I think I need a 12 step program!

[CRowland]

I went to my first yarn shop sale today. 50% off!

I previously had little to no "stash", I've only recently begun to foray into quality yarns.

OMG I'm completely obsessed now. I got some great yarns and I take it out (of its hiding place so my h won't see how much I got!) just to admire it and it makes me happy to see it.

I have no idea what I'm going to knit with it.

A problem is that I also got this book of wrap patterns and I *love* it ("Nature's Wrapture") and want to make a number of the patterns...and I can't stop looking online for some of the yarns mentioned.

I do NOT need to buy more yarn! I don't even know what I'm doing with the yarn I already bought! I've only got 2-3 skeins of each so they wont' work for a wrap.

I also ordered a ball winder and swift on ebay.

And my interchangeable knitting needles arrived today which also was very exciting.

I really need to not keep spending money on knitting stuff, at least not until I have a plan for some of the yarn I've already got. It's just I *really* want to make one of these wraps even while I'm already knitting a pair of socks....I often feel that not ever project is right to knit in every situation.

It's weird it's like that yarn sale totally woke something up in me! I'm a little scared. LOL

[Jan in CA]

Welcome to The SABLE Club..which is Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy. Or I guess it could be a disease.

[RuthieinMaryland]

Hi, CR!

There is, unfortunately, no going back now. There are no half-way houses for yarn addiction and interventions by caring friends and family members are rarely successful. That's mainly because they all have their list of things they want you to knit for them.

Quitting "cold turkey" isn't an option, either, since a cold turkey only inspires visions of hand-knit turkey sweaters to warm them up!!!

I could tell from your purchase of a yarn swift and ball winder that you have become a serious knit-a-holic already. Your future will most likely involve an ever growing collection of gadgets and accessories as well as yarn.

And eventually, you'll be shopping for special furniture in which to house your collection. (I have a 7-shelf cabinet, curved-top chest and several bins, coffee cans and Pringle containers for needles already, along with a stuffed bookshelf and many files for patterns, etc..) From all indications, you will probably outstrip me shortly in that department.

You may not realize just how all-encompassing this addiction is, but it will become clear to you when you find yourself buying up boxes and boxes of gallon sized zip loc bags to protect your yarn stash from hungry moths.

No one you know will dare approach you with any suggestion that you might be going a bit overboard because you will always be armed with sharp pointed skewers and it won't bother you one little bit if some critic happens to fall on them. The needles and most yarns are washable so no harm, no foul!

Welcome to knitting, Dearie. Don't expect any of us to discourage your passion for the art form. All we'll do is egg you on!

Power to the knitter!

Happy knitting,

Ruthie

[hyperactive]

all I can say is YAA
Yarn Adicts Anonymous

And: no, they do not help you. YOu sit in their meetings and after a few minutes, everybody whips out their knitting and you seen that one beautiful yarn over there... no, YAA-Meetings have not gotten me sober.
The size of my stash has sobering qualities. But the yarn itself... OMG.
Welcome to the circle of mad girls. Frolick around, but do not expect pitty. We all are on the hook, ehm, on the needle

[Breezed]

lol I feel you. I have now taken over an entire spare bedroom recently with my knitting paraphenalia. The queen size bed is covered in yarn in those awesome zip plastic bags ArtLady told us about but I got a huge lot of them off ebay for cheaper but still great quality. Knitting became a very fast addiction for me and I LOVE yarn now, I love walking into the room and seeing all of it laid out and just flipping through things to get ideas. Luckily my bf enables my knitting problems...he encourages it and he is always suggesting new things I can make.

[Ingrid]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! We've lured in another one. The more of us there are, the less wierd we seem. Thanks!!

[hyperactive]

oh yes. My husnband really is supportive. Totally. He never complains about new yarn, he thinks good and pretty tools are essential to any craft or art so he even buys them for my birthday and such (KnitPicks, the big set!!!)
But at some point he asked: "isn't there anything in your stash you can make this out of?"
I looked, found that: no, not really. And went to the shop. He did not mind much. Just that little damper.
Then I came across a girl on ravelry and her talk about judging her stash. She weight the yarn and came up with something like 25 kg (that were not counting the yarn in her attic). My husband will never think about stopping me again.

All he does these days is praise a certain yarn and ask if it is designated to a certain project and who that will be for. If I can not tell him that, he starts thinking about options. He has gotten good with judging the purposes of yarns.

My sock and synthetic stash will get reduced because I joined a KAL on ravelry for knitting for hospitals (preemies and sick babies). That will be fun and useful and it is charity. So maybe my boxes will empty a little of all the little leftovers and colors I just do not use. And then I can fill them again with useful stuff and new ideas....

ongoing addiction. what else?

[bambi]

Welcome, Crow!

I used to be an avid reader but now I can't pick up a book and finish it because my hands are full knitting most of the time.

I have another addiction: Knitting patterns. I don't have much stash but I have stacks of patterns that I will never knit. It makes me happy just to look and dream. I also cruise Ravelry at night for the patterns alone.

I have recently been thinking of an extra set of KP nickel plated options.

At least this midlife crisis is cheaper than a porche and a young stud!

[Breezed]

I used to be an avid reader but now I can't pick up a book and finish it because my hands are full knitting most of the time.

Oh no, there should ALWAYS be time for reading! Even if it's just at bedtime, read! I encourage reading as much as possible when the subject comes up.



I also spend hours browsing Ravelry. I just love looking at everything and as you said, dreaming of all the things I would like to make yet knowing I never will. Too many possibilities.

[CRowland]

OMG! I never thought of moths getting my yarn! What kind of bags are they? regular ziplock bags? Freezer bags?

I thought it might be a bad sign that I was SO excited about the yarn sale. I talked about it for days beforehand. I had a *plan* to get there at 9am, upon opening. I couldn't sleep the night before I was so excited.

Then I got nervous and thought I'd maybe look like some kind of hopeless obsessive if at 9am the shop owners found me there with my nose pressed against the glass. So I forcibly restrained myself and got there at 9:30am and the place was packed! Standing room only! I wondered afterwards if there was a line outside before they even opened.

AND I went to the sale three times. The 2nd time was because it wasn't till I was almost done the first time that I realized the pattern books were on sale too...and I had run out of time to look because I had an appt to go to. So I paid for what I had and said I'd be back.

I went back the 2nd time to look at the books though didn't find another one I wanted....but the 3rd time I went back (and this time made a special trip, from home, the 2nd time I at least was still out and near the store!) simply because I was having obsessive thoughts that maybe in my probably 90 mins spent in the store, I had somehow *missed* some special yarn that I very urgently needed.

And since I've been google searching online to find other yarn shops with sales on. I was up till 1am last night trying to find a good deal on Colinette Jitterbug because there is a wrap I want to knit from it.

Before I had this little ottoman that opened up, for my knitting stuff. I have this morning commandeered a whole seating bench as well. It's not full yet of course but....I have plans.

I have a friend coming over today, I'm going to show her my stash. I doubt she will understand. She knits too but just a bit.

I even took pictures of the new yarn with my iPhone and emailed it to another friend who doesn't knit but she says she loves yarn and has sometimes been tempted to buy it just because it's so beautiful.

I have an urge to get her a "how to knit" book now, I feel confident there is an inner knitter in her, waiting to be released.