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...!