I’m not hopping on the yarn-diet, buy-no-yarn-in-2007 bandwagon that seems to be making the rounds. Those who are, I know, have their reasons for doing so and I respect those reasons. But I’d like a chance to express my reasons for choosing not to follow along.
First, my stash is just not that big. I don’t have a room for my stash or even a closet — I have several large plastic bins that I store on a bookshelf and in a corner of my dining room. Oh… If I knit nothing but lace and socks and maybe a sweater and a couple of hats, and finished up the projects already on needles, I’d have enough yarn to keep me busy this year and partially into next. About half my stash is sock yarn and I am not adding to that collection right now unless I find some unique fiber or amazing color that I really want to try. I’ve joined the STR sock club this year, so I already know that some lovely yarn will be coming my way.
I am usually thoughtful about my purchases. Not always, but usually. Sometimes the thinking goes very quickly — so quickly that it might appear to be an impulse buy. But I do think and consider and weigh what I already have against the desirability of whatever new thing has caught my eye. Even if I buy impulsively, I have a roof over my head and my bills are paid and I have money in savings and buying a skein of yarn does not take food from my child’s mouth (he feeds himself quite well nowadays, anyway).
I’d rather knit a pretty sweater than buy one.
I have learned the hard way that failure to buy a wonderful yarn when it is available might mean that quantities large enough for the intended project are not available when I get around to starting on it. With colorways and even fibers changing quickly from season to season, it’s sometimes best to strike while the iron is hot if a particular yarn is needed (or wanted).
Most of the yarn I have has already been earmarked for projects, even if those projects have not yet been started. Most often I decide what I’m going to knit and only then start looking for a yarn to knit it from. I’ve also learned the hard way that buying yarn in quantity without the actual project in mind usually means that I don’t buy enough.
We are blessed in Portland buy having probably more local yarn shops per capita than almost anywhere else. Each is a unique shopping experience. All carry wonderful yarns and amazing fibers. Whatever you are looking for, be it acrylic or qiviuk; whatever shopping ambiance you prefer; there is something here for everyone. But our LYS exist only because they are sustained by the yarn needs of Portland area fiber crafters. If we all stopped buying yarn for the next nine months, by October we might find that our choices were fewer and some wonderful local businesses were no more.
I love yarn. All the yarn. I feel that I show admirable restraint by not buying all the yarn – even the yarn I don’t plan to knit with. OK… there are those three balls of pink KidSeta. But that was an aberration. Really. For the most part I am content to stroke and fondle and smell and squeeze and simply visit the yarn without bringing it home.
But I will not feel guilty when I do. 🙂
Congrats on being realistic about going on a yarn diet! I decided to “play”, but made up my own rules in which loopholes abound!
I live in SW Wa and always mean to visit some of the Portland shops, but haven’t actually ventured out yet (surprising how FAR it seems, when really it’s just a little more than my morning commute when I was working in N. Cal…). Do you have any experience with the St. Helens shop? Maybe I can work up to visiting The Big City a little at a time… 🙂
1Remark from T — Monday, 1/8/2007 @ 11:23 AM
we are not stashaholics, we are Collectors…:smile:
2Remark from hpny knits — Monday, 1/8/2007 @ 5:07 PM
You’ve made some great points about why NOT to go on a yarn diet.
I decided not to join the STR club this year since I’ll be able to purchase some STR yarn at the Blue Moon Fiber Arts booth at Stitches West. Of course I won’t get any of the exclusive patterns or colorways, but that’s fine since I can just live vicariously through you!
3Remark from ~Kristie — Wednesday, 1/10/2007 @ 2:18 PM
Just discovered your blog, and have been enjoying browsing previous posts. I looked around but couldn’t find any details about the Snake River sock pattern (Googling brought me back to your blog), so I’m guessing that you designed these yourself? If so, congrats on a super design – they’re gorgeous, and yep, they do look more complicated than just increases and decreases. Any chance that you’ll be publishing this pattern for the rest of us non-designing knitters? Thanks, Sue.
4Remark from Sue — Wednesday, 1/10/2007 @ 8:50 PM
T — I have not been to the St. Helens shop, but they appear to have a lot of nice yarn.
hpny knits — yes, we are collectors. And therefore we must collect!
~Kristie — This year at Oregon Flock & Fiber I snagged some STR in colors that were not available on their website. I’m betting they’ll have some cool stuff at Stitches West, too. I wish I were going!
Sue — welcome, and thanks! I might publish that pattern if I ever find time to write it down. Maybe the world will slow down just a little soon?
5Remark from Judy — Thursday, 1/11/2007 @ 8:45 AM