A Stash Story

I love continuity. I love that I like the same colors over time. It turns out to be a very good thing. There will be more on that later.

First things first - I have stash. I have a lot of stash. Said lots-o-stash doesn't necessarily stop me from buying more yummy yarn, but I have really tried to tone it back in the last few years, and I have been, for the most part, successful (only one or two yarn-is-on-sale-so-I-have-to-get-it-now purchase).

When we moved two years ago, I reduced the stash some. I was able to disguise/camoflage the rest, so that when anyone asked, I was able to call it clothes, sweaters or kids toys. Then, I had a nesting phase in my last pregnancy, where I sold yarn to my knit group. I believe I brought 9 full (large) shopping bags of yarn - it covered (and then some) the large conference table we sit around; I sold 5, donated 2 to a friend who knits for a local children's shelter (Encore=washable), and still have 2 in my son's closet (hidden over on the side... sigh). Those two bags were destined for ebay, but alas, I had the baby, the hormones that created that nesting phase are gone, and so it sits in the closet (not even in the yarn closet - banished to a different closet altogether!). During that same nesting time, I reorganized the yarn in my yarn closet so that they (the wools) were sorted into different bins by guage, and the cottons are also all together in two large bins. The bins are plastic, but they all have holes so they breathe, and I put in little lavender sachets to keep the buggies away. For some reason, I didn't think to do this before, and so I lost some yarn (tears are appropriate here), but it did help in the destashing before the move...

So now we have the yarn closet:

I still tend to put things in front to hide/camoflage exactly how much there is.

The blue boxes up top there are the UFOs, also sorted (kids, scarves, sweaters, socks and/or sweater).

New purchases or inherited yarns (Baby yarn - in the bag on the floor, next to shoes/camoflage - from my mom, who never knit it into second son's blanket) are on top or outside, waiting to be sorted into the bins.


Looking at the pictures, I realize I probably should have cleaned up a bit. Hmmm.

So, this story is really about Daisy. Finished the body. Finished a sleeve. Realize I'm not going to be able to finish second sleeve. Search for yarn online. Think about calling yarn shop where I bought the green Cotton Classic, search online again. Think about getting creative and making it a color block type of sweater, with one sleeve in a different color. Or stripes... stripes are good. Remember late at night, just before I fall asleep, that I had a lot of CC from a yarn-is-on-sale-so-I-have-to-get-it-now purchase from that same yarn shop. Next day, I pull out the large bin on the bottom left (of course it's on the bottom), pop the top, et voila - right on top is one skein of the exact same green. It is a different dye lot, but I hop outside (yes, I hopped), and it doesn't look different to my desperado eyes. Hooray!

Now Daisy is finished; I have her mostly sewn up, and I don't have any buttons. All that stash, and literally no buttons (beyond the spares from shirts and so on). I guess I'll have to go button shopping now...

happy happy happy

Happy birthday C!!!

I was so excited to be taking the man out to a yummy dinner, as originally requested, but he came home and just wants to go to a movie instead. Sigh. We had such plans before the kids: absolutely one date night every month, go here with them, do this with them. But the reality is we're worn out by the time the babe falls asleep (if he falls asleep... well, he always does eventually, but some nights are later than others). Last night we watched 1/2 a movie. Impressive.

I would never in a million years give them up or go back to life before, but sometimes, well, I remember the before fondly.

Knitting wise, Daisy's moving along; I've split the fronts and back and am almost done with that, then it's quick sleeves and we're done, done, done.

Yum

When it comes to cooking dinner, I seem to be three on, three off, with one night out for good behavior (read: to save my sanity!!!!). I get three good meals going every week, and then the rest of the time I do a simple simple pasta salad or pasta with sauce from the jar. What will be, will be.

I made the most wonderful dinner last night and then topped it off with red beans and rice today. So tasty, and the babe can, and does, eat everything!! For dinner last night, I made the chicken tagine recipe from this month's Sunset magazine. We made it with rice instead of cous-cous, because it was what was in the pantry. I think my favorite way to have chicken is with apricots and prunes... oh, sorry, dried plums in a marketing change-up. I guess prunes sound like grandma's food (which, by the way, she had with milk every morning for breakfast). Although the little man would be quick to remind me that his favorite is the chicken with garlic confit or the beer-can chicken (2 different recipes). He likes to help cook. Tomorrow we're making Ka-bam Kabobs from his Emeril cookbook since the weather is wonderful and we can barbecue!!!

Still going on Daisy - must finish, must finish.

Remember Bill the cat?

ACK!!

I went out of town for the weekend, and come back to find a whole week+ slipped away from me here... Oy.

A friend just had a little baby girl, so I finally get to knit for a baby - both of my guys grew way too fast, and were in toddler clothes by the time they were 9 months old (or sooner in the little one's case). Another plus - I can do frillies and lace and girl things and little dresses. So much fun!!!

I've already started Anouk. I was going to go for different colors, but then I put the called-for colors together (in cotton - fun, fun, fun), and I was hooked. I'm just a sucker for the bright greens and oranges (C calls it Honda orange, but really, I'll go for any orange). I brought the yarn home and noticed that little man's sweater is in exactly the same shades of green and orange. Huh.

After getting about 1/3 of the way up the front, and making life a little more difficult by trying (and failing) to change the pattern a little, I realized the little 6 pound part-Asian baby is not going to get very big very fast. And this little dress was looking big (for a baby). So I'm also going to start Daisy, using the not yet, but soon to be leftover yarn from Anouk. I love Knitty.

I'm going to get the zipper for the little man's sweater (yes, the green and orange one) and should have that finished this week, if I can get past my procrastinating ways.