Thursday, May 19, 2011

I think I have a problem.

I used to laugh condescendingly at people who said they had reached SABLE (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy).  Those were the people who bought more yarn than they could ever knit in their life. Who would do that?

I'll tell you who would do that. I would.

It starts out small.  I buy a couple skeins of yarn that I can use for a baby blanket because it's on sale and, hey, there will always be baby showers.  This is just savvy shopping.

Then maybe there's an annual sale, and I buy enough yarn to make a few pairs of socks.  I like to knit socks.  I knit them a lot.  This yarn is on sale and, really, I'm being responsible by purchasing yarn on sale that I would eventually purchase anyway.

Then I'm hit by something unexpected.  There's a local yarn shop going out of business.  How many times does this happen in one's knitting life?  (Twice, so far, and I've only been knitting for five years.)  I have to buy a bunch of yarn then.  I need to help these lovely people liquidate their inventory, and holymarymotherofgod the prices are delightful.

Before I know it, I'm driving two hours one way to go to a yarn shop's liquidation sale.  And at this sale, there are grab bags that are $5 each or 4 for $20, needles and books 80% off, and balls of cashmere 50% off.


I was able to justify all of this until last night.  I was sitting on the couch flipping through a Knitpicks catalogue and admiring their new yarn.  I saw this...

Knitpicks yarn in new Thunderhead colorway

Gray is my favorite color.*  This new colorway is available in several different types of yarn.  I want them all.

That's when I had to admit that I have a problem.  I am hoping it is not too late to save myself.  I am going to admire this color on my computer screen, but I am not going to buy any.  I don't need any yarn.  I have lots of beautiful yarn already.  I don't need any yarn.  I have lots of beautiful yarn already.  I don't need any yarn....

I did put it on my wishlist though.  It doesn't count if someone buys it for me, right?


*a) Don't make fun of me because I like gray.  b) Did that sentence make anyone else start singing, "I felt so symbolic yesterday."?

6 comments:

  1. LOL! Bonnie--I have made more trips to my LYS this past month than I have in ten years prior (cure for stress I say)! I feel your pain, and that gray yarn is gorgeous! I personally can't even open Knitpicks when it arrives for fear of coming all undone over a certain color of new yarn! Seriously, I get it.

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  2. I don't think it adds to the stash acquisition if you buy the yarn and immediately make something from it.

    That would be ENTIRELY different. :)

    Love, Lynn

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  3. I agree completely...if someone gives the yarn to you as a gift then it doesn't count as part of your stash :)

    Love the different grays in the Knitpicks yarn. I don't remember seeing it in the catalog. I'll have to go look at it again.

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  4. I agree with the above comments. You're such a prolific knitter and make so many nice gifts for people, I don't think you should feel too badly about amassing large quantities of (often heavily discounted) yarn. My temptation comes in the form of catalogs from my favorite clothing stores, and then I spot things I definitely don't need but want. And I have that same conversation with myself: "I don't need this ___, I have lots of _____...."

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  5. Thus far I have resisted visiting the going out of business sale (still can't believe she is closing her shop)at my LYS. My stash runneth over and there just is no more room. I will not go. I can not go. I can not buy more yarn until I have used something from my stash. That is THE RULE.
    BUT I may have discovered a loophole in THE RULE. Yarn purchased as a travel souvenir does not have to be counted as part of my yarn stash. If I say it often enough, I am it will be true. Since I don't live in the town where the LYS is located (25 minute drive from my home), the going out of business yarn could be counted as travel souvenir yarn AND not counted as part of my stash. Right?

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  6. "If I knew Picasso, I would buy myself a gray guitar and play."

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