The Joy of Stash

Hey, check it out - that last post was my big 5-0! Yay to me.

This evening, instead of putting together another family DVD or doing school work, I have been devouring the most recent Knitty. It's KnittySpring, for those in the Northern Hemisphere. For me, it's "stuff to plan and knit in time to wear next Spring". I like this way of doing things. It works well for us Down Under! The first article to really grab my attention was that on Stash, called "Mindful Knitting" by Tara Jon Manning.

I liked how she has stood up for those of us who stash for the sake of beautiful fibre. She writes, "As Yarnies, we naturally love our yarn. We share it, make other people touch it, look at it longingly. It can soothe us. It can inspire us". I do love that description. Admiring the parts that make up the knitted product, admiring the materials and tools, as well as the process itself as a thing of beauty - it proves that in knitting and fibrecraft, that the sum of its parts ends up being greater than the whole finished product... it gives some real artistic merit (for want of a better word) to our craft. Why shouldn't we apply greater value (not monetary so much, more artistic value) to the beautiful materials we create and source from those who have such wonderful talent to be creating for our benefit?

She goes on to say, "Why then do so many of us become timid, almost embarrassed about something that otherwise can make us really happy?". Why, indeed. These are the tools, the materials of our craft. When a person has trained, studied and practiced to become a talented cabinetmaker or woodturner, their knowledge and skill seems quite universally praised, and their need to procure tools and beautiful timbers to apply their craft is logical and normal. But knitters? We may be seen as merely faffing about in spare time, as tinkering with 'arts and crafts'; a term often lent to defining paper-crayons-and-glue activities that children engage in. And then we have to defend our procurement of good quality, beautiful materials that make us happy to create with them, and which make stunning, useful garments. I suppose it goes back to knitters defending their craft by saying 'it's not just for Nannas anymore'. I do feel sorry for non-knitting grandmothers. It's an unfair stereotype, for all concerned...

As I read, I thought about my stashing tendencies. I believe I fall under these definitions, as set out by Tara Jon Manning in her article:

"Our Stashes are often measured by the amount of storage required to house them. For some folks it is a big plastic bin, other it may be a closet". That's me, the closet stasher. WonderBoy knows where Mummy's stash cupboard is and often points to it, saying "Mummy Knitting", or "Mummy Stash". Clever child. I'll have needles in his little hands before long. I'm a bit of a logical stasher, since I'm not in the happy position of having several Local Yarn Stores (LYS) available to me in person (I shop online a lot), or being able to be holidaying in places with LYSs readily available, to be buying 'souvenir stash'...

"If you are the type to have a closet full of Stash, you may be a little more ambitious than the one-bin yarnie, perhaps with two projects running at once. This appeals to me – one big project that stays home and perhaps another more portable project to throw in the knitting bag". Me again. My limit is two projects at any one time. I don't feel that I have the multiskilling talent of the Yarn Harlot to be able to keep more balls than that in the air (if you'll pardon the yarn pun).

I do wish sometimes that I could loosen up a bit, stash-wise. I wish that my creativity and confidence would surface enough for me to be able to fall in love with a particular yarn and be able to say, "Wow. That's going to be a ---- (insert amazingly creative garment pattern here)". I really admire knitters who can do that; I'm just not confident enough to be able to do that without worrying that maybe I hadn't bought enough. What if I hadn't bought enough and I'll get halfway through the project and I'll be stuck? I can't risk that!

Or, I learn to take some knitting risks. I might be able to start with a book recommended by the Yarn Harlot, called "One Skein Wonders", by Judith Durant; buy some delicious yarn, and truly explore my capabilities as a 'Fearless Knitter' (see link to left) this year.

Hmmmm.... I would like to visit Nundle...!

I just like that story

"I was merely reading the Muggle magazines," said Dumbledore. "I do love knitting patterns." Harry Potter

More sock yarn, hurrah!

It's a happy day in our house.

WonderBoy, who has been really embracing toddlerhood and all it has to offer, tantrums-wise, turned two yesterday. Pete and I gave him quite Wiggly gifts this year, which makes the teacher in me sort of go 'eeerk!', but just looking at his face when he dances and jiggles around to their music... it just makes him so happy. And I think the Wiggles are cool too, so that helps a lot. Here he is with his 'Greg' doll and his tent...
Havin' a laugh with Daddy;


And blowing out the candle on his cake...

We're planning his party for the weekend with our families, so he'll have a ball there - he loves hanging out with everyone, and they all think he's great (as we all do).

But onto the great day I've been having. First of all, WonderBoy put up with an astonishing amount of being taken everywhere this morning as we bought groceries and other supplies ready for Sunday's shindig. Barely a complaint, in fact, which is pretty amazing.

Then, we get home late for lunch, and he's still in a fine mood. He goes down for a sleep, no worries at all, and I had the cat on my lap, purring for a couple of quiet hours where I listened to the most recent "Cast On" and turned the heel of my sock. Oh, and I had a message from a fellow Raveler, responding to my attempts to get a knitting group or Stitch N Bitch going in my local area. WonderBoy then wakes happily and is also happy to get in the car to pick Pete up from work, and I go out for drinks with colleagues for two hours.

Lovely stuff. Life is good!

And then, just to top it all off, my Regia 'Galaxy' arrives from Austin, Texas:
I couldn't believe Griffin Yarns. It's amazing, Kate sends you anything you order, and I quote:

"First-class shipping is free. You don't have to do anything special to get it, there's no minimum purchase. Just free shipping.

We ship all around the world. Whether you're in Austin or Australia, you qualify for our free shipping."

I sent Kate an email today to thank her. I still can't believe it that today there are still people out there like that, willing to put themselves out there just a bit to make things easier (and let's face it - very, very appealing) to customers. I'll be shopping with her again for sure.

Thanks again, Kate. You rock!

And in non-gnome related news

I'm thinking socks. Many, many socks.

I'm currently knitting the heel flap on the lolly-coloured Heirloom Jigsaw (I won't bore you with a photo - they are taking an agonisingly long time to knit as I'm trying to keep going with the 'hearts and stars' baby blanket, plus I really have to get a little teddybear vest cranking for Monday.

Let me explain. At Preschool, we have a little teddybear 'mascot' for each of the two classes, who goes home for a visit with each child and their family for a week. He comes with a journal where each child (with assistance from mum and dad) documents what Ted got up to at their place - who he met, where he went, et cetera. The children get right into it, and get very excited when it's their turn to take 'Travelling Ted' home with them. I am in the process of getting the journal and teddy ready for our youngest group, and he needs something to make him individual. The Ted for the older group has a wee handknit rainbow scarf, so I thought this Ted could do with a little vest. I'll post some pics when it's all done...

Back to socks.

Last week, I ordered some more sock yarn from Griffin Yarns - some Regia Galaxy, in three different colourways: Jupiter Blau, Jupiter India and Jupiter Wald, which knit up in the most fantastic swirls. The ad for the yarn in KnitSimple shows them like this:I can't wait to get stuck in! I'm thinking of knitting one pair for Pete to wear to work, but I can't decide which colourway to go with yet... I get this feeling they might not make it past my sock drawer...hmmmmmmmmm...

Aw, for the love of...

Holy crap!

Computers get me so damned cranky at times. Particularly now.

I did have a moderately entertaining (if not downright odd) rant all set to go (since about February 28 - hey, great art takes time) and when downloading and installing a RealPlayer update, it decided it needed to restart Firefox for me, taking my nearly completed post with it. Aaarrggh!

Now, I'm prepared to overlook several points here, one being that

a) maybe I should have got my arse into gear and just published the damn thing;

b) this may have been the Universe's way of telling me it wasn't really as entertaining as I thought it might be;

c) there is a distinct possibility that running seventeen-odd programs at the same time, editing family videos and burning backup DVDs all at once may have had something to do with it. Something about me having too high expectations for my faithful Toshiba;

d) maybe Pete's right, now is a good time to back the system up and run a full format.

Or maybe, now is the time for me to create my Army of Gnomes, set them up to take over the world and persuade everyone to convert to my ways of thinking. Here's an artist's impression of what it might look like:Don't underestimate them. They are wearing hand-knit hats, made from only the finest alpaca and merino (and some silk too, what the hell), spun with wee beads made from semi-precious stones and sequins (designed to blind those opposing them, of course). They will defend their hats, and possibly even their own lives. Just do what they say, and everything will be well and happy.

Trust the gnomes.