April 22, 2007

Illusion vs. reality

Against all evidence, I like to think of myself as organized and dedicated and conscientious. I also like to pretend my life looks like a Real Simple photo shoot, where all my knits lounge beautifully against carefully coordinated backdrops and my yarn is carefully stowed in a clever, yet attractive, space-maximizing storage system.

Having a blog really helps with this. I blithely pretend not to have a half-dozen half-finished projects piled untidily around the house. Plus I get to carefully select only those pictures that look like my fantasy life should look. I can even crop out the yucky bits. If only real life were that tidy.

So in the interest of bloggerly veracity (and embracing reality), I present How My Stash Really Looks.


Those big plastic bins? Full of yarn. Those big glass canisters? Full of yarn.

It's also possible there's yarn tucked away in other corners of the living room. (Incidentally, some of the yarn hidden here is the exact same yarn the Craft Pirate bought at Webs a few weeks after I did. Great minds, baby, great minds.)


Much as I am learning to embrace the untidiness of my knitting habits, I have finally embraced being a process knitter. You know how knitters are said to fall into a "process" or a "product" category? I really, really thought of myself as a product knitter, despite the relative absence of said "products." But the Yarn Harlot's new book changed all that.

She has a quick quiz to help determine whether you are a process or a product knitter. One of the questions goes like this: your latest sweater is turning out gigantic. Upon realizing this you a) say "does anyone know a cold elephant?" or b) rip it out - because handknits are for wearing.

I'll be the one looking for a cold elephant. And happily casting on the next sweater.

4 comments:

Macoco said...

I'm really interested to see what you make with the silky tweed.

I used to have my yarn contained to one huge plastic bin - but now the cover can only be clasped with some real finagling. And now I have two bags of yarn to go along with the bin...and then some yarn in the knitting bin in my living room...yikes. It's growing.

Kristy said...

Oh yes, it's all about selective pictures. I didn't include some yesterday because I realized they also showed how messy my coffee table is :)

Deb said...

Okay...doesn't really matter how organized it is or isn't, I'm still having a serious case of yarn envy. My stash is growing, but not quite there yet. I have visions of being 80 and never having to worry about being cold because the house will be so well insulated.

Unknown said...

I love your stash. It's got this artsy, bountiful vibe going for it, and yet it's all daintily tucked away in the corner. It helps give your place a jaunty-yet-laidback Domino sort of atmosphere rather than a prissy-and-frigid Real Simple one. Seriously, the overall effect is really pleasant and snug and relaxing. Furthermore, you know that I say this as someone who loves organizing like you love yarn.

Now, with that said . . .


Ahh! Ahhhh! AHHHHHHH! You are such a tease. Do you know what I would give to go to the container store with you and design a revolutionary new stash storage system? Just think of all the possibilities -- The shelving! The storage boxes! The squirreling away of stuff! Why, oh why do you taunt me this way?

You had me at "carefully stowed in a clever, yet attractive, space-maximizing storage system." And you knew it.