Sunday, July 08, 2007

Stash Reorg!

It all started with Jackie. Tuesday night, she mentioned that she'd joined the Mystery Stole 3 KAL. I told her I was too busy working on other projects. When I got home, I looked at other people's progress anyway, because, you know, it's mysterious. You don't know what it's going to look like till you're done!
I really liked what I saw. And then someone on knitty mentioned that part of the pattern is starting to look like skulls, possibly dragon skulls. That did it. I joined. I mean, it possibly has skulls in it, and I had just the perfect black yarn in my stash! Black laceweight, about 1400 yards, bought for $14.00! That's I why remembered it so precisely: I came home that day and told Mr. Batty, "Hey, look, an entire shawl's worth of yarn, and only 14 bucks!"
I was very excited.

So, I went looking through my stash. The bags, the bins, the bags outside the bins... no laceweight. What I was finding, though, was a whole bunch of beautiful yarn I'd completely forgotten about. It bothered me because it was so pretty and I didn't even know I had it.

And then I realized why. My stash needed reorganizing!

I mean, look at the chaos.


There was even some on my floor, right by my knitting chair.


Without delay, I went to buy another large bin, Ziploc bags big and small, and... I went at it. Mr. Batty and I have been together for almost 7 years, married for almost 4. I was pretty sure our marriage could withstand the knowledge of the sheer... yarniness going on around the house.


And I was right. He sat behind me the entire time. He thought the whole thing was cute and funny, until he heard a shocked exclamation coming from my general direction: "What the sock???"


They've told you that sock yarn doesn't count, and I've even said so myself. Well, look at the above picture. Look closely. Because this is what happens when you believe that sock yarn does not count. You end up with two extra large bags full of the stuff. Fortunately, the husband was amused, and he insisted of taking a picture.

This morning, I organized the rest of the stash. Now, it's beautifully sorted by weight, locked up in little baggies and bigger baggies and stored in 3 bins. There's no overflow, a distinct crochet stash, and a distinct fiber stash. Beautiful.

And I found it, my yarn for the Mystery Stole!


I feel like I have accomplished a lot.

44 comments:

Libi said...

I have that same yarn, in red. I almost used it, but I decided I wanted green instead. If I really like the stole, I'll make one in red also.

Good job on the stash. I did that a few months ago and what a difference it has made!

spinndiva said...

YAYYYYYY! for organizing!
*tries not to look in the general direction of her yarn closet*
well the yarn is ok... but the fiber..... don't get me started!!!
Cant wait to see your mystery stole!!!

Zonda said...

Good job on the reorg! We all hate to do it, but those bags are perfect for it aren't they!

Unknown said...

It was ENTIRELY the skulls comment that made me reconsider joining... up until then I wasn't going to do it!

Mom said...

Yay for re-organization! The bug must have been going around because I just re-did mine and I think I need another box too!!

Funny about MS3, I joined but haven't knitted anything yet. I read somewhere that someone thought they saw cards and the hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades in the knitting and that just is not up my alley. Dragon skulls, yes. Cards, no. I will keep watch on your knitting to see if I like what yours is becoming. :)

cpurl17 said...

Sqeeeeeeeee Batty's in!

Can you come over and re-org my stash?

I haven't seen skulls yet but the bottom corner kinda reminds me of the top of a snakes head.

TheKnittingBee said...

Great tidying! I shall be watching eagerly to see if there are dragon skulls in the pattern! (and I shall be ever so jealous if they are!)

Nell said...

Wow, that stash is amazing!! I'm an intrigued by the mystery stole, I've only just heard about it. Shall watch your progress......

Unknown said...

Wow! That is some stash you have. :)

And sock yarn *totally* counts, I would know!

And I joined MS3 too, even though I totally don't have time... or yarn.

Heathermione said...

My inner organization freak was very very satisfied by that post. (And who am I kidding, really, it's so not an inner thing anyway)! Congratulations! (And thanks for filling me with a sudden desire to run out right now and buy some great, big, Ziploc bags!)

P.S. Sock yarn still doesn't count.

Elizabeth said...

Your chaos would be my space on a good day!

Think of all the fun socks you have waiting to be knit!

Bezzie said...

I love those spurts of organization! It's how I get my best stuff done.

Way to go!

Poops said...

Way to go! I'm with elizabeth...your chaos looks like a good day in my house!

Maureen said...

Holy stash! That is amazing! And all the sock yarns! I laughed out loud! Great job reorganizing and finding your laceweight!

weezalana said...

Reorganizing and yarn - it's like weeza heaven! ;)

Anonymous said...

WOw! Nicely done! I love to feel accomplished & happy at the end of an organizational binge like that. And, sock yarn still does not count as stash....I swear...

IrishGirlieKnits said...

Awwww..you can breathe a slight sigh of relief now! I love that feeling...it goes away though when you buy more yarn and don't organize it and there's just lots of little yarn store bags around ...oh wait...that's me! I need to get some of the GIANT ziploc bags!!

And don't you love Mr. Batty! He embraces your addiction :) hehehe

Anonymous said...

Wow, that's quite a stash! Hooray for understanding loved ones.

Anonymous said...

What the sock! That's so cute. I get frightened thinking about a large stash, I really do. The thought of one makes me feel like even more of a slacker!

sharon said...

YOur sock stash looks like - about half of my total yarn stash - Must shop to compete!!!!
Duet sock yarn is headed my way now too - and sock yarn so doesn't count!!!

schrodinger said...

Congratulations on the stash reorganization, I'm quite jealous! Well done on finding the laceweight for the stole.

Larjmarj said...

It does feel good to reorganize and purge. You've really outdone me in the sock yarn category!
I just did mine along with the dry ice bombing.
Oh the mystery stole! Very cool, I've seen quite a few started around the web.

rincaro said...

It must have been the weekend for this! I re-org'd my stash as well. And I'm doing my mystery stole in a sort of black!

Anonymous said...

Ok you have gone and done it -- now you have inspired me to go home and sort through all my yarn and want to reorganize it in some fashion. Right now I just have mine stashed in a basket or in my small 3 drawer yarn bin.
Dragons -- I love dragons -- now is one of those times I wish I could knit lace! Hope you have fun with MS3.

The Kelly Green Rogue said...

Wow I'm mighty impressed that you took that on! Every time I think of reorganizing mine I just get overwhelmed and walk away!

Unknown said...

Why am I all guilty over having 6 balls of sock yarn, when you have two GIANT bags full of it?? Hee hee, thanks for making me feel better hahaha.

sgeddes said...

I can't wait to see the progress on the mystery shawl!

That is a nice big stash of sock yarn. I need to do a bit of reorg too!

Rebel said...

Wow! That's a lot of stash! And that's a lot of organizing. Did you think of 45 other projects you want to cast on for, now that you know what's in there? ;) - zuma

GURO said...

So, I'm not doing mystery stole. I found out about it too late. But I like to keep track of all that pretty yarn and beads and lace anyway. I hope there are skulls!

And boy oh boy is that a lot of yarn! I'm jealous of your sock yarn. We don't really have any really nice hand dyed or otherwice special yarn here...

Vyvyan said...

Now you've got me motivated to organize my room which consists of knitting project bags, bins, boxes, shopping bags--all mostly in one big mound. I feel like a kid getting out my toy box when its time to organize. I could play for hours. And the good part is that is gets the creative juices flowing.

I wouldn't have the courage to let my husband watch me though. I'd like to keep some secrets hidden.

Sourire11 said...

Yeah for organizing!

I'm afraid to do that with my stash... completely afraid.

Elspeth said...

I'm so jealous - want to organize my stash too? ;)

Carina said...

Whoooo! You totally rock! I should do that . . .

Anonymous said...

Woah, what a stash - this is highly impressive indeed - and even more impressive are your organizing skills! You've certainly accomplished a big lot and I'm pretty jealous here ;) Would you like to come over and organize mine too, pretty pleeze? ;)

Anonymous said...

Oooh, I will look forward to seeing the Mystery Stole. I'd join, but my Jaywalkers need attention. And so does the raglan sweater. And the afghan. And the soopoer seekret stuff. Oh, and then there are the Bayerische socks...

Stash organization is a good, wonderful thing! (Until you start hiding your re-organized stash under the fridge...)

Alma said...

Oh, the richness!
And the order.
I signed up for the Mystery Stole out of curiosity mixed with excitement and a light amount of ambition. But I kept messing it up, again, and again, and again. Now I'll try to just keep track and admire - and then do it some other time.
Less mystery, of course, but hopefully I'll be more capable.

Anonymous said...

I can hardly wait for Book 7 myself the closer it gets to being released the more impatient I get. I reorganized my stash and found things I had forgotten I had!

Anonymous said...

I'm always so happy when I see others with huge amounts of yarn - I love your bags o sock yarn,especially. Makes my trunk full seem quite normal! And hold onto mr Batty - it's a rare man that understands. Thea (babycocktails)

Jess said...

You are so cute. I love the picture of you sitting in piles of yarn... Totally fun. Great job reorganizing. IT looks great! Its nice to know what you have again, it opens up so many knitting doors.

Rain said...

There must be something in the air, I did the exact same thing 2 weeks ago. It feels so good to have it done.

Your stole is going to be gorgeous in that yarn. Those I've seen so far are shaping up beautifully.

SuzannaBanana said...

Good for you! That's a great feeling, to be able to say, "I know exactly where I put that yarn." I did it a few months ago, and it's changed the way I look at my yarn stash and my projects.

Anonymous said...

I think I'm going to have to say "what the sock!" in general conversation now.

Anonymous said...

Seriously that was a huge yarngasm! haha I even had chills! hahaha droooolllll!

Anonymous said...

Wow at least I'm not the only one that decided to organize the Stash... yours is bigger than mine but I know how crazy it can get!