Sunday, June 15, 2008

Say "Uncle!"

You know how every once in a while the clutter, trash, and just plain dirt get to you?

Well, that happened to me this week.

Over the past couple of days, the building pressures at work (nothing I can talk about here) and the realization that 4 (that's one more than 3) of the people that I respect, rely on, and yes, even love, have recently revealed serious illness and let's just say that I am overwhelmed.

Couple that with the absolute dump that my house has devolved to since, oh, January or so, and I threw myself into a frenzy of cleaning and organizing that just won't quit. Normally, I would just lie down until the sensation passed, but not this time.

I'll spare you photos of the more mundane parts of the house. (I am assuming that all of my readers have toilets and kitchen floors. Please correct me if I am wrong on that score.)

Instead, let's turn to the organization of the stash.
I have not updated the sidebar yarn countdown for a couple months, because the yarn stash has ceased its downward spiral.

I have been in a acquition mode (I know I mentioned the stuff Mary sent me) and have not logged the new stuff in.

I also discovered that there's a lot of older stuff (something like nearly 2 bags of sock-weight that I am using on Bear Claw) that was never logged in either.

What that boils down to is the knitting of vast quantities of yarn with nary a dent in the stash sheet ::sob:: (and I started buying sweatersworths of yarn for Christmas knitting that won't be logged in either).

Ignoring the stash shelves went along with ignoring the sheet and there was much spillage onto the floor to the point that I could neither identify, nor even find, some of the yarn I sought, and indeed, it was becoming more and more difficult to approach the shelves with several square feet of yarn mess spread hither and yon, mostly hither.

Add to that, the guilt. Someone on the NAS group mentioned that there comes a time when we all need to say (or even shout) "enough!" and start divesting ourselves of some of the "stuff" we've acquired but will never use. (Did I mention the Rowan Magpie that I just bought from a friend?) so I packed up a bunch of straight needles and mailed them to the Reservation, because lord knows, it's been years since I've touched a 14" straight needle. (I'm inclined toward circs, and I have some 10"ers that I use all the time!)


As I was cleaning, I gave a moment's thought to culling as well. I found two balls that I can feel okay about sending on to someone else. Come on! Only two?

I looked at the odds and ends in these bins and could not bring myself to part with even the crappy ribbon yarn or the pink variegated crochet cotton!

It's a sickeness and I don't wanna get well!

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Comments:
Sorry to hear about the overwhelming parts, but it did my heart good to take a gander at yer (poor spelling intended) "keep forever" stash! At the moment I'm just tossing bags of yarn and other materials into the stash room and closing the door....fast!

Debbie in In
 
Ann- I totally understand the urge to clean and organize (how do you think you ended up with a 17 pound box of yarn??)

I'm getting into that mode again - but there isn't another yarn purge for this year so don't panic!
 
I hear you. I did find a new knitter who would accept the novelty yarns that I got when I must have had something slipped into my soda, but I still can't quite get rid of the lovely soft acrylics that the moths don't eat, the super-fine antique yarn as thin as the yarn my mother used for baby sweaters, or the weirdly thick wool yarn thicker than real sailboat cables.
 
Ann, I'm sorry things are so stressful for you. I can related to your current urge to clean dna organize; it's one way we can control at least one of the things going on. I, too, have a hard time parting with yarn, but I really ought to get rid of my 14" needles, like you did. I never use mine, either...

I was doing well on using up my stash yarn, until I bought three more balls of cotton yarn yesterday...
 
Gee, I was thinking that yarn stash didn't look bad at all. When dh complains he can't reach into his closet to get his shirt off the hanger, THEN it's time to do some more organizing, me thinks!
 
Your gonna have to live to be a very, very old lady, just like me.

Kathy
 
Hang in there. I've started getting the urge to organize and play with stash, too. My stash is mostly fabric. I'm down to only one plastic tomb of yarn. I promised myself that I would not buy any fabric or yarn this year. So far I've been good. I DID NOT promise to take gifts. Some fabric followed me home from a guild meeting today (along with sewing books and magazines) It is truly a sickness!
 
Correct my previous post to read I DID NOT promise to NOT take home gifts. I don't want you to think I'm crazy. None of us turns down free additions to our stash, no matter what it is or what it looks like. We KNOW we'll be able to use it for something (even if it means that in a couple years we're going to donate it to someone else when we can't figure it out).
 
I'm so glad that my stash is under control, and nowhere near as big as yours.

(and I'm 23, tall, blonde and thin, too. Shut up.)
 
Oh yes, and now I'm reading blogs and catching up on the world again, I thought I'd just mention that if the stash overwhelms you again, I'm willing to take the Magpie off your hands ... *g*
 
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