I’ve had a bit of a yarn-acquiring binge this week. Several skeins of Berocco Lustra for a lovely brown cardigan I saw in Knit Circus (on the cover).
I also recently joined the 12 socks in 2012 group on Ravelry in the hopes that joining the group would motivate me to:
– Learn how to knit socks, once and for all. I’ve tried and given up at least twice when I got to the gusset.
– Complete at least one pair of socks in 2012, if not the full dozen
Joining this group, of course, inspired me to buy enough yarn for at least 3 pairs of socks. And while I was at it, I picked up some lovely kidsilk mohair. And this doesn’t count the Swan’s Island fingering weight yarn I picked up a couple of weeks ago to make a lovely shawl for work. Nor does it mention the green yarn I picked up to make this lovely dragon scale scarf for the BF, to match his new hat.
So, you see, I have plenty of yarn. Too much yarn. The stash is growing. I see it happening.
I begin to understand some of those hoarders you hear about on tv: the ones who keep huge stashes of plastic bottles or periodicals. They have plans for those items. Dreams. Someday that plastic bottle will be used to demonstrate the Diet Coke and Mentos phenomenon to their shrieking grandchildren. Someday that large pile of newspaper clippings will find its way into a truly impressive scrapbook that will be treasured by future generations. Some day that pile of brown yarn will become a gorgeous hand-knitted gift for my mother, demonstrating my love.
I refuse to become a yarn hoarder, but I can see how it could happen. Very easily.
So I am abstaining from any more yarn purchases until the Yarnover convention at the end of April. There will be scads of exciting vendors there, more than worth the wait. And if I can make it through a good portion of my stash in the mean time…or at least manage to make a couple of pairs of socks…I will have earned the opportunity to pick up a few treats.
No more yarn until Yarnover.
Related articles
- Why We Love Yarn, Pt. I (cloudknitting.com)
- Some sock stuff and slow progress (midlifemusings.com)
- FO Friday: Yoga Monkey Socks (remilyknits.wordpress.com)
All She Wants To Do Is Knit 
I may be about to break my vow already. Last night, a friend of mine with a new born baby related a story in which she was juggling baby, diaper bag, purse, and coat. She said she wished she had something easy and warm to throw on, like a shawl…
So you might be able to answer my question. In trying to organize my yarn stash, I found a bunch of yarn without labels. I’m trying to sort by weight. I should do a sample swatch to get the gauge so I know what weight it is. But what size needles do I use for the gauge if I don’t have the label to tell me what size to use?!?
Use a wraps per inch tool or a simple wooden ruler and wrap your yarn around it to determine how many wraps per inch it produces. 5 or fewer wraps is considered super bulky, 6 to 8 is bulky, 9 to 11 is worsted/medium, 12 to 14 is light, 15 to 18 is fine and above 19 is super fine.
For more detailed instructions, refer to this web page: http://knitting.about.com/od/yarn/ht/wraps-per-inch.htm
Good luck.
You’re brilliant! Thanks!!
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