Jewel's Purls

I’m Busy Excel-ing

I bought one skein of yarn that I just could not resist.  I was thoroughly twitterpated, verklempt, smitten, besotted, love-struck, head-over-heals-in-love with this yarn.   It is from White Willow, and it's some sock yarn called Coalminer's Daughter.   First of all, the yarn is incredibly soft but the real killer?  She includes a little stitch marker and a lavender sachet.  So, when I opened it, felt it's softness, and smelled the lavender scent, my leg was twitching like Thumper.   Did I mention it was pink?

Anyhoo - I've been busy working on my promise to myself to go through my stash.  I have been doing just that.  Yessiree - I've been cataloging the yarn I want to keep and putting yarn in a box that I plan to give away.  So far, I haven't come across any yarn that I feel is worthwhile selling, although I've barely scraped the surface of my woolly stockpile.  Excel is my friend.  We're going to be spending a lot of time together.    How are your resolutions coming along?

Same Resolutions, New Year

It's that time of year where everyone decides to make changes in their lives.   I believe the biggest resolution humans make is losing weight.  This is obvious by seeing all the weight loss advertisements on TV.   Yesterday I watched a show on diet fads and was horrified at some of the fads that are actually out there.  Did you know that one of the ways you can lose weight is via tapeworm?  That totally blew my mind and made me sick to my stomach at the same time.  It's on the black market for good reason, but people are actually insane enough to do this!!   I find this really gross and won't place a link here but if you're curious enough you can Google it to read more.   The reason I write about this is to point out the extremes people are willing to go.   

Like Lorraine, I need to do be a big girl about my yarn expenditures.  I have way too much yarn; I could teach every member in this house how to knit and we would not run out of yarn for the rest of our lives.  There is some yarn I probably will never knit, but the mere fact that it is no longer made and is rare is even more reason for me to hold onto it.   I have more than enough yarn to knit shawls, hats, mitts, fingerless mitts, gloves, fingerless gloves, sweaters including fair isles, arans, and everything in between. 

I could be extreme and sell and/or give away everything I have except for several projects.    To me, that's the equivalent of letting lose a tapeworm in my yarn stash.  Uh, no.   My goal this year is to cataloge all of my yarn and if I can't find a project for it, it's gone.    I could also set another goal to not buy a single skein of yarn in 2008 but to me, that's unrealistic.    If it doesn't toot my horn and make me salivate I won't buy it.  If I buy it, it will have to be to complete a project currently in progress or I must have a specific project in mind for it.  There is so much gorgeous handpainted yarn out there and just because it makes me weak in the knees is no longer a valid excuse to buy it.   That is how my yarn stash grew to now take up more room than the humans chez Purls.

I am working hard on getting Alan's St. Anton finished in time for his January 22 birthday, but after that I will be going through my yarn stash.   It will be dealt with in one of three ways:

1. Put in a bag with a working copy of the planned pattern.


2. Sold.


3. Given away.

My goal for 2008 is to show more finished projects and less purchased yarn.  Having said that, here are the last yarn purchases of 2007.

Hand Maiden 50% silk/50% wool in color Mahogany.

BMFA in Grinchy - possibly the last 2 available (thanks to the folks at BMFA)

Dream in Color Classy; Blue Lagoon, November Muse, and Beach Fog.  I am proud to say that I do have plans for these:  Anne Hanson's Hot Waffles Hat and Mitts.

I am planning the start of my first Bohus (Wild Apple) either late this winter or early spring.   A group is going to be started and will be done as a knit along.  2008 is going to be an awesome knitting year.   I hope it is for you too!