Confessions of a Yarn Hoarder - Day 5?

Obviously I skipped a few days between Day 4 post and today... and No! It's not because I was super busy destashing and debunking the yarnstoragesystem.... ha! Just the opposite. I've taken a step back and re-assessed things...
#1 I don't have time to deal with all that yarn right now *sigh* and #2, it really does work for me. It just may need to be revamped a little in the future if it keeps growing but for right now it's okay.
I feel like I was able to accomplish a lot in the four days I pretended to worked on it and I honestly think it works! I was able to really clean up and clean out a lot of the things I have lying around.... the tools, the patterns, the bits and pieces of yarn and yes... my little friend K got herself a good start on her own stash!! I cleaned out some of the stuff I had and gave it to her! It feels good to help someone else begin a hoarding stash collection! Her parents will thank me someday.. I'm sure of it!! Hey! I'm saving them money!  It was a good way to clean out some of my stuff!
I know.  I know... I was going to pull everything out, assess it, sort it, clean it out, but I didn't. Okay? I didn't. Once I looked at the yarn condo I realized that it was a pretty good system right now. Sock yarn is one drawer, cotton in another, funky bits in yet another so I didn't feel I needed to.  Just doing the stuff I did... sorting through the tools and patterns really spiffed things up! I was able to put it all [ more or less] into one (okay..more than one) spot so it's not overtaking the house as much!  Geez. Big hasn't stepped on anything or had to move yarn in several days so it must be a WINNING situation!!  AND he hasn't said anything about yarn that may or not have been purchased within the last week. Shh....

This is an old picture of the "condo" ~ I would like to expand it at some point. Some of the bins have craft supplies and fabric in them *yeah.. that's a separate issue* and I may have to do some sort of system for that stuff first. I still have yarn tucked away in various places throughout my house... in boxes on the bookshelves, in a bowl on the fireplace mantel and even on the back of a closet door! Those over the door shoe pocket thingys are marvelous places to store yarn!

Now that I've managed to organize a bit I can get on to the point of this whole experiment.... Making it all accessible so I can happily knit without being overwhelmed by my stuff!

I'm really trying to shop the stash first ~ rather than heading directly off to the store for a yarn for a project I head to the condo! Wish me luck with that one huh?

 

Confessions of a Yarn Hoarder - Day 4

Oh okay. You busted me. It's actually Day 5, but since I didn't post yesterday I'm sticking to  Day 4! Yesterday nobody felt well here in Cupcake Land and I think the rapid barometric pressure changes were the issue.  Our waking up with sore throats and I don't wanna's has got to be totally related to the roller coaster weather we've had.  In the last three days, temps & weather has changed from snow to 70's and then back to snow and 20's. All in 3 days! 
I'm blaming the weather for not getting much done this week!  I didn't do much yesterday, but I did manage to get all of my tools into one spot ~ I sort of (ha!) took over the entire dining room table for the last 3 days!!  Big wasn't too happy about that, but... now that it's all tidy and into  pretty much one spot, he'll survive.  My inner OCD is a little happier as well because I not only managed to corral the stuff, but I realized I don't really have to go buy more stitch markers! I even found some in the car! I'm not sure why I even found some in the bathroom.... but I found a bunch!!  Once it was all piled up on the table... no picture because I forgot! Honestly... I couldn't believe the amount of stuff I had!  Oh wait..... yes I can! EVERY stinkin' time I go to the yarn store I eyeball the chachkies like they were chocolate!  Gotta get me some more of that!!
So... what to do with all that stuff!! I really didn't have all that much ~ it just sounds so much better to say that it COVERED the ENTIRE dining room table top rather than just.. gathered everything together on top of the table... See?  I know, I know... more justification which does imply that I have a bit of a problem. *sigh*

Once you've gathered all of YOUR stuff what are you going to do with it? Do you have a little bag that it goes in to? A drawer, a box? I initially bought a little bag from a 'little personalized bag company' that had 2 zippered pockets that folded into half with a handle. Nice. BUT my friend thought that was better for her than the loverly bag I now have.. so we traded!

At first I wasn't sure about it, it is really big... but... once I really started to use it AND I realized that my interchangeable needle set would fit into one of the pockets.... I was hooked!

Just look at all of those pockets ~ ignore the stuff, just look at the pockets! Awesome right?!! AND another bonus is that the pouches can be taken out and go where I go! The big one has all the stitch holders, highlighter tape, cable needles...etc. etc. that just gets lost if it isn't in one place. The smaller pouches are basically GO bags! I have my scissors, tape measure, some stitch markers, needle gauge, needles and a crochet hook (for fixing stuff!) all ready to go in one little bag and that's the bag I'm putting with my current WIP and my daily knitting.

It holds a ton of stuff and I love it!! Only problem with it so far.... where do I put all those pesky DPN's and my many million circulars?

  Big 'allowed' this purchase as a birthday gift (snort!) a couple of years ago, but after those couple of years and multiple trips to the knitting store, I couldn't close it anymore! It usually looks like this...

So I had to take some out. I put the circulars with 16" cables into Ziploc bags, put some cute designer tape on the bottom, punched a hole in one side and stuck them all on a ring! *I used to do this with my DPN's but the little buggers kept poking their way out of their bags!

 My DPN's still live in zip bags, but... I found this cool worm bag at a big sports store and it already has bags! Better, thicker bags... with grommets!!   I just replaced their little rings with bigger rings, used some of my already hole punched zippies and stuck ALL ~ I think it's all... maybe it isn't... ANYWAY.. most of my DPN's in there! It even has little zippered pockets to store even more stuff!

My OCD thinks I'm amazing!! Zippy bags, storage bags, ALL IN ONE PLACE... oh my!!

 How could you not just love it?

Next up...... *sigh* tackling the yarn stash.......

 

 

 

 

 

Confessions of a Yarn Hoarder - Day 3

So it's Day 3 in the series of debunking, destashing and re-organizing the yarnstoragesystem!  This is my adventure in how to get from piles of stuff hidden in baskets, on bookshelves, under beds, chairs and right out in the open to nicely organized, easily accessible ~ which then means easily used~ piles of stuff!
What have I accomplished? Well....
I've talked about it.  I've considered it.  I've looked up lots of lovely storage, organizing ideas on the Internet....
Yeah okay, so really.... not much.  That's a bit disappointing considering it's Day 3, but considering the amount of stuff I have, well... this is gonna take a while!
I could take this day as a reflection day. A day to re-organize the plan for destashing and debunking, but... that sounds a bit like a cop-out doesn't it? Um.. yeah.  BUT it's probably a really good idea to rewind a little bit. MAKE A PLAN  so I have something to stick to!
Day 3 is now PLANNING DAY. Cut me some slack would ya? I know I should have done it the first day, but... let's regroup and make our plan now okay?
#1 Look at your storage space as it is now. Is there anything you would like to change? Make it easier to get to and then use? Is your hubby happy with that great big pile of stuff by his favorite chair?
Break it down a little.... a) assess what you have now and how it works, b) is the system you have capable of expanding or does it need a face lift? C) What would your dream system be....NOW spend hours online looking at available OCD organizing options *sigh* Oh wait... I did that yesterday :)
#1 was really Day 1 for me. I looked at my stuff. Got tired of  trying to cram it all into the yarn condo and then having to dig around in different places for different tools. That was annoying enough to make me want to spruce it up a bit. I started there and then I moved to...
 #2 Organizing the paper! Day #2 for me!  I pulled out all (almost all) of my patterns. Paper printouts from the Internet, patterns I bought and the books. I didn't have a ton, but some of it I wasn't ever going to use and I had duplicates on my Ravelry page so I was able to spend just an hour or two yesterday purging.  I now have a nice pile to share with my friends and some went into the recycle bin! Sometime in the future I'm going to scan the rest in and make them into nice tidy pdf's, but for now I'm happy with three binders made down into just one!
 #3 ~ yeah. That's today my Day #3.  I'm planning out my POA (plan of action), setting my time limits, ignoring the budget (shh!) and hitting the bricks running! Man do I talk a good game or what?!! **This should be really in the #1 spot**
#4  Tools! Look at the tools you have (needles and everything!) Do you have one place to put this stuff? I'd like mine all to be together and easily accessible so this is going to be my #4 Day. I'm going to start by gathering it all into one place, maybe the dining room table? I don't know about you, but I have stitch markers, cable needles, scissors and rulers EVERYWHERE!  It will be a project to just get it into one spot! 
 #5 Yarn!!   This will be my #5 day I think *however many days it takes! See? I've saved the best for last! The ultimate stop on the tour of my stuff! Organizing the YARN!! I plan on pulling it all out ~ from the dining room, the living room and every room I find it in and putting it all into one spot. **Has to be a spot where it can be out for a couple of days because I want to make sure I have it all!  Once I get it all together I'm going to sort it and this is personal. I can't tell you how to sort yours because it's all about you at this point. How you like it and what you have.  I have my yarn in bins now separated by type. Sock yarn in one bin, cotton in another and acrylic (gasp!) in another. It's worked so far but I may need to add some categories and I'm sure that once I get into the pile I will work that out.
Once it's sorted....... sort it again! Any of the stuff that you know you won't use give it away! It's okay. Somebody else might love it and need it! Yarn should be used not stored forever. That's the whole point of this trip through my stuff right now! 
Now bag it! I've got extra large clear bags for this! Twins, triplets, quads, etc. will all go into one bag. Those bags will then go back into the bins. Yarn for specific projects (Wallaby Sweater) will go into it's own bag and then go into the WIP bin! 
Phew... it already sounds overwhelming doesn't it! AND it's not even Day #5 yet. Yikes. I think another important part of the plan here is to include sustenance. SNACKS and drinks to keep your energy up!!
#6 Documentation!  Pictures are a beautiful way to show your progress! Posting said pictures on your blog or even facebook will not only validate what you did and what you accomplished BUT you can look back on it later *when it gets all messy again* and your dream yarnstoragesystem won't be so far away!

Confessions of a Yarn Hoarder - Day 2

Figuring out how to start and where to start debunking!

I've accepted the fact that I  have yarn. Lots of yarn. Lots of tools, needles and just plain yarn type stuff. *more sighing* I've also accepted the fact that once again I have to make my yarnstoragesystem work better for me. NO! Not as a way to hide the stuff so Big doesn't see it all.... but as a way to make it more manageable and useful to allow my creative being a chance to be free!  Okay, okay...Yes. I brought my OCD out of the closet today!  But seriously, a little organization will make it easier for me to use my stuff and the organization of it will just make all of me happy! Add the extra bonus of hiding it better from Big and it's a WIN-WIN!!
Only problem is that I'm having a very hard time starting this whole debunking and reorganizing the yarnstoragesystem. I'm motivated *how could I not be with the bonus of hiding it from Big?!
I've been spending hours and hours online (Pinterest) looking up ways to make the whole process easier. Ha. Killing time, avoiding the whole situation.... that's the truth. That's the confession; I can't start. I don't know where to start which makes me basically shut down. I'm stuck. I need a quick kick in the pants to get my butt out of this rut and get moving!
So? What do I do.......
head back over to Pinterest and the good ol' Internet! Someone somewhere has obviously been in the same situation as me ~ maybe not with as much stuff as me, but I know they have got to be out there! Research! That's what I'll call the time I've spent online!! *Just another manifestation of a problem... justifying it.  Believe me, I see my own pitfalls here! I'm my own worst enemy and I know the next time I move the bag of yarn, WIP's and whatnot away from the chair in the living room to vacuum... I'll remember why I'm doing this.
So here's where we're going to start..... oh? You didn't know you were going to do this as well? Ha! You most certainly are!!
Today is officially Day 1! Re-organizing and debunking the yarnstoragesystem AND the yarnimplementtoolstoragesystem (yes.. those are all one word) NO MORE talking about it. More action!
I've picked a small place to start; Patterns! Paper patterns more specifically! I'm going to debunk and de-clutter those paper patterns using the following criteria:
1. IF I have an electronic version of the same pattern I will toss it! *recycled and/or gifted of course!
2. IF the paper version is one that I have a WIP attached to, it will go in the bag with the WIP.
3. Any duplicate paper patterns will be tossed.
4. ALL patterns will be placed in the appropriate section of the notebook... i.e. baby, blankets, clothing, etc.
5. The three notebooks of paper patterns currently on the shelf will be condensed into no more than 2. *gotta give me some room for my obvious obsession with these patterns!
6. I will play LOUD music while doing all the above!
7. I'm going to try and work in baby steps. One small project at a time so tomorrow I will address those books.

**I seem to debunk and declutter every year... sort of a Spring cleaning if you will. Today the sun is shining, it's warm outside so I'm opening the windows to get a breath of fresh air in here... which hopefully will inspire me to get on the ball and get this stuff done!

Confession of a Yarn Hoarder

I'm totally defending myself here ~ alright.... I'm making light of the fact that I have a yarn stash. A serious yarn stash. I've defended myself many times by saying things like 'it's not that bad', "I don't have as much as others', but my favorite is "it's under control."
I have yarn and/or yarn tools everywhere! Everywhere! I even have yarn catalogs beside the bathtub!  ~Hey! It's for when I get a chance to take a bubble bath and I want some reading! *do not tell Big that there are order forms inside those catalogs!  There is yarn in the bedroom ~ where I'm sure it isn't supposed to be. I have yarn in the living room and GASP!  I found some in the kitchen this morning! I laughed right out loud when  I opened up the cupboard and found this.....
How funny is that!  How amusing to find a lovely little blue yarn ball peaking out of a coffee cup?   Honestly,  I have no idea how that got there! Truly I don't.  Last time I saw it it was sitting on the computer desk waiting to be test knit into fingerless mitts. AND why oh why was it in my coffee mug? Hmm... I'm thinking that Boy must have moved it because it was obstructing his computer screen view. It's seriously funny to find yarn hidden in the cupboard!  Which totally makes me wonder..... do I have a yarn problem and I'm just afraid to admit it? Yikes. Probably.  Big certainly thinks I have one every time I drag him to the yarn shop!  Boy Wonder definitely does, he periodically bans me from storing yarn in the living room because he's usually the one getting yelled at for moving it!
I don't know. I thought it was all under control, the yarn was organized, stored away (out of Big's prying eyesight anyway!) and I don't have too much.  Seriously! I must not have too much because I just had to buy some the other day!! Shh.. don't tell!
I've talked about this before HERE and again HERE and that's just in the last few months. So... I think we can safely jump to the conclusion that I have might have a problem.  Which then we may safely jump to the question... whatcha gonna do about it? Well....
ORGANIZE IT of course! Ha-ha! I seriously think that had I said the words... purge some of it... I would have had my local friends on my doorstep within the hour! Sorry girls. Not happening yet!
I've decided that today will be the start of the newandimprovedyarnstoragesystem! Yes. Please read that as all one word! Over the next couple of weeks I will be organizing, re-organizing the yarnstoragesystem to make it more efficient and dreamy! Stay tuned!  This of course means that there will be yarn everywhere and I may be in trouble with Big and the Boy. They are going to have to see the complete stash. Sigh. It's a necessary evil I'm afraid. Big will be made aware of the extent of the yarn stash. My yarn budget may be taken away, BUT.... if this works he will never see it out in the open again AND it will be much easier to shop the stash!! AND the best of all... if Big doesn't see it.... he won't mind so much next time we go to the yarn shop???
Keep your fingers crossed that this works!!
oh... did I admit the true reason for doing this? I think I did... I'm totally doing this to make it all more manageable and accessible!

Sticking to my Resolution(s)

Remember when I said that my New Year Resolution was to shop my own stash first?  To see what I had in the yarn condo PRIOR to purchasing anything new for a project?  Yeah? Well..... I DID IT!!  I stuck it to my New Year Resolution!!  Not only once!  But twice!!
I've done it twice in the past two weeks! Go me! *I did however purchase a skein of yarn for a project ONLY after starting said project with one yarn and deciding I didn't like it... that counts, right?
I'm sure it does. It must! It has to!
You decide... look at the top picture... lovely right? Nice orangesicle. Looks warm. Just lovely. Um yeah... now look at the next picture.  Rainbow!  Sparkly!  It's Plymouth Yarns Stiletto.  Much lovelier!  Right?!!   Right!!! AND it's got a better name!
The top mitten was the first in the test knit and I was totally going to make the second mitt... until.... Oh Hello Sparkly, rainbow sock yarn!!  You can't really see the sparkles in it, but if you check it out HERE you can see them a lot better. *NOT where I bought my yarn, but it's the best picture of it*
What was I to do? Of course I was going to stick with the orangesicle color and finish that pair, but oh how I had to have a pair made out of the Stiletto! I like it so much I might even make  socks out of this lovely stuff!
I gotta give it to me on this one.  I did stash shop first!  I did!! I know, I know, not exactly what I meant, but... how about I make it up by making a pair of fingerless mitts for Boy Wonder ~ totally from the stash?

I started these today! An easy peasy pair of fingerless mitts for the boy made COMPLETELY from the stash! Some Cascade 220 Superwash (black) and some Berocco Comfort (red). He likes this one and is giving me the stink eye so I'll get off the computer and complete the second one!!  So looks like another total win for ME!!

Starting Toe-Up Socks

I've been trying to convince a friend to turn her current sock obsession into two at a time, toe up socks and today she asked for help! Yay! My skills of persuasion or maybe my incessant babbling about it? Either way (insert evil laughter) now she's sucked her in! Bahaha! She's going to try it today and I have a feeling she's going to be hooked!!  I've even managed to draw Big into the project ~ he had to help me with a quick video this morning to show TW how to get started!

Big's 1st Pair *before sewing in ends!

When I was home this summer (Michigan!!) I spent time with my favorite Aunt Gaily (she's the bestest) and she has been after me for quite a while to try making socks, but I pretty much tried to ignored her because I've always thought socks were a pain! I mean really! Spend hours on making one sock and then have to do it again? Pffft.. not happening. BUT Aunt Gaily's powers of persuasion coupled with the fact she knows me all too well... I ended up doing it.  I not only did it once, but now I can't quit!! My family is rockin' their socks!! Or? I'm rockin' their socks? Either way,  Two at Once, Toe Up, Magic Loop Socks is the only way I'm making socks from now on! Not only can I make two at once (duh! Read the title huh?), they fit so perfectly! AND it becomes a project with the recipient of the socks because I can't make them without said recipient being somewhere nearby! Ha Ha! Now neither Big nor Boy can give me crap about bringing knitting with me (wherever we go) because I'm usually making socks for one of them! Go Me!!
The pattern is pretty easy to follow - once you've done it, but if you do what it says exactly it works out okay! There are a couple of parts in it that are a bit trying and you may need to just see it. That's why I had Big help me this morning ~ we needed a quick video to help TW get on her way! I also needed a blog post so I'm putting it here for all to see as well!
**excuse the poor video - I've got to train Big to do these as well as the Boy :) 
I'm not knocking any other way to cast on - especially Judy's Magic Cast-On because she really does rock! AND her cast on is really cool, but the way my Aunt G showed me and how this particular pattern says to do it... well... it's a lot easier for me!

Hope this helps! AND you don't get too obsessed with sock making!

*high-lighted text is a link*