The Tale of too Many Stashes

And those who have stashes and those who do not.

So many of us have stashes, from room enveloping to closet take over.  My stash is in tubs, small tubs so that I can open one and actually see the yarn.  I peek at the yarn, reach in a take a couple of hanks out, feel how soft and imagine what I could make out of it.  Then I get paranoid that whatever I make from it will turn out awful and I place the yarn back in the tub.  I am scared of actually using the yarn, how silly is that, yet I know I am not alone.  So I continue to purchase gorgeous yarn and pluck it into a tub for the whenever future I might make something out of it.  This is sad yarn as Catherine said, sad lonely neglected yarn.  A tale of too many stashes.

I myself love to knit, crochet and quilt, you can never have too many hobbies.  I have stamped it up, had creative memories, cross-stitched across yards of linen.  I have tried making ornaments for the tree, made hundreds of decorated sugar cookies, and have cooked up a storm with Pampered Chef. With each addiction I have had stashes; yarn, fabric, rubber stamps and paper, more paper and stickers and more food colors then you can imagine. I had stored very carefully my expensive saffron, never wanting to use it because I was afraid the dish would not stand up the mystic of the saffron.  After two or three years I used all of it in a rice dish, delish.

Do you see a pattern here? Stashing your stuff does you no good!!!  Make a purchase and turn it into a work of art!

I was taken aback when Catherine told me she has no stash.  I have never met anyone who doesn’t have tubs of yarn stuck in a room.  Every yarnie I have met talks about their own stash, how they really shouldn’t buy any more yarn, but…  Now don’t get me wrong, we want to stay in business and continue to grow, but we also want you to create a gorgeous knit or crochet piece that you will be proud of.  A yarn purchase with intent makes us happy, but it will make you proud.

I knitted the Pendenza Sampler Shawl, it was a good size project.  When I saw it after we blocked it I was so proud of myself, it was an unusual feeling for me.  We are so hard on ourselves and so full of self-doubt that finishing this shawl and seeing it look so good, it was like a little sun exploding in my chest.  I like that feeling so much that I went on and knitted a smaller one an Encore Hot Cake One Cake Wonder (ask me about it).  It was simple, but it is done and I brag about it.  A lot, sorry about that but this is new to me.  

Now I get it-yarn purchases should have a project in mind.  So what do we do about our stashes and keep us in business at the same time?  Come on in and ask us questions, tell us what you want to make and get the yarn with a purpose, they also go home and find yarn in your stash and make something for someone else or for charity.  Both projects will make you feel proud of yourself, and then bring them all into the store to show us.  We love to see our yarn in people’s finished items, and we love to see any finished item you have regardless of the yarn.  

Remember we are here to help you to be successful, to help you get through that complicated pattern or encourage you when you have to frog out 10 rows.  You are never alone in the yarn world!

Now for some upcoming classes

Sock 101 Class starts Monday, Jan. 22, 6:30-8:30 PM

$50.00 for 8 hours of instruction

Purchase your yarn at the shop and needles if needed.

What you will learn is how to knit on double pointed needles, not scary.

How to turn and heel, heel flap and gusset for the foot.

Then how to close up the toes so that they look and feel perfect.

Call us at 316-772-0883

The Pendenza Sample Shawl-

Feb 10, 17, 24, March 10, 17 and a finishing blocking session on the 24th.  This garment must be blocked in order to be worn, but we are here to help.

This is a knitted project, but an easy one to sharpen your knitting skill and expanded your know how. You will learn a couple of new stitches, how to M1. yarn overs and k2to.  You will also learn more about how to read a pattern.

This is a fun project that will make you glow when you accomplish it and glow with pride.

$75.00 includes three balls of Pendenza yarn, a mercerized Egyptian cotton that feels wonderful, 10 hours of knitting together and getting help as needed.  At the end of the class, you will also have the printed pattern.

You will need to purchase needles, size 5, 32 in. circular.  We have plenty here at the store.  This class is almost full, so hurry and get your spot.