(no subject)

[yukonsally]

Can we talk hobbies?

I recently gave up on the idea that I would ever make jewelry again and gave away nearly all of my beads. I donated the box and found a smaller box for the repair tools. The beads I kept are intended for adding to knitting projects.

Oh, knitting.

That large collection of yarn, patterns, supplies.

I decided to do something. I've long been on a "yarn diet" in which I do not buy new yarn. I do not go into the yarn store. I do not look at yarn online. I have accepted yarn from a friend when she moved--she has good stuff. But mostly, I am using up what I have.

I gave away some yarn I'll just never use. I went through patterns and got rid of the ones I'll never make. I gave away the stitch markers I don't like. I gave away knitting baubles I didn't want in the first place. And I am using up scraps in projects. My knitting things are more under control. I did buy some yarn that I've used immediately in some scrap projects. Now I am creating a stash of knitted things for gifts, or for charity auctions, or local charities, or whatever strikes me. I am making those projects I've had prepped for quite some time and I am taking apart projects I stopped working on to regain control of the needles, beads, and yarn. I will have to start over using some yarn. And that's okay. I keep it in check now.

Comments

[tyger]

Oh jegus, GOOD JOB. I've been trying to use up my stash for... probably two years now? I mean, I've bought yarn a couple of times - mainly because omg local yarn!!!, both here and when I was visiting friends in the US - but mostly just trying to get through things. So is my Mama! Between us we still have... um... a lot. A lot of yarn.

We are slowly making progress, though, so that's good. It's just a little depressing when you put something like a hundred hours work into something and it doesn't even use up a single ball. Stupid laceweight... *shakes fist*

Charity knitting is so great, though - one of our local ones periodically puts out newsletters letting people know what they need more of, which I find really helpful. If I know while I'm knitting something that someone actually needs it, I get a lot more motivated to do things quickly, haha. Even if that means just doing plain knit on big needles, or whatever.

[yukonsally]

I've got two balls of laceweight taunting me. I should give one away. I WILL use that blue silk. It WILL happen. But the brown? Eh. It was a thoughtful gift from another knitter but I don't make lace.