Taking a Stand

A couple of months ago, in a fit of angst about the yarn piling up all over the place, I joined Summer of Stash. The idea of this project is to go on a yarn diet and knit only from the stash all summer long. At the time, I thought it was a good idea. After all, I thought, I have so much yarn already. Enought to knit for several summers, and a few falls, winters and springs, too. I was determined to stick to the rules and buy no new yarn.

But you know what? I've changed my mind. I love my stash, and I love buying beautiful yarn. My stash yarn evokes fond memories every time I look at it. There's the Lorna's Laces I bought at the end of our fun trip to Truckee, and the Zephyr that I bought during a wonderful knitting retreat in Bodega Bay. It was this Zephyr, so soft and beautiful, that started me on the road to lace-knitting obsession. I've got sock yarn from a trip to my parent's in North Carolina, and lace yarn from one of our trips to Ashland, where we celebrate our anniversary every year.

Of course, I have a lot of "what was I thinking?" yarn, too, but for the most part, I'm happy with my stash. It pleases me, and I'm sorry I dissed it. Most of my stash will eventually be knit into something useful, so I don't really feel conspicuously consumptuous about adding this on my last trip to North Carolina:

Some people have a closet full of shoes, or shelf after shelf of trinkets and collectables. I have yarn. Lots and lots of beautiful yarn. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to fondle some cashmere.