Friday, November 2, 2012

Surmount The Stash November Update


Some months it's hard to evaluate my progress to Surmount the Stash. This month I didn't get as much done as I'd hoped, but there is some progress.

Monthly budget of $50 for all knitting related expenses: In October I scooped up 2 balls of red acrylic DK from the clearance room at Mary Maxim for a whopping $1.99 each. Including tax, my total spending was under $5.

A week ago I came across a post on Ravelry about a KAL to make a Barn Raising Quilt for the Canadian Cancer Society. The pattern is not available online, and I wasn't sure I wanted to splash out for the book but I quickly realized that the book was available from the library. That made me feel very thrifty :)

Manage my WIPs: My Smitten Advent calendar is finally done and I'm busy scouting little surprises to fill each of the 24 little stockings. It's pretty fun. I also knit two pairs of socks, I'm a quarter of the way through my secret Christmas knitting, and I'm hoping to show a finished pair of gloves for my Year of Projects post on Sunday. Two years ago I knit a shelf liner for a friend from dishcloth cotton and had planned to knit two more. This morning I can report that the second is done, and the third is well underway.

Plan projects to work through my inventory of yarns in my Stash: I started the year with 1350 grams of dishcloth cotton and by the end of next week that total should be down to about 350 grams. That's about 75% of that stash knit!  I have some ideas about a new dishcloth design so a portion of the remaining yarn will go to that.

In the next few weeks I also plan to make two squares for the KAL - there are a couple of sock yarns whose variegation have defied all my pattern choices so I think they'll be perfect for this. And once that's done - and once my secret Christmas knitting is done - it's socks and Year of Projects knitting for the rest of the year. Sounds like I can still make inroads into the fingering weight stash!


10 comments:

Wanderingcatstudio said...

That's a pretty good dent you put in the dishcloth yarn!

Caffeine Girl said...

I'm not sure I've ever gone a month when I spent less than $5 on knitting. I'm tipping my at to you.

Renee Anne said...

I need to quit buying yarn (except for swaps - that doesn't count in my world)......and knit from stash.

I *have* been knitting from stash but I'm a slower knitter (or have less time) so it doesn't seem like much is going out.

I do like your method of only allowing $X/month. I suspect that helps :)

Anonymous said...

You made a great "dent in the stash". Congrats on getting so much done.

bookworm-Mary said...

I love getting craft books from the library-- great way to not have to buy a new book (though sometimes, I don't mind buying the book, lol)

Vivian said...

The best way for me keep my WIP under control is to stick with one project at a time. The stash? That's a whole other animal.

Marie/Underground Crafter said...

Wow, amazing progress! You've gone through so much cotton - very impressive. (Unfortunately, my update is not going to be as good as yours!)

Stefanie said...

I love how you're wheelin' and dealin' w/your stash!

WildflowerWool said...

Only $5 on knitting a month?!?!?!? You are good!

Nicky said...

You're my inspiration when I start knitting from my stash on Jan 1, 2013!!!

You're doing an amazing job!