Monday, April 18, 2011

The Morality of Yarn Ownership

In yarn land, there is a thing known as stash. What constitutes too much or too little is really an individual matter. Some own more yarn than their local yarn shop. Some can fit their special yarns into a shoe box. Some with said shoe box full can feel they have too much, while the person with their own store in a back bedroom can truly feel they have room for more. Totally personal decision.


The morality of yarn ownership. Is there really such a thing? Well, if you look around the internet you will find that people with stashes of yarn feel a different sense of urgency than other crafts that demand a good amount of supply to participate in. I myself love to sew, quilt and scrapbook along with knitting (and a WEE bit of crochet) Fabric doesn’t really stress me out, and papers and gadgets for scrapping are just part of having a good selection to choose from when it’s time to create a page. Perhaps it’s the amount of time it takes to produce a finished object from yarn as opposed to sewing a quilt or a dress. For me, having “too much” yarn does produce an abundant amount of toomuchititis which is fine for me. It’s not a moral thing. I don’t feel like I am morally obligated to turn those yarn purchases into something because it’s BAD not to do so. I just feel sad when I look through my bins and realize this amazing and awesome yarn I HAD to have, has to sit a little longer before I can cast on with it. Some yarns have been put aside for far too long and it’s simply because a newer yarn catches my eye and I start something with it. Sorry, my beautiful Roma, I must pass you buy for the Cashsoft for a hat. I’ll see you soon. I promise


It’s all good if your comfortable with what you own until someone makes a comment along the lines of “UGH….that much stash would stress me out. I ONLY buy for the project at hand, and then I finish that project, and then with leftovers I knit mittens for the orphans in Mongolia and then with the leftovers from THAT, I make a trip to the nursing home and donate it before I ALLOW myself to buy any more yarn..” Uhm, okay. You want a trophy? Did I miss the event at the Olympics where the person has to be loaded down with their yarn stash to run the 100 meter dash, thereby making him with the least amount of yarn more likey to win?? (As a side note, I’d totally pick being covered in yarn when my fat ass took a dive into concrete, but I digress)


Owning or not owning yarn is not a moral issue. It’s a preference. It’s something each person has to be comfortable with. This blog isn’t about “Ohhhhh I have TOO much yarn to get into heaven so I am going to put myself into a permanent state of Lent until I have none left….” This is simply a challenge to myself. I have beautiful yarns that I want to get to. Every yarn I own is something I deliberately kept while sorting through it, worthy of my time. I want it all to become something. I have a project planned for almost everything in my stash and for those I don’t, I love it enough to help it become something amazing. When it’s all said and done, I am happy with the amount I have and when it’s all gone, you bet I am going to have a blast restocking those four allowed bins with even more yarny goodness.


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