.....

Not a modest acquisition sort of weekend for sure, but oh, I sigh in happiness, a satisfying one.

[vanessa]

if i pick up extra gusset sts, i just skip the plain rounds between the decrease rounds for a few rounds.
does that make any sense?

[Kim]

Hmmmm.....how did that mindfulness work for you? Teehee!

It was GREAT to see you!!!

[Birdsong]

Stash represents potential, which is always in flux... you can always shift it around, repurpose, look for ways to combine and blend your own custom yarns... hope the festival was great fun.

[Dorothy B]

Ticks. Yech! There is nothing creepier than those things. I would rather have a snake and a spider on me than a tick. Horrible critters.

I hope you find a nice spot for your wisteria and your crabapple tree.