So yesterday I got the urge to make a scarf for The Red Scarf Project. I'm sitting at my desk at work doing a mental inventory of my stash, and thinking maybe I will have to (gasp) buy yarn. I can't think of a solid red, oh, wait, maybe I have some deep red Plymouth Encore left over from an abortive afghan attempt. I can use that. Okay, I won't go buy yarn.
So after last night's entry, I cracked the seal on the Cask of Encore, where failed projects go to die in obscurity. And I found I had not just the deep wine-y red I remembered, but a perfect cheery brighter and still gender-neutral red. I totally forgot I had it. Shop the stash first is my new mantra. I cast on 31 stitches of red Encore on size 8 needles and I've got about 3 inches of mistake rib scarf done so far. The deadline to mail in is January 28, so it looks like that's my project for the week. I like working with Encore, it's easy on the hands and nicely spring-y. It'll go quickly.
And from now on I vow to always shop the stash first, because obviously I don't even remember what I have!
I can't imagine not having tons of red in my stash. Glad you're making the college kid's scarf contribution. I think there will be a good turnout on this project. I'm making an Irish Hiking Scarf from Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Autumn Red. And gee you're right, the spring knitting will soon be upon us. I'll try to stretch out the wool as long as possible though.
ReplyDeleteYep, I'm a new stash shopper too. It's just out of hand, and everytime I go diving I think "oooh! I like this!" I have every color under the sun, every fiber you could think of... nope, no need to spend...
ReplyDeleteMy stash is likely smaller than yours, but I've had the same experience. I've gone digging for one thing, then came across other stuff I forgot I had.
ReplyDelete"Shop the stash 1st" is a cool mantra.
ReplyDeleteAlthough my taste & experience has changed since I began knitting a few years ago & now what I like is different, I am still trying to use what I have 1st. I need more space & need to spend $$s on other stuff.
XOXO
Martha
My taste has changed a few times since I started knitting again a few (hmmm, about 8 now?) years ago. I went through phases - the felting phase left me with more wool than makes sense in FL. Gradually I became a bit of a snob about my cottons and such, mostly based on whether they hurt my hands to knit or stretched into wreckage when washed. Now, almost a decade into my second knitting life, I am figuring out what I want to use and picking things that make sense. But I still have a lot of wool to use up.
ReplyDelete