The past few days I've been contemplating stash. The Yarn Harlot recently posted about it and a podcast was recently pondering stash as well. I believe it was Cast On and Brenda Dayne said that she wanted to knit all her stash by 2009 and start over again.

This one really got me thinking. Why on earth do I even have such a large stash. It's not the largest I've heard of. There's some in the closet, some in a basket, in a wicker hamper, under the bed, in my (ahem, large) nightstand, but really it's not that much. Or, perhaps I'm in denial about the size of my stash because it is in so many different places. When I purchased pretty much everything, I had a project in mind for it. There are a few Tent Sale purchases that I made where I decided I had to have it just because it was discontinued and I love the yarn and I don't want to lose out, but really, now that I think about it, I'm not thrilled with the decision. Yes, they are nice yarns, but now I have no clue what I'm going to do with them! Yet, I don't know that I'm really interested in parting with them because they are such nice yarns.

So, do I go with the same goal, and plan to knit my stash down (and gone) in 2009? I don't know that I can. I'm not that speedy of a knitter, and I have a short attention span with projects. Halfway through I want them done, but there's still half a project to go, so I give up and start something new. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but I've got stuff that's been hanging around for far too long (this has been addressed before...Tangled Yoke Cardigan, Log Cabin Blanket, Ed's Crochet Blanket...). I feel like if (I mean when, don't I) I can get these projects done, I will feel lighter. I will feel accomplished. I'll have stuff checked off the list (I love checking things of the list).

I guess I'm planning on trying not to buy new yarn and using the yarn I have, but it's really hard, especially considering where I work. I suppose I can try and bribe myself. I could say I'm going to reward myself with an iPhone if I do not buy any yarn between now and...let's say July (with the exception of the Tent Sale), but I know I can't keep that promise to myself, plus I've already got the iPhone riding on another goal. Now, yes I could just buy the darn phone, but what would that teach me. I feel like I need a focus, and right now, it's going to be reaching my goal so I can get a silly phone. (It's better this way....new and updated will be out by the time I reach said goal).
I'll just try as hard as I can to knit what I have and not buy more. I really don't want to have a stash that exceeds my life expectancy. I have no one to leave my yarn. I don't like clutter, and right now, the stash is starting to have a life of it's own...it's closing in on me and I can't breathe.

So with today, I take a deep breath and say no thank you to the latest yarn to come in, or the desire to knit the pattern in the recommended yarn, because I have yarn. I will not let my stash smother me. It is one of the few things I can control right now, and gosh darn it, control it I will!