Why the stash?

Non-knitters sometimes ask the silliest questions! "Why do you have all this yarn?"

Lots of reasons!

1) I see the yarn in the store for a project that will be next in line. I can't be sure I'll finish (or even start) before the dye lot is sold out so maybe I should buy a few extra skeins just in case. Once the project is done and I have the leftovers (whole or partial skein doesn't matter at that point) there's nothing for it but putting it in the stash. Take the whole skeins back to the store? That's just crazy talk!

2) I see the yarn in the store and I think of a project I'd love to do so I buy the yarn for that project. But something comes up (like another project) and I don't get a chance to cast on or warp the loom. What else can I do but put it in the stash?

3) I see yarn in the store and I buy it because of the color (texture, etc.) but I don't know what I'm going to use it for quite yet. I'll know the perfect project when I see it. However if I don't buy it now the perfect project will come along and I won't be able to get that yarn. Stash now; knit later.

4) I see yarn in the store and it's on sale! I don't know what I'll use it for yet but I'm sure I'll be able to figure out something. I mean, look at it! How can it not be great for something? And the price! That's such a good price! Buy it; stash it.

5) I see the yarn in the store and I just have to have it -- hmmm, a pattern emerging? -- because I'm a hoarder of yarn and it's mine, mine, all mine!

"Once there is a stash, why buy more? Why not work from the stash?"

That's just more crazy talk! The stash is where all the ideas come from. It's the "cabbage patch" of projects, if you will. There sit all the skeins of yarn. Look at the way they can be combined and ideas will just pop into your head. A Plethora of projects. All the possibilities are right there before your eyes. Once you make a choice, all the possibilities disappear as if they were never there at all.

That idea depresses me. Excuse me. I'm going to the yarn store now. I need to buy some yarn in order to get out of this funk.

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Bare beginnings

Here's the bare beginning of the weaving project. It has taken all week to get to the point I could get the loom in a position to start winding the warp. There's something in the math that isn't making sense. No worries. It'll sort itself out. Either I'll have to do this twice or I'll have enough for another project or (best of all worlds) I'm thinking this through properly and it'll come out the way I think it will.

Of course, there's a possibility that it'll be nothing like the dimensions I need and I'll turn this into something else altogether. So begins the adventure of weaving a project figured out by someone else who didn't give you all the information necessary to do the math yourself. I think I'm going to like this adventure!

P.S. - the Gang of Four is in the new location on the other side of the courtyard.

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Not organized yet!

I wonder how long it'll take before I get organized in my new space. I think I need to find a studio space.

In spite of my best intentions the loom is still surrounded by boxes of stuff. I thought there would be time to myself this past weekend but there wasn't much of that while I was actually at the condo. Aside from while I was asleep, of course. ::sigh::

I did get new sheets and a white board but I didn't get to Lowes or to the grocery. There are still 4 boxes preventing me from getting into the one closet.

I had the kitchen almost all arranged. Suddenly the bowls have gone missing. I'm going to have to hunt those down. Tonight I think I need to go through the dry goods and toss old spices and dead couscous. There is a can of Slim Fast that expired in 2000. I think it's time to toss that one.

My new Handwoven arrived today. There is a good article on warping board ergonomics. I think the artist's easel is probably going to be my best bet.

There are two looms out at the Knitter's Underground that are begging to be warped. There is also one in my living room.

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Move and plans

So here I am. Out of the apartment with the killer stairs. I can't say I'm sad to leave those friggin' stairs behind. My knee will thank me.

Dan died July 25, 2007 leaving the apartment to mom. However because of the way it all shook out, we ended up having to buy the apartment from the estate. Nightmare!! One year later and it's still not completely done. The estate was in MO; the apartment is in PA. Legal hassles, people moving all around; a paper chase ensues.

I've moved into this apartment with mom. It's not as hard as one might think except the part where we combine the two households. Thank god for self-storage, charities that "recycle" and friends looking for a change.

I'm still digging out. I'm using my textiles as a carrot. If I get this done, I may spend this amount of time knitting, weaving, reading, whatever. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think.


I've got the next weaving project decided on. There's something called a tubular spectrum that I'd like to try in a shadow weave or some twill variation.

I also want to weave some small bedside rugs or bath mats - maybe both. I have medium weight pastel cottolin for warp with cream cotton chenille weft.

Future projects include a silk chenille throw, skirt length of Zephyr 50/50 silk and wool, and I'd like to weave a bed cover in the "Lee's Surrender" pattern. I'm going to use Bermudian pastels in Shetland weight 100% wool for the warp. If I ever get the rest spun, I'll be using hand-dyed merino for the weft. It looks like a Bermudian sunset so I think some sampling will be necessary to make sure I'm not going to muddy the pattern with too many colors. Fingers crossed.

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