Method to My Stashness

T.'s post has got me thinking about my stash and the types of yarn that I buy.

When I was a newer knitter, I would only buy yarn for the projects I had in mind. I would make a trip to the LYS, sometimes with a friend and sometimes alone. It was always a special treat and I would linger in the shop, touching this and feeling that. I would usually end up coming home with enough yarn to make one or two projects and maybe a ball of sock yarn. In the beginning, my stash was nonexistent as everything was either on my needles or the next in line.

There came a time when I started to amass a stash. I'm not sure what brought this on. It may have been that I was home on a mat leave and had some free time to browse the net. I learned what yarns other knitters were raving about and stalked the online stores that I found for sales or deals. Red Bird Knits was my first online store. They continue to be one of my favorites, with their stock of Lorna's Laces and assorted Fleece Artist and Handmaiden products. Eventually, I found other stores and convinced friends to make purchases with me so that the shipping wouldn't be so bad.

Now I've graduated to knitting tourist and seek out yarn stores in new cities. My husband is very understanding of this and is patient while I sift through the stock, occasionally waving a skein of yarn at him and saying something like "We don't have Koigu at home!" or "This Silk and Seaweed Laceweight is a real steal!"

I seem to have amassed a large quantity of sock yarn. Maybe that's because I have become the Christmas sock knitter in my family. Every year, nephews and neices get new socks and pretend to like them. (I think they enjoy the fact that woolen socks are very slippery on their hardwood floors.) I see my Dad wearing his crazy blue-striped socks around the house and my big brother wears his handknit socks every weekend. Socks are useful and worn often. Socks are for everyday family life.

I also have a little laceweight sitting around waiting for the right project. I think this stems from my pride in the knitted lace I've made and my desire to share this with loved ones. Or maybe just myself. Last week, I dug out my Hanami to bring to work with me. I wasn't feeling well and I wanted to be cozy. I told my daughter it was my binkie. I knew she could relate.

No matter what yarn I buy, it seems to be meant to warm and comfort. What's in your stash? And how did it get there?