Resolved

I've come to the conclusion that I do in fact have enough fiber and yarn.

For now, anyway.

There's a lot of talk lately on the knitting blogs and email lists about New Year resolutions and for the most part they sound so restrictive. Especially the yarn diet.


Ok, not that kind of diet.

Making resolutions for the new year has never worked for me, mostly because as soon as I make them something in me wants to break them. But there's all that fiber...

I have 13 or so large Rubbermaid bins of yarn and fiber in various stages of prep. In the cedar chest. In an old picnic basket. In boxes and bags and my closet. Still, I can't help thinking that I'd rather not limit myself to what I have in the stash. Come spring there's the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival and perhaps another go at Stitches this year and I have to support the LYS, right? Who can tell what wonderful things the new year might bring? And also, I'm so not into the whole diet mentality. (Thank you, Weight Watchers.)

I think I'll start this year with one and only one resolution: to appreciate what I have.

Simple, right? Bringing a sense of thanksgiving to my daily life sounds like a good idea. Part of what, when I was sitting with the local Zendo, my Sensei would have said is the practice of joy.
The possibilities, it seems to me, are endless.


As it applies to all things fiber I like the spirit of Wendy and LBB's challenge:

Here's my take on the exceptions:

1. The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 1, 2007 and run through September 30, 2007 -- a period of nine months.

No problem.

2. We will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:

2.a. Sock yarn does not count. What? You think we are made of stone?

I have enough sock yarn. Really.

2.b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that we really and truly do not have the yarn for, we may buy yarn to knit that gift.

Maybe.

2.c. If we are knitting something and run out of yarn, we may purchase enough to complete the project.

Doubt that it'll happen, but ok.

2.d. We each get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- we are each allowed to fall off the wagon one time.

My exception will be the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival in May (no yarn or fleece, just fiber and I'll go with x amount of cash and when it's gone that's it).

3. We are allowed to receive gifts of yarn.

Ok. And I can use the gift certificate to The Mannings Mom gave me for Christmas.

4. Trading stash is allowed.

Ok.

5. Spinning fiber of any sort is exempt.

Nope, see 2.d above.

So, where to start?

• Weave in the ends of the Clapotis and finish the Cotton Fleece sweater for Mom.
• Block the Kiri shawl.
• Wash the finished skeins of Kool Aid dyed yarn.
• Finish up the purple/white/blue batt.
  
• Spin up some black singles to ply with the singles from the dark rainbow batt from Clear Water Dye Company.
  
• Rip out the misbegotten Lamb's Pride striped sweater and re-skein the yarn.
• Do the button band and sew the buttons on the cardigan from In Sheeps Clothing (already tried it on and steam blocked it).
• Try on the two cotton short-sleeved sweaters I started 15 years ago and rip 'em if they don't fit.
• Finish the socks I'm working on.
• Start my version of the FLAK aran with the Lllama Seta I got on sale at Woolstock.
• Rip out the sweater for B and restart it with a new pattern that fits. He's actually said he'd like to wear it if I finish it. The wool: spent a long weekend at The River Farm in New Market, Virginia with other members of the local spinning guild over 15 years ago and learned how to spin several plain and fancy yarns. All, if I remember correctly, in the grease. Carded up part of the chocolate brown fleece I bought with a longer stapled white corriedale and spun the yarn for the sweater. Very soft and lofty and deserves to be finished.

So, appreciate what I have. Use it. Enjoy it. Give it away.

Excelsior!