Ribbons and Stash

I've finished the parade of recently finished objects so here is a peek at the socks I'm working on right now. Recognize the pattern? It's Pink Ribbons by Lisa Lloyd and they are 100% cashmere baby! I cannot tell you how soft they are.

These socks, which are for my M-I-L represent the last of my scheduled holiday knitting for this year. Will I finish them befor I see her on Monday? I dunno. I do have a 2 hour flight between now and then. I'm pretty sure that, at the least, I'll be close. I do know that when these are finished they will be the 15th pair of socks I knit this year. Ask me how many I knit last year. None! That's right - I never knit socks before this year. How crazy is that?

I suppose it's no more crazy than the way my stash has grown this year. I'll stop and review the year more thorougly another day. Today it should suffice to say that at the start of the year, my stash fit in this cabinet and a basket or two.

Oh how things have changed! Now there are about 4 baskets and this is where the overflow stash lives. The bulk of my stash has 2 lovely yarn containment units to call home. I cannot allow the stash to grow beyond these. Surely the point of this little admission is obvious - I think I'm gonna join Wendy's Knit From Your Stash 2007.

I've been thinking about it a lot. I know that there are folks out there with larger stashes but these 2 units are in my dining room and there are 3 other people in the house. It would not be proper parental behavior to evict my children from their bedrooms so that the fiber could spread. It's time to put a stop to this.

I had a lengthy discussion with my enabler a friend today. She expressed a little concern about what this might mean for MDS&W. Never fear - I'll be there.

Wendy's rules are kind of loose, as in, adjust to fit your needs. Here they are (with commentary):

Knit From Your Stash 2007
1. The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 1, 2007 and run through September 30, 2007 -- a period of nine months. - We're ok so far although I'm not sure I'll make it to September.
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? - All good here.
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. - This works too.
2.c. If we are knitting something and run out of yarn, we may purchase enough to complete the project. - Whew! This one is important
2.d. We each get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- we are each allowed to fall off the wagon one time. - This seems open to interpretation so I think that I'm going to interpret it as one day - not one item. You see where this is going?
3. We are allowed to receive gifts of yarn. - Thanks goodness for Valentines Day, Mother's Day, My Anniversary... hey dude, take note!
4. Spinning fiber of any sort is exempt. - This is a make or break rule because there is a wheel on it's way and it will need to be fed.

So, as I was saying, a friend and I hashed this out and I wasn't sure at first that I could do it but then I started a mental inventory of UFO's that I actually want to finish like a certain scarf for my brother (I haven't forgotten), Linen Lily and my Elsebeth Lavold sweater. There is also the Neverending Vest for hubbo which I could (and should) finish.

I also have yarn for a few things I'd like to make like the Lotus Blossom Tank, a Debbie Bliss Denim blanket and the Dragon Wing Shawl to name a few. This doesn't even touch the yarn that I have set aside for projects 'to be determined' for my girls and the stuff I just ordered for mittens and hats. This alone could keep me very busy.

Forgetting all this I was still concerned because I love to visit yarn stores in my travels and I generally bring back a small souvenir. Then I realized that the souvenirs are usually sock yarn so it should be ok. Never-the-less, I think that I'm adding a small carve-out to cover this.

5. Souvenir yarns don't count but they must be limited to one per store and must be special - something you haven't seen before or can't easily get at home.

The more I think about it, the more confident I feel that I can stick to this. After all, MDS&W will likely be devoted to wheel fiber anyway. Right? That reminds me of one more concern to cover before committing myself - the cashmere clause. Last year at MDS&W, Felicia and I found a booth with cashmere towards the end of the day and had to pass because the damage was already done. We swore that we'd make up for it in 2007. Hence rule #6.

6. Cashmere does not count.

Ok, all covered? I think that does it. Game on!