I have a weakness when it comes to the fiber arts - knitting, crocheting, tatting, weaving - oh just anything to do with those luscious fibers. It can't be helped. I stay purposefully away from yarn stores in hopes that I won't pick up and new yarns. But sometimes, fate intervenes.
It starts innocently enough. Doesn't it always? A rich cabernet wool for a simple dog sweater with a few cables thrown in for interest. I just have to finish the leg cuffs and bottom ribbing.
A soft creamy boucle for a scarf. Just a few more feet and edging and it will be done. It's a nice project for when I'm not really looking at the stitches on the needles.
But the obligations get in between me and my project. A baby set. Christmas gifts.
Mittens for my sister. I just have to finish the thumb and sew them up.
Then a pretty yarn just is gifted to me. I was honestly going to let this sit untouched until I finished my current projects. I know how easy it is to get out of control. But the lavender and periwinkle blue flecks cried out to be turned into a sparkly lacy stole.
In college I had more yarn and planned projects than I could complete in a lifetime. In knitting circles this is known as SABLE syndrome. Stash acquisition beyond life expectancy. You just buy yarn and plan your projects, but soon you realize there is not enough time in your life to knit it all. This means that you should stop buying yarn. Immediately. I couldn't do it. I couldn't stop. So I did the only thing I could do to stop the madness. I gave it all away. Every last skein. Every last ball. To friends, to charities, to anyone who even glanced in its' direction. Everything gone.
And I made a promise to myself. I would only buy what I would use and I would finish projects before starting another.
Maybe it was because it has been a few years. I thought I could handle it. Sure, I was few projects behind with the dog sweater needing to be done. And the scarf - should I really consider that being behind, or maybe I should just look at it like an ongoing whenever I need something to knit project. Like a dear friend, it would always be there for me. I had to put the mittens on hold - my girlfriend was going on maternity leave and I couldn't just not make her something. Right?
But then the lavender scarf. I had no intention of starting that. It's just that I was reading this little tiny blog which may have had some knitting in it... Okay! It is the Yarn Harlot blog. I didn't mean to start, but it was just too good to stop reading. And those yarns. And the clothes. I couldn't stop.
She made a scarf. She said it only took 2 days. It was so pretty and seemed so simple. I would like a scarf in two days. It would just be a little break from the mittens - which only need a thumb and sewing up. So I picked up the lavender virgin wool. I started knitting.
I didn't really like the way it was coming out - so I made some changes, added some beads. But I was just going to spend two days and whip it out.
But then there was this fabulous Cascade 220. Free! From work! And it was only right that I make the project that the other ladies are making so I can show them a finished piece. It just needs sewing up and some embroidered decorations.
And there was this dusky orange-rose left over from the knitting group. No need to let that go to waste, so I had to do a project out of that. It just needs some sewing up.
And there was a bit of the orange and some of the yellow left over, so I thought I'd just turn it into an afghan. Little squares. So easy to make - and quick. It won't take long. Maybe just a simple Piet Mondrian design. Clean, simple, modern. How long could it take?
But when I looked at my office this evening, I knew the truth. No matter how I tried to hide behind the "it's almost done"ness of all of the projects. The truth is that this can turn ugly very fast.
So I'm stopping here. I will finish my works in progress before I start anything new. Except those few baby sets, but they're already planned so it really doesn't count. And it's not like I can ask the mothers to stop being pregnant for a few months while I catch up on my knitting, can I?
So just those few things.
And that's all.
Yup.
Of course I'll need to go to the yarn store to get the baby yarn. And maybe a skein of blue would highlight that yellow in the Piet afghan?
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