6000 Yards

I tend to either sew a lot or knit a lot. These days it's skewed to the sewing with a sock or knit project completion on the side. I do find that socks are a perfect knit in the summer because they are light, easy to transport and enjoyable. So I don't know how (given that socks are largely all I've knit since the beginning of May) that my stash has grown exponentially.

You may recall that by mid-April of this year, I'd used up about 6200 yards of my stash yarn (of all different weights). And then I started yearning for something new to pet...

It started out with 600 yards of this:

Classic Elite Chalet - Bamboo and Alpaca in Stone, Slate and Charcoal

My parents bought this lovely chainette-yarn for me for my birthday when I visited in mid-May. It feels great, it looks great - it's got an ombre gray thing going on. I bought it having seen a knitted sample of the Color Block Bias Wrap. That is what I intend to make with it. I've just today started it. All good.

But then I felt like making a few things that required at least a bit of new yarn. That's how this, this, this and this (new photo pending) came about... Still good - buy yarn / use yarn. That's how it should work.

Then I got a bit sock-frisky and this, this and this were made - from newly purchased yarn natch. Note: I'm going to combine all of the remnants to make a 4th pair of socks. Again, not using stash - but all stash has been assigned to something I can make later. And 2 of these 3 pairs have already been gifted to Sandra and Nicole, to thank them for looking after M while she was sick and I was away. The third pair is technically only half finished.

I also allowed myself, in this grey-phase, to purchase a sweater's-worth of Chickadee in Kittywake (a version of grey). That's 1500 yards I haven't had a chance to use yet:

Quince and Co. Chickadee in Kittywake

I'm pretty sure I'm going to make the Sweet Jane with it. Just haven't closed the loop.

But somewhere along the line, I got a bit sidetracked. 

My goal is to a) be able to fit all of my gorgeous stash into one deep banker's box and b) to ensure that I can use up all of my yarn when I buy it (perhaps by buying more than needed for one project, but by having 2 projects clearly in mind).

The following purchases did not exactly come with that pre-awareness: 

Charlevoix Pure Laine in Grey and Cream

There was no way I was passing up some "real" Quebec yarn while I was in the land of sheep and cheese. I mean, I've never seen it before and I'm likely to have rare access to it. This is a fingering-weight that's purported to be great for socks. It's loosely-twisted 2-ply and it's very airy and it actually has some nylon in it, making it wash-and-dryable, I suspect.  While it's not a merino-bomb, it is rather squishy and soft. I bought 1100 yards. I figure it will make great 2-tone socks - like in a grey theme. You get? If I change my mind, I've got enough of it to make something substantial like a wrap or even a small sweater.

Then I found out that Americo is closing its bricks-and-mortar store (but not online store) and I felt compelled to buy some more tonal-taupe/grey fingering yarn in a chainette construction with lots of air. This is the 3rd time I've purchased airy/chainette yarns in 3 months:

Briza in Stone colourway

I got 4 skeins at 25% off. That's 1600 yards. I truly have no idea what to make with this. Any thoughts?? I'm listening.

And then Nicole went to Iceland a couple of weeks ago and bought me back some gorgeous blue yarn - the only colour I seem to like to knit with other than gray these days:

Istex Kambgarn in Indigo (942)

This is an unusual find - merino in Iceland. It's actually not from Icelandic sheep but from imported merino sheep. It is milled and otherwise processed in Iceland. The colour is gorgeous - not an indigo but not too light. It's quite soft but not excessively drapey. Of course, this is a super generous gift and I LOVE it. But no idea as yet what to make with my 1300 yards of worsted-spun, sport-weight Kambgarn.  It's  a good amount and great weight for a sweater. In truth, I much prefer its sturdy but delicate hand and drape over that produced by the woolen-spun Icelandic fiber. That stuff is interesting but its not my natural preference. Of course, learning more all the time, I have begun to realize my penchant neither for very soft/squishy merino/cashmeres nor the hairy, stiff woolen-spuns. I fall somewhere on the middle of the continuum. I suspect that most of us do.

So now I appear to have a) no room in the box cuz I've acquired b) 6100 additional yards of sport or fingering-weight yarn. Wow - that seems really out of line with "smart stashing".

Or does it? I've got 4 great batches of yarn in adequate yardages to actually think big(ish). I've been using most of what I purchase immediately, because it's set out for something specific. Even in instances where stash has preceeded pattern,  one batch I got on sale for a really good price, 2 others were actually FREE! One I bought to commemorate a vacation. Seriously, this could be worse. In fact, it was worse when I'd buy without knowing anything much about the properties of yarn I wanted or the needs of my projects or how much yarn one requires to do something specific. Also, keep in mind that I've bought and immediately used @2500 yards of yarn since I finished with the Stash Bust in April. That means I'm using the new stuff at a good rate. 

NO doubt, I'm not buying anymore yarn until I've used up another 6000 yards of my current stash. That could happen by next spring, conceivably. I'm  a pretty organized knitter and I do love an outcome. But till it does happen, I will not buy. I have more than enough yarn of the weights and yardages I often use to get me through the winter. Maybe this is my way: 6000 yards in, 6000 yards out. Seems odd but I'm willing to consider it.

But how about you? Do you serially stash? Do you organize and resist even on vacation? What do you think of my new yarns and my, um, rationalization sound argument for more sheep hair ? Let's talk.

Vacation, Part 3

OK, today is when I cap the lid on Spendapalooza 2016. I went out today for fabric and came back with yarn (and fabric) and I didn't go to the cheap places.

What I discovered, to my shock, as I walked past Americo is that its closing its only bricks and mortar shop after 10 years. Apparently, new owners bought the building and raised the rent to twice the current amount. Happily, the owner is content to explore new distribution models - and the popular online shop will remain open. But I will miss this lovely retail space, an oasis in the ugly. So how could I say no to 4 skeins of Briza for the price of 3 - especially given that this store does not do sales? (Note: Sale is in-store only.) I have it on good authority that there will still be a place to purchase this brand, in store, once Americo shutters on August 6.  Stay tuned for more details. And no, I did not buy this (or my Charlevoix haul) with any firm plans. I realize that's not in keeping with my new knitting/stash mindset but, whatevs. It's my vacation and yarn is like sheep you can knit with.

Americo Original Briza in Bark

This neutral colourway is called Bark and it's a natural grey meets brown. The construction of the alpaca/bamboo blend is chainette, a yarn ply I've tended to avoid in the past - but which I'm now embracing for its ability to interject airiness into an otherwise dense fabric. It can be knit on size US 5 needles to produce a light-weight garment OR on a US 2.5 for a heavier end result.

After this stop, I continued 3 seconds down the block to my original destination: Chu-Shing where I bought 3 yards of this bamboo jersey (70 wide):

It looks grey in the photo above (doesn't everything I buy?) but it's actually pretty damned bright periwinkle, in a way I hope is not too twee. Here's the thing, I'd like to embrace a new colour - and a bright one - but I'm not quite in a "look at me" peacock blue mood. This fabric may meet my needs, or not. I guess only time will tell.

My goal over the next few days is to make the second of my sleeveless Concord T hacks (using a cerise jersey stash remain). It's cut and ready to go. Then I need to tape, alter and cut the Cashmerette Appleton dress. You'll recall that the reason I went to extensive mods on the fab Concord was to save myself from some unknowns when first making this wrap dress. I hope this pays off!

I think I'm going to cut a sleeveless Appleton, given the time of year and the fact that I can always put on a little sweater if it gets chilly inside. This fabric is very pricey at 28 bucks a yard - I'm sure last time I went in there it was 24. (Admittedly, this time they gave me 3 meters for that price because I mentioned my discontent about being short on fabric when last I purchased.) Point is, I don't want to use up tons of fabric on my first go round (even if the pre-modified Concord provides a protective factor). If I can get 2 dresses out of this yardage - or a dress and a top - that would be preferable.

Then, though this was not on the agenda, when I saw it, I had to buy 1.25 yards of stretch linen! Remember when I wondered about whether this exists for home-sewists? Apparently, it does! The yardage below is actually black but it's overexposed to better show the drape and weave.

And just to be boring capitalize on prior alteration success, I'm going to make yet another sleeveless Concord T with it to see if I can get with sewing stretch linen. In truth, linen and I are not natural friends, but how can I learn about new fabrics if I don't give them a try? What if this produces a gorgeous end result? I'm a bit bored by the same-y Tencel, Modal and Bamboo options I've got at my access. Alas, the linen isn't cheap either (25.00/yard) but, if by some chance I love it, I could go crazy and make a Kielo maxi with some more of it, next.

I've Instagrammed the crap out of this day, including pics of a great lunch and a better shot of the Briza, so hop on over if you want the play-by-play.

Curious to know if any of you has made the Appleton without sleeves? Have you knit with Briza? Are you glad I'm the one spending all the money here while you get to live vicariously? One thing's for certain, the yarn stash is closed. I've now replenished all the space in my yarn box and, till the new is used, there will be much dreaming about what to make with what I already own.