Santa Fe

(No, I'm not going to serenade you with "Santa Fe" from Newsies. But, if you want to, you can hear it here. I'm not a Christian Bale kind of girl, but I still enjoy it.)

I do a fair amount of social knitting, and thus, I tend to pick projects that are both portable and simple. I also read the Yarn Harlot's blog, and I find her knitting to be (98.9%) inspiring.

She went on the striped Noro scarf kick, and I thought, "Wow. Those look cool. But I would stab my own eyes out if I was knitting a scarf like that. Bo-ring."

So, I went through my knitting library and stash (because I have become a creature of excellent habits through the Social Pressure Experiment), and I present you with the Santa Fe Wrap:

That is the back. It is - in my opinion- one of the few good applications of mitered squares. Plus, the center/back panel took me about a day and a half to knit. This is potato chip knitting at it's best.

That's the front. Half-done. When it is finished, there will be four long strips that will make me look six feet tall and thin when I wear it. At least, the woman I saw wearing it at the yarn shop did. She may have been actually six feet tall and thin, but now you're splitting hairs.

What's that? A shadow rib. Look above and below and you'll notice that NOT ONLY is it NOT in garter stitch (which kills my knitting mojo), but both the main color and the contrast color get noticed.

It is knitting up surprisingly quickly, and I'm noticing that one skein of Noro Sock lasts FOREVER.

There is something wrong with me.

WHY do I do this to myself?!

I know that I have more than enough yarn- enough to last me through an apocalypse. Hence the Social Pressure Experiment.

So why is it that I feel compelled to check out the Yarnzilla sale? Half-off cashmere, 40% off sock yarns, it's all too much!

For me, if I don't see it , it's not there. That's why I didn't participate in the Shop Hop. That's why I no longer meander around Purlescence, absorbing those intoxicating wool fumes that always convince me that this time it will be different, this time I'll start and finish the sweater I'm buying yarn for. I am a weak woman when it comes to wool.

This is partly why I've signed up for classes this year at Stitches. Until two years ago, I was working the show, and didn't have time to take classes.

Two years ago, I made the mistake of waiting for my time off to be approved before signing up for the class I wanted. While waiting for official approval, the class filled and closed. Last year, none of the classes offered appealed to me.

This year, I signed up for classes as soon as I had a few minutes in front of my computer. I'm signed up for "Cool Socks" with Lucy Neatby all day Friday, and "Design Your Own Sock Architecture" with Cat Bordhi all day Sunday. This will give me the opportunity to learn loads, and serve double duty to reduce my available shopping hours by HALF.

I know that the official end date for the SPE is the day Stitches opens. I think I'm really embracing this whole change of behaviors, though. I may not toss out stuff from my stash after Stitches, but the exercise has really changed my buying habits. That was the point, I suppose. [Wine never hurts, either.]

In other not-buying-yarn-or-fiber news, I'm taking a class with Cat Bordhi this Saturday at Knitting Boutique in Lafayette, CA. A whole bunch of us are going. I've even re-pinked my hair.

It's going to be awesome.

There has been knitting

Despite the incredible lack of photographical evidence to the contrary, there has been knitting. And spinning. But no photographs.

The camera is fine. The lighting is fine- and the natural light has been fantastic, too. Somehow, every time I start to get things together to take pictures, something distracts me. By the time I remember, it's 11PM and I'm in bed.

I cast on a fabulous sweater- the Henley Perfected. I didn't like the look of it in the magazine, but I saw this one, and was immediately inspired. Keeping with the Social Pressure Experiment, I dug through my stash and selected some Silky Wool that I bought on our honeymoon.

Andrew later pointed out that once I finish knitting up all the yarn I bought on the honeymoon, we would have to go on another to replenish that specific part of the stash. I suggested Boston for the next one.

As far as spinning is concerned, I've been plowing through the Crown Mountain stash. I LOVE spinning their superwash. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

I need to write up a review for Shakespeare Santa Cruz's production of "Burn This". It seems that when I'm disappointed by a show, I'm not so quick to write a review. I think it's because I need to formulate what I disliked about the show. Also, I hate writing bad theater reviews.

Mom and I will be going to the California Wool and Fiber Festival in Boonville, CA this Friday and Saturday. It should be awesome.

Stash equilibrium- myth or reality?

This last week, I finished my Hedera socks, AND a ribbon shell. Granted, these are both fairly small projects, but I’ve finished them! This doesn’t even include the spinning. And has there been SPINNING!

(Pictures coming soon. The shell looks miserable on Mademoiselle, and I have a fierce new hairdo. I need to wrangle a hapless victim to take pictures of me in the garments!)

The other exciting thing is that the Social Pressure Experiment is really starting to take hold, as far as developing better stash habits is concerned.

Example:

Yesterday, I went on CrazyMonkey’s etsy shop to find a link to the roving that I’ve bought and spun up. I saw FIVE things I wanted. So, I sent the links to Tika, who agreed that it was all fabulous.

I walked into my newly-organized office, and decided to spin the Hotel California in my stash. There’s nothing like floor-to-ceiling stash to snap my curly self right back to reality.

I like my stash. It has gotten me through every financial “low” (supporting a grad student, mortgage on the first house, two mortgages while we sold the townhouse while we were living in the New House), and has been happily replenished through the “highs” (bonuses, raises, gift money).

It’s 99% awesome stuff, and the remaining 1% is the day-glo acrylic that I bought to make kids’ stuff out of. There is enough variety to keep me inspired and knitting for a long time. That’s a good thing.

There is a lot of it. I think my question is: how much is “Stash Equilibrium”- meaning, at what point is it not too big or too small? When is it “juuuuuust right”?

Having a stash requires planning. In Silicon Valley, one never knows when companies will downsize, or shut down. There’s nothing like being [temporarily] unemployed with the wrong stash. It’s a travesty.

It’s also a huge loss to have all this gorgeous yarn sitting unused in your house. I have THREE SWEATERS worth of casbah, waiting. That’s criminal! There needs to be a system. Not necessarily a FIFO system, but maybe a formula as to fiber content and ranking and whatnot. [System pending.]

So, for now, I’m working through my stash, and finishing up all of those skeletons I’ve got hiding in my UFO storage units. There’s nothing like the promise of wine to inspire me to turn yarn into wearable garments.

I am immune to your seduction techniques

Dear Aija;

Maybe you didn't read my blog. Maybe you did. But I have to say: you are evil.

Love,

Jasmin

(If you aren't part of "The Agreement" [see right], please go buy the beautiful roving so that I don't.)

The Agreement

Tika and I need mutual support in doing a little stash reduction, the healthy way. Through social pressure! I'm sure we'll still be supporting our LYS, just in a more reflective way.

The rules:

As of midnight, July 14^th, no new fiber, no new yarn until Stitches West.

An even trade (50g for 50g) is ok. So is buying that last ball of yarn so you can finish a project. Project scope issues shouldn’t be penalized.

Anything ordered in advance doesn’t count.

No gift yarn or roving can be accepted UNLESS it's for a birthday or anniversary or legit holiday. (My birthday is November 23^rd, Tika’s is December 6^th.)

Tools, patterns, and books are not considered stash, and thus, will not be included in The Agreement.

The Monterey Wool auction is being grandfathered in, as it was planned months ago.

Accepting donations of yarn to make charity items is acceptable. Charity knitting must be finished within an 8-week window of receipt of the yarn.

If you buy something new, you have to get rid of equivalent weight/yardage out of the stash.

For FO’s, a bottle of wine will be given (under $20) to the finisher by their partner.

Less is more

The best things in life are not things at all. Experiences, loved ones- these are the things that matter most. This year, I am resolving to learn better habits and live a more enlightened life.

My first step towards this goal was to begin purging things that I no longer wanted or needed. Tim Gunn is directly responsible for this. I was watching Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style, and I was taking the advice he gave one his show to heart. I don’t need 90% of my wardrobe. More than not needing it, I would say at LEAST 30% is frumpy or not flattering. Out!

As I’m getting rid of dozens of unflattering pieces, I’m replacing them ONLY with a few high-quality, flattering items that are absolutely necessary. I’m not about to try and wrangle the dogs in a spring dress, but, I’m taking the rest of his advice. I think he’s positively inspiring.

Let's call this "Jasmin 2008".

The next step is to practice good habits and balance whether a purchase is a Want or a Need. It takes time to develop good habits, but I’m already noticing a difference in how I am shopping.

I am very lucky; I could knit out of my stash for years without needing more yarn. So that’s what I’m doing. I’m not going on a yarn diet, but I’m not buying anything that doesn’t shake my foundation.

This is going to help me stop feeling like my possessions own me, and also, to allow me to enjoy all of the extra space in this house.

Additionally, I am looking to improve myself this year. My list of things that I want to do includes:

-Go to yoga more frequently. It’s good for the body and good for the soul.

-Take a pilates class at work. Those giant balls look like fun.

-Take a knife techniques class.

-Learn four new, high-end recipes every month: one soup, one main course, one dessert, and another of my choosing.

-Learn to use the two knitting machines I have.

-Teach each dog at least one new trick.

Resolving to be resolute

I have a lot of things. Don’t get me wrong; I like having things. Recently, I’ve been feeling like my things own me, rather than the other way around. The battle for dominance has been fought with purging, but the fact is, I have not yet truly begun to fight.

The first step is a yarn and wool embargo. I have more of both than I need and storage space is at a premium in the new house until we get around to installing the cabinets. If I spend time knitting out of my stash and can make a significant dent in it, in the future, when I see really breathtaking and special yarn or roving, I can buy it without that “I can’t start this until I finish 25 other things” feeling. I’m not a FIFO knitter or spinner by any means, but having a room full of these things takes some of the joy out of spinning, knitting, and buying yarn.

I’ve been on yarn diets before, but like actual diets, my goal is to develop better habits. People with good habits live happier, less complicated lives. This is good. I’m aiming for a less materialistic way of life; I don’t need another pair of black shoes, or another wool coat. I’m striving to buy what I need rather than what I want.

I think this is all stemming partly from watching “Six Feet Under” and partly from “Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style”. I was thinking, “If I only had a year to live, what would I want Andrew to sift through?” Not a metric ton of yarn or roving. Not a thousand pairs of shoes that I never wear. Not a hundred handbags that initially got heavy use and then forgotten. If I can give up on impulse buying ten pairs of shoes on sale, I can buy one super-nice pair of shoes. Still on sale, but super-nice shoes nonetheless. I have a compulsion to buy things on sale; it’s a blessing and a curse.

So, there’s my New Year’s resolution.

Oh, and also to eat less sugar. Sugar turns me into a monster.

Sometimes you just have to suck it up

I won't lie to you.

I'm officially bitter about not going to Rhinebeck. (This would be a side effect of reading all the knit/spinning bloggers who are posting about it.) I know, deciding to buy the new house was the better choice. Better? Yes. More fun? No.

I don't like making choices. It's true; given a choice between two desserts, I'm most likely to order both, buy both blouses, or two fleeces. I especially don't like making responsible choices that will directly impact my future.

I know that I don't need any more roving or yarn. I know. But I waaaaaant more.

Temptation has been waving it's nasty little self under my nose: Crown Mountain has their new colors up, and there are like 20 that I desperately want. (Let's do the math, folks: 20 x 19 = 380.) That's not happening for a while.

To be fair, at the pace I'm spinning the stuff, one bump has taken me close to three weeks of nightly spinning. That's the downside of spinning it at a sub-fingering weight, but it SOOOOO pretty that way. It's also not the only roving I own- though, I technically have MUCH less roving than yarn. You know, since roving turns INTO yarn, it's all a destructive cycle, but I digress.

I could, forseeably, spin all the roving I have in the next year, barring new roving/wool purchases. At one point, during what I like to refer to as Jasmin's Spinning Resurgence, I really did run out of roving, and Mom brought me a box of roving that she had bought more than TEN years ago. I plowed through some of that, but I still have about 2 lbs of that left.

Being a grown-up totally sucks sometimes. So does logic.

So full of virtue, I could spew…

Purlescence finally got in the Dream in Color yarns and patters. I was there, doing my normal knitting thing, and there were the boxes and boxes of "Classy", one color more beautiful than the next.

If you're a regular reader, or you know me personally, you'll know that I have a lot of yarn. You'll also know that the last statement is a drastic understatement. Since the old place hasn't sold yet, new stuff is not really an option- we're using some of the "money" (it'll come out of quotes once it's real and actual money has materialized) to re-do the kitchen in the new place and put in some decent storage in the garage.

So, I bought the pattern for the AWESOME lace shrug, went home, dug through the stash, and emerged with THE PERFECT yarn for the project. Then, to double my virtue (and double my fun, if you will), I cast it on Thursday night and completed the knitting this afternoon.

That's right. Start to finish, the shrug took three days to knit. (It's waiting to be blocked, I'll post pictures once that's done.) That would be three days of red hands, caused by bleeding yarn.

Now, I hate to sound like Lady Macbeth, but seriously, getting red dye out of your nails is darn near impossible. I'm looking forward to seeing how much dye comes off in the pre-blocking soak.

The shrug itself is terribly addictive to knit- I haven't knit anything in worsted weight in months, and watching a piece grow so quickly is… addictive.

So, in summary: one FO out of the stash in one weekend. Life is good.