June 05, 2006
SOS! Have I gone mad?
It's offical people. I have joined the Summer of Stash Along. Now, before you get mad let me explain.
There are certainly two camps when it comes to Stashes, there are the die hard SEAAE'ers (Stash Enhancement at any Expense) who panic or even become aggitated at the thought of a self impossed yarn diet and then there are the "others" people like myself who for any number of reasons have decided to take the ultimate challenge and not buy a single skein of yarn until LABOR DAY. I have to say that for me this will be quite easy. In fact, when it comes to "stuff" I like to have as little of it as possible. Possessions bog me down. I feel burdened and surpressed by ownership. Typically, I purge stuff three or four times a year to my poor DH's chagrin who is such a perpetual saver he has moved a BOX of old checks and used batteries at least five or six times. It goes a little something like this. So, for someone like me the Summer of Stash Along should be easy as pie, right? Reorganize the stash, figure out what projects I would like to make and match with newly reorganized yarn, knit peacefully like a zen master until the stash is reduced feeling a sense of freedom by my lightened load. Right? Yup, that is how it is going to be for me only I can't help but experience this feeling of panic as I contemplate my two allowed exceptions. Yarn is different for me. I enjoy being surrounded by the color and textures. After a long day of parenting and taking care of everyone else's needs I can retreat into my yarn space and feel calm. So what do I allow myself in a moment of weakness when I can not seem to muster up the willpower to resist a purchase and what type of yarn would bring me to that point? The answer is none. If I am going to do this I am going to do this people. No holds bard. I certainly have enough yarn to keep me busy for the next three months that's for sure. 
(It is a breezy spring day, the first warm breeze of the season is blowing the shabby chic curtains gently as warm yellow sunlight fills the freshly painted white room. DH (Darling Husband) enters bedroom to find SWK (SpiderWomanKnits) with head buried in closet, clothes piled everywhere and the dreded box of clear lawn bags to her side)
DH: (aggitated) You better not throw out my favorite blue t-shirt.
SWK: (with madness and determination in her eyes turns to look at her DH momentarily shooting him a resolute glare provoking fear and panic)
DH: (cautiously begins to back out of room) You know you do this every year and then you complain you have nothing to wear. I'm just saying that maybe you should think about storing the stuff instead of giving it all away.
SWK: (totally unresponsive continues to cram clothing into the clear lawn bag as if she hasn't even heard her husband)
DH exits the room. The sound or rustling plastic bags and moving furniture can be heard throughut the house. Later, piles and piles of the clear lawn bags filled with clothing, misc. kitchen gadgets that seemed like a good idea but have since proved to be useless, and plastic primary colored kids toys emitting obnoxious high pitched songs such as "Row Row Row Your Boat" are loaded into a car destined for the Goodwill. DH can be seen at the front door of the house shaking his head while SWK starts the car and pulls out of the driveway still determined and consumed with the need to be rid of material possessions.
(End Scene)
That being said I am a new sock knitter and only have one skein of sock yarn in my stash. I will allow myself to buy sock yarn if I find it at a fiber festival and it supports a local yarn producer but it must meet both of those criteria. However, I will not start a new project with yarn purchased during the challenge until my challenge projects are done. That's it. That is my excepetion. So stay tuned and watch as I knit up my cubes and lighten my load.
Wish me luck!
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