So I have 5 daughters. (I always feel a bit like Tevya when I say that. Know that in my head I am sounding a bit like Topal.)
Four of them knit, two pretty well all things considered, one is coming along nicely and wants to start her first sweater. One who is trying really hard but is easily distracted. And the fifth one never asked to learn, but has some learning difficulties so when I asked her if she wanted to learn to knit, she said she would but thought she wouldn't be very good at it. So that is the project of the weekend--or will be once I start teaching her.
And while I would like to be all happy happy that I'm passing along my love for all things yarny to the next generation, there is a big downside. I mean HUGE!
So everybody has a stash. Maybe it's big. Maybe it's only an extra skein or two. (And if that is the case, more power to you!)
My LYS is an hour away. So it's not like I can just get in the mood for a new project and just bop out to pick up a little smackeral of something. It's a definitely outing.
And I've taken advantage of sales and the knitswap list and made a meager budget go pretty far. And pictured above is pretty much my total stash except for sock yarn which is on different shelves. Including some recent acquisitions of sweater amounts and shawl amounts of yarn, I have (according to the nifty little thing in ravelry) 19,563 yards of yarn. A bit more than 11 miles. Which is a lot. I expected worse. But it is what it is.
Now most of that is earmarked for projects. The Rowanspun aran will be Amused before the year it out. The Dream in Color Classy is going to turn into Goose Rocks which I will start after the current sweater on the needles. There is some lennox for Webs that is destined for Snow White. And so on ad infinitum.
I don't have a lot of UFOs. If something goes into hibernation, odds are, it will never be finished. Ever. (Eric if you are reading this that does not apply to Henry VIII. I will get back to that one. I will. I promise.)
But in general, I have one big project and one small project going at any given time. A sweater and socks, for example. I tend to pick a project, finish it, then start the new one. That works for me.
So here's the thing. The girls keep coming up to me and asking for some of that "yarn you're not using."
Okay, we all know that stashes in and of themselves love to be guilt inducing. We either give into the guilt, pretend to ignore it, or truly truly are not bothered by our stashes attempts to guilt trip us. Most of the time, I ignore it because I know that this will be used!
But I feel all judged. Suddenly other people are looking at my yarn, deciding I have too much and offer to take it off my hands! I feel such pressure to cast all the projects on to get them out of this closet and into project bags just so the girls see that I am using it!
We've always had certain house rules. Do not lie. You never are to be violent with someone. Try to solve your problem yourself first. Only 2 pots of coffee can be made each day. You are not the chore cops for your siblings. You know, basic try to keep some peace in the house rules.
So now I am adding this one: I am using all that yarn in my craft room so you can't have any don't even ask for it. And we're adding a corollary. Yes, you can do extra chores which will go into your yarn allowance account. And to be honest, odd balls here and there, I am giving the girls. And they are getting some decent yarn! So it's not like I am completely selfish. Just mostly selfish.
It's just so difficult for the irrational stashing portion of my brain (and it is irrational) who feels like I must hoard yarn in case it all runs out someday to justify having a stash and not sharing it freely. It was so much easier when I was the only one who saw my stash and was interested in it cared about it.
Sounds good to me
Posted by: Jeri | July 22, 2010 at 11:13 AM