Last Adjustment for Free Yarn

So, a friend gave me one more skein of worsted weight wool to add to my pile. Thankfully, this matches a previous skein so I should be able to make a little something out of them.

45,743.4 yard + 219 yards = 45,962.4 yards

Stash, organized

I spent a couple hours organizing my stash this weekend. I dug through everything, got it sorted into ziploc bags, and re-packed it up. It gave me some ideas, seeing everything all together. However, it also led me to uncover a little more:

Baby yarn: 227.5 yards
Jaeger wool: 95 yards

New Total: 45,420.9 + 95 + 227.5 = 45,743.4 yards

Yarn Market is Evil

Well, maybe just a little too much temptation in our large warehouse for little weak Melisa. The good folks at Yarn Market in Ohio invited us into their warehouse and showroom this morning and I went crazy in their bargain yarns. Oh well.

Araucania Atacama: 1,100 yards for only $47
Lily Chin Grammercy (Blue): 1,524 yards for only $54
Lily Chin Grammercy (Grey): 1,651 yards for only $58

For a grand total of 4,275 yards

New total? 45,420.9 yards

Okay, I think this has become a little bit of a game to me, but now I need to be serious. I have more than enough yarn to get me through Christmas. Do you think I can avoid any purchases until after the holidays? That should be my new goal, because this is getting ridiculous.

Give-Away Update

So, I have finally boxed up and shipped off my Caron yarn to the winner of my give-away. Now, I can actually tally the stash reduction officially.

Caron Pound of Love: 9,086 yards
New total: 50,231.9 yards - 9,086 yards = 41,145.9 yards

I am now within 10,000 yards of my original totals, which is still significant, but is at lease manageable. Now for more knitting!

The Swap Meet

At my knitting club today, we had a yarn exchange and my goal was to leave with less than I came with, or at the very least, leave with things I had a plan for!

I gave away:
Berrocco Comfort DK: -178 yards
Jo-Ann Sensations Smania: -309 yards
Lion Brand Cotton-Ease: -414 yards
Claudia Hand Painted Yarns Fingering: -175 yards
Lion Brand Suede: -488 yards
Total Traded or Given Away: 1,564 yards

I added:
Patons Shetland Chunky Tweeds: +135 yards
Lion Brand Homespun: +100 yards
Mysterious Sock Yarn #1: +200 yards
Mysterious Sock Yarn #2: +200 yards
Reynolds Lopi: +50 yards
Total Added: 685 yards

Overall, there was a net decrease of 879 yards!

New totals: 51,110.9 yards - 879 yards = 50,231.9 yards

I have decided to finish the Scrappy Baby Afghan that I started a looonnggg time ago. I had decided to use up all my little bits of baby yarn, because I didn't have enough of any one color to make a whole blanket, so this is what I ended up with. I love it, but unfortunately, I still have a ton of left over baby yarn. I'm probably going to switch to hats and cardigans, because I'm sure I have enough for those.

I also decided to make this smaller for a car seat, so it will be for Chrissy and her baby due in February!

Gingham Baby Blanket

For the trip to Milwaukee this weekend, I dug out an old crocheted baby blanket that I had been working on a while ago. Happily, I have finished it and it is darling.

[I will put in a finshed picture here just as soon as I get them back - had to purchase a disposable camera to use at the zoo this weekend and decided I would use up the second half of the roll on my stash and projects].

And, my stash count is somewhat reduced by the additional yarn I used, 227.5 yards

New total = 51,338.4 yards - 227.5 yards = 51,110.9 yards

Oops!

I forgot, last weekend I spent a few hours knitting with friends. One of them gave me a skein of dark grey Louet Merlin that they didn't want. How can I turn down free yarn? Now, I have one in black and one in dark grey, so I'm going to have to ponder what to do with them.

New Total: 51,182.4 yards + 156 yards = 51,338.4 yards

I can't say I'm sorry

I am in Milwaukee, WI, right now to visit the in-laws and took a trip to one of their local yarn shops, Fiberwood Studios. I picked up three skeins of beautiful Heritage hand painted sock yarn by Cascade in a deep red mix. I will be making a scarf for my mother-in-law out of this. I bought so much, that I'll probably be making a hat or mittens, too!

Then, when I got back to the house, my mother-in-law gave me some discontinued Orchid Line yarn, a lovely mohair/silk/wool blend in a beautiful raspberry color.

So, my totals go up again:
Cascade Heritage: +1,311 yards
Orchid Line Yarn: +1,225 yards

New Total: 51,182.4 yards

Pretty Pinafore

I finally managed to sew on the buttons for the Debbie Bliss pinafore dress that I have been working on for a very long time. It's a little big, but I love it!

Give-Away Winner

I have drawn a winner for the yarn, and it is Donna Lynn! Here's what Donna said she was going to do with the yarn:

I would love to find several homes for your yarn! My DH and I are in the process of becoming medical foster parents, taking in medically ill children. Almost all of the children come into the program with absolutely nothing and literally nothing to call their own. We will only have each child for up to a few months each (usually) and my goal is to make sure each child leaves our home with their very own afghan. We will be primarily taking care of babies, however, the need is so great that I have started to collect and donate squares and yarn for larger afghans for older children and the teens who are in this program. I am in contact with our caseworker through this program and she is thrilled that we are trying to help because the need is so great for these kids.

If you send me the yarn, the love would literally be scattered to several deserving children who need nothing more than love!

Congratulations! I'll be in touch!

Give-Away

This contest ended on August 10th

I have decided to give away a portion of my stash for no reason other than to clear some space in my house and reduce the yardage I have listed on Ravelry. In the last few days, I have gone through my entire stash and taken an inventory. I currently have over 48 thousand yards, or over 27 miles, of yarn in my house.

I am offering up 9,086 yards, or over 5 miles, or 11 skeins, of Caron Pound of Love worsted weight yarn. This is 18 percent of my stash!

This yarn was purchased with the intention of crocheting an afghan, but that was over four years ago. The yarn has been stored in the plastic bags it came in, in a tub in a spare room. It's in good shape, but I know it feels sad being left in those skeins for so long. And I know that I will not be able to use it in the near future.

So, I am looking for a good home for this yarn. It's free, and I will even ship it to you. All you have to do it leave me a comment here telling me what you'll do with the yarn if you win it. I will draw a winner in one weeks, on August 10th. All entries before 6pm that day will be counted.

If you're on ravelry, make sure to give me your username so I can easily get in touch with you!

This includes the following colors:
3 Midnight Blue - 546
3 Lt Grey - 591
3 Cape Cod Blue - 539
1 Forest Green - 534
1 Azure - 523

Stash Honesty

Ok, so in the spirit of being honest with myself, I have added all my acyrlic and other chain store yarn to my stash on Ravelry. There was a huge bin of this stuff underneath my bed, and now it is all out in the open. It is not new stash, but it has seriously upped my totals.

Bernat Softee Baby Yarn: 4,322.6 yards
Worsted Weight Cotton: 520 yards
Worsted Weight Acrylic: 9,086 yards
Joann Yarn: 309 yards
Knit Picks Swish Superwash: 220 yards
Lion Brand Suede: 488 yards
Wool-Ease: 522 yards
Patons Wool: 390.3 yards
Plymouth Encore Worsted: 1,300 yards
= 17,157.9 yards

Grand Total Now = 48,646.4

I will consider this my real starting point, as I believe it may include all my stash. I do, however, reserve the right to adjust my goals if I discover more somewhere in my house!

Stash Swap

In the spirit of stash reduction, I left the house today with the intention of returning one skein of sock yarn left over from a baby hat I had made. While out, I was inspired by a beautiful shrug that was knit from side to side and decided I would design something similar for myself. If course, I picked up a new skein to work up swatches.

My new totals:
31,433.5
- 136.0
+ 191.0
31,488.5

Ahh! I went in the wrong direction. But that's okay for now, because I'm picking up my celtic tote again...