Knitting Conundrums

First I must say thank you so much for all the well wishes; it feels good knowing there is so much positive energy out there - I need it! Today is my list of knitting conundrums. You know the problem (well not always) with being chronically fatigued is that your brain and thought processes still continue (and at times I have too much time to think..as evidenced by my last post!) and I have had some things on my mind. Here they are in no particular order: 1. My Stash When I flashed my stash on April 1st, I couldn't believe the number of hits I got! My stash was a superstar and certainly garnered some attention. The process was interesting for me. Flashing made me giddy and it made me realize how much I really love my stash(it's kind of like showing your underwear!)..not because I have so much of it or even because it is so well organized (okay maybe partly) rather, because it represents so much for me. I feel no shame in my stash; I don't have it in hiding (and I used to have it in less visible bins which drove me nuts because I couldn't see what I had) and I am surrounded by it everyday. My husband Ed sees it everyday and he has never complained or criticized my stash and even if he did I wouldn't care - I love my stash! My stash represents hope; hope of the day I get better and can knit what I have. My stash represents my style, my colour palette, my love of yarns I love to put my hands and face on. I know that while I may not be as fast as Wannietta - who is? - I can be very focused at times and get things done - I remember back to knitting 2 sweaters in less than a month so I know I can do it (okay sewing them up took another 3 months but hey what can I say?). I don't see my stash as SABLE and even if it is so what? As a society we are so focused on what is wrong, where our faults lie, why we all aren't perfectly thin, beautiful and rich that we carry this everywhere in our lives. My stash has been accumulated with care (with the exception of two purchases it all has a project) and I accept the fact that I will always be able to experience fibre with my eyes and hands so much faster than I can knit it up. There is something so primordial about fibre; perhaps because it engages so many of our senses and perhaps because of the basic comfort it gives us. I think that it is interesting that the stash most knitters have consists mostly of yarn we plan to knit up for others and less for ourselves. Knitters are quite a unique bunch; we have a joie de vivre about our fibre, we jump enthusiastically into projects which involve more altruistic purposes (i.e., Warming Grace now has 150 participants!) and yet we have more angst, guilt, shame, justifications and discussions about our stashes than anything else. Why? We should never feel bad about our stashes - I don't think (perhaps I am wrong) there is a knitter out there feverishly buying yarn, suffering cold sweats and jitters if they don't, not feeding the kids or paying the bills because they have to have it. When I joined SYAC I hadn't flashed and I hadn't thought about the addict part - I am not an addict. My bad. The connotation is too negative for me. I really enjoy my yarn purchases and my sock yarn purchases and I don't feel that I am buying in some out of control frenzy that is affecting the quality of my life. Sock yarn is wonderful - there is a reason it is so popular; you can buy a skein or 6 and get so much in return. Currently I have enough sock yarn for over 60 socks. Woo! Some of you may say way too much! I say that if I was well enough and decided to knit a pair a week (totally realistic even with other knitting) it would take me a little over a year to knit it all up. The beauty of yarn is that there is no expiry date, I won't get fat over it, it never talks back and it won't eat me out of house and home. Anny reminded me of Ghandi's quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world." I have it on my computer desk and see it there everyday and I think about the multitude of implications this has in every area of my life. In the small world of my knitting what I want to see is more joy, more revelry, more pride and less shame in my stash. I will knit it as I am able, I will add to when I want and I will enjoy every minute of it! With this in mind I am enthusiastically a part of Stash Pride! Vive la revolution! Postscript: Sorry for the lack of photos and I will post the rest of my conundrums tomorrow! I am going to roll in my stash! Woohoo!