life with a chronic disease and a really big yarn stash
The Yarn Destash Project: End of April Report
What a month it has been. I started April feeling pretty cocky and confident that I was smashing the yarn destash resolution; I had used up 21 skeins of yarn in just three months. I was a knitting machine and I was going to polish off this destash project lickity-split before the end of summer. Look at me! All hail the Midnight Knitter and her flashing knitting needles.
So the yarn total on my little Excel spreadsheet was reset down to 10 skeins. Boohoo! 10 skeins. Whatever. I am a knitting machine. I will catch up. I have this!
Behold my progress this month:
The minute I saw the Geology Socks pattern I wanted to make them. As in… I MUST HAVE THESE SOCKS IMMEDIATELY!! I cast on a total of three times to make the socks, ripping out twice to change the pattern and/or yarn until I had exactly what I wanted. I kept pulling the socks onto my arm so I could admire the pattern. What a shame to hide this great pattern under my pants… behold the Geology Mitts! My project notes are here. Total yarn used: 1/2 skein.I spent a lot of time cranking out this Sea Swell Shawl, but it was time well spent as this shawl with its perfect drape will be a huge workhorse for me. My project notes are here. Total skeins used: 2 skeins (the lightest grey doesn’t count towards the destash as I bought it this year for this project.)I’ve been wanting to make a stack of new dish cloths to use in the kitchen with my handwoven dish towels. This month I produced a small stack of Almost Lost Washcloths. Total skeins used: 2 skeins.
I’m also continuing to make progress on my V-Neck Boxy. I’m working my way down the body and have another 6 inches to go before I bind off. This sweater was a little slow to start because of the shoulder and neck shaping, but now that I’m knitting stockinette in the round I am cruising along. Total skeins used so far: 2 skeins.
So there it is: after a month of knitting I have boosted the destash number to 16.5 skeins. I have two projects currently on my needles (the V-Neck Boxy and a pair of simple socks), so it is time to reorganize and get new projects lined up. Oh boy! Time to wind the yarn for my Nordiska sweater! I’m thinking about a new Sea Swell shawl. I want to make some grey and red socks to match my new shoes… I pulled an alpaca fleece from the garage into the house with the thought of spinning a nice rosy brown alpaca yarn to knit with some mohair I bought at Interweave Yarn Fest. I’m energized and gearing up for May: let the knitting begin!
One more little item before I sign off… today is May Day. When I was a child I would hand flowers on the doorknobs of my friends and neighbors. Today I offer up the current state of my blooming orchid.
I weave, knit and read in Aurora, Colorado where my garden lives. I have 2 sons, a knitting daughter-in-law, a grandson and two exceptionally spoiled kittens. In 2014 I was diagnosed with a serious rare autoimmune disease called systemic sclerosis along with Sjogren's Disease and fibromyalgia.
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7 thoughts on “The Yarn Destash Project: End of April Report”
Your orchid is stunning! Look at how many blooms!
Your mitts are fantastic as are all your other projects! You are a knitting machine:)
I always think pretty sock patterns are wasted on me as I always wear trousers, which is why I only do the same pattern. Your fix of turning the geology pattern into mitts is a great idea. I look forward to seeing your boxy.
The stocks are even more wasted on me since I wear loose leggings all the time that don’t even allow a peak of my sock legs to show. I tend to just knit vanilla socks in cute yarn for that reason. I wrote the wrist warmers tonight and was so happy with them; I can wear them with the lace cuff at the top or bottom!
I have only 5 more inches on the Boxy body now. I’m starting to think i’l get it done next week. Yay. I hope there will still be some cool weather.
You are a knitting machine! Love your sock/mitt conversion – very clever! And you’re right, it’s a shame to waste pretty knitting on socks 🙂 Love the shawl and sweater too!
Yarn, Books & Roses 
Your orchid is stunning! Look at how many blooms!
Your mitts are fantastic as are all your other projects! You are a knitting machine:)
I’m happy with the orchid. Its hard to get them to bloom, so I’m just thrilled when one does.
Knitting machine… that’s my middle name!
I always think pretty sock patterns are wasted on me as I always wear trousers, which is why I only do the same pattern. Your fix of turning the geology pattern into mitts is a great idea. I look forward to seeing your boxy.
The stocks are even more wasted on me since I wear loose leggings all the time that don’t even allow a peak of my sock legs to show. I tend to just knit vanilla socks in cute yarn for that reason. I wrote the wrist warmers tonight and was so happy with them; I can wear them with the lace cuff at the top or bottom!
I have only 5 more inches on the Boxy body now. I’m starting to think i’l get it done next week. Yay. I hope there will still be some cool weather.
You are a knitting machine! Love your sock/mitt conversion – very clever! And you’re right, it’s a shame to waste pretty knitting on socks 🙂 Love the shawl and sweater too!
Thanks. I’m so pleased with the new mitts it’s going to spoil me for fancy socks!