Saturday Stash

This is the last Stash report for 2011!  I have been knitting from my stored pile of yarn for the last six months and what do I have to show for it?

I have knitted just under 50 projects using stash yarn.  I was curious about the amount of yarn my needles had knit because the level in the chest didn't go down dramatically.  A quick calculation  says - and I don't know why the chest isn't empty! - I have knit 16.7 kilometers (just over ten miles) of yarn in stash projects alone.  That seems like such a huge amount of yarn but there's so much still to be knit.

One batch of yarn that I thought I would finish is the lovely pink that makes such pretty little sweaters.  I have finished the Stealth Cardi for Becky.  Again with the eccentric buttons - hope she approves. Those white-looking ones are actually mauve.   Can't buy new buttons either with jars and jars full in the sewing room.  I still have enough for one more hat, or a pair of gloves, or...?

My Snowberry sock traveled a lot in December.  I was always packing it up for those times when I had to sit and be social.  Socks are great for that but for some reason, I didn't pull this sock out too often.  I like to be prepared, though, so it will continue to be my travellin' knitting.

I have started the Midnight Rose pullover with the recycled and re-dyed wool.  Maria has approved the color so then I could wind up the balls and cast on.  That's about all I've managed, though.  So, it will be my New Year's starter project.  I always like to begin the New Year with something fresh on the needles.  I'm not sure when I stared this tradition of mine but it's been a LOT of years.

And, remember that book of crocheted edgings?  It was put to use as my daughter finished a Christmas gift for Gabby.  She figured she was keeping another tradition alive by having a Christmas gift flying toward the finish line on Christmas Eve.  Obviously, she learned well.  A-a-anyway...the little blanket was looking kind of plain around the edges.  So she leafed through and found an edging.  I supplied a hook and off she went, round and round.  I think it turned out beautifully, don't you?  The side showing is the reverse but you get the idea.  How did that foot get there?

One of the most satisfying results was actually having a sock pattern published.  I had some sock yarn that needed to be useful.  I was very happy with my Windwalker socks and decided to share their pattern.  To my surprise, a number of knitters queued them up.  And, surprise! two Ravelers have actually made them up.  That is the most fun part:  to see what other knitters do with your pattern.  Check them out here if you're curious.

Thus ends the Pledge Project.  I've had so much fun challenging myself to use (and reuse) my stash yarns.  I've had an excuse to troll Ravelry for patterns.  I've found some really great ones and I've been able to make up patterns that I've admired but couldn't use at the time.  And I've donated more than twenty items to our seniors' craft corner. 

However, I'm not quite ready to abandon the Pledge altogether.  I want to be a little less restricted about buying yarn.  It's been torture kind of hard to have to pass up all the great yarns and bargains that came my way last year.  So I'm going to try to continue the good work of reducing the stash while giving myself permission to acquire some new yarn - it could be thrift shop, online or just a great find.  I think I will try to always have a pattern and a use in mind.  I will try.  I will try.  I will try.

 Thanks for sharing my Pledge journey...to be continued.