I have this week off and with the holidays near and Fall weather requiring outerwear, it is an inspirational time to start a new knitting project.
As holidays go, the first thing that comes to mind is to head to the local yarn store and SHOP. Before I grabbed the keys, it occurred to me that I might have something in my stash that would suffice for the next project.
In no time, I found myself inventoring my entire stash. Really inventoring the stash. It took me more than one day to do it. Included in inventory was all the yarn in the yarn closet. Not included in inventory was all my handspun/hand dyed yarn or novelty yarn sitting in various storage containers around the house.
As of today, 20 November, the inventory equals 92,275 yards of yarn.
At the rate of 1800 yards per sweater, that equals 51.26 sweaters. If I knit the equivalant of 4 sweaters a year, it will take 12.8 years to knit through this stash.
I am,by personal mandate, effectively, cut off from buying another skein for the foreseeable future.
Join me?
Are you finding yourself a bit on the heavy side when it comes to yarn? Feel free to use this Excel 2003 spreadsheet to check out your stash. If you have more than you can reasonably expect to knit in your lifetime, you are invited to join me in my Yarn Diet.
Knit with what you got!
-- Charisa
Update: 20 October 2008: I get a big f-ing F grade for this yarn diet attempt! Damn. I, perhaps have purchased less yarn than I might have, but nonetheless, purchased yarn.
I'm am so there.
ReplyDeleteI started an inventory of projects in cue. And then inherited a lovely huge stash of knitting yarn from my Dad. Love it, but yes it "should" put a cramp on my buying. Haven't totally succeeded in that attempt yet. But I'm showing more restraint. Happy New Year.
I am fairly new to knitting. Learned the knit stitch 3 years ago and have knitted nearly 50 prayer shawls for the moms at my local MOPS group (I am the mentor mom). I am teaching myself to knit socks for myself and my 7 grandkids. I found this blog after finding your YouTube video on doing the heel cup on toe-up socks. (I was so confused about it - but your video makes it look so simple!) Not only did your video help me, but on this blog I found your excel sheet on keeping track of yarn and needles. Thank you for sharing that. I know exactly how much work went into just creating the spreadsheet!!! Your pages are bookmarked at the top of my list under "Knitting". Thank you, thank you.
ReplyDeleteThe spreadsheets are great! I'm constantly looking through my yarn stashes when I think about a new project. Now I'll have it at the tip of my fingers. I'll also be able to check my needles to see if I have what I need instead of buying duplicates. Thank you very much! Barb
ReplyDeleteI did a spreadsheet and found almost 14,000 yds of yarn!!
ReplyDeleteSo, why is it that every time I want to knit I need to buy the 'right' kind of yarn!!
I'm in my 74th year and have UFOs of all kinds - and am now into knitting for preemies and up and donating what I do.
Oh, and then there's the 3 baby gifts in the works - one baby shower is this Saturday and the blanket is done and the hat is almost done.