Adventures of a Desi KnitterAn academic juggles knitting, sewing, and other crafts in Kolkata

Inventory; wish list

§ February 22nd, 2010 § Filed under yarn § 7 Comments

So, I cleaned up around here a bit, and gave the blog some new digs. Less clutter, more room.

In the same spirit, ahead of Stitches West, to be held right here in the bay area (Santa Clara Convention Center) next weekend, I decided to take stock of my stash, and see what I already have, before salivating about the ones I will see in the booths. I wound up loose skeins, added up the yardage for each yarn in my Ravelry stash page, arranged it into separate bags, and collected all the swatches lying around, to turn into an ugly patchwork blanket someday. I feel most accomplished.

So, this is what I have:

There’s that drawer, and this one:

And that’s all. Not bad, huh? It’s less than I had imagined, and more orderly too. I have:

1. 3 skeins of Cascade 220 in charcoal (a cabled vest for my dad?).

2. 11 skeins of navy Berroco Inca Gold (intended for the Turbulence Pullover, but that project didn’t even take off, alas.)

3. 8 skeins, some half worked, some fresh, of a bright orange Creskeld Guernsey 5 ply, which I am hoping will work out for a suitably modified Caftan pullover (check out this gorgeous, albeit heavily modified one!)

4. 3 enormous skeins of the Brooks Farm Mas Acero (plans for a sweater are swirling in my head right now – stay tuned!)

5. 7 skeins of Elann Esprit which are going to be rapidly converted into baby things for two new babies that just arrived in the neighbourhood.

6. A scarf’s worth of an old, old Rowan yarn called Edina Ronay Wool Silk. that I have set aside to try a variation of Frost Flowers & Leaves, but which I never actually get around to designing.

7. 3 laceweight yarns for several lace shawls – Textiles a Mano Lanita, Brown Sheep Naturespun Fingering (the magenta cone), and Jaggerspun Superfine Merino in Black (also on cone).

8. 1 skein of Trekking Pro Natura sockweight, nearly 1 skein of Regia, and some sock leftovers.

9. 2 skeins of llama-wool DK weight which sheds like the devil, but which is very soft.

10. 8 skeins of Elann Pure Alpaca, maybe a thickish lace shawl for an aunt-in-law who gave me a suitcaseful of yarn many years ago, including the Rowan and the Creskeld listed above.

I have enough for 3 pullovers, 1 vest, several shawls, plenty of baby stuff, and a couple pairs of socks. So what should I be getting at Stitches, and what should I be definitely avoiding?

I am going to stay away from the lace, that’s for sure. Quite apart from the fact that my red sampler shawl is languishing without a border (I left the Victorian Lace Today book in India, if someone would kindly photograph or scan the instructions and motif for the border and email it to me I will be most grateful), I have enough to cover myself in shawls. So, no lace.

I really should say no sweater yarn either, because three + a vest is quite enough for now. But I have this desperate desire to knit another Ribby Cardi, one of my favourite patterns, in a hardy, rough-wearing yarn like Blackwater Abbey. And they don’t sell online or in shops, so it seems like a shame to pass up the opportunity when they’ll be right there with all their gorgeous shades. I got a shade card last time, and I have already spent countless hours matching different shades for the pattern.

What I am going to get, I think, is some sock yarn – some gorgeous hand-dyed stuff. I did finish the red Koigu socks I was bitching about last time, but more about them later. Yes, sock yarn, mmmmmm.

Anybody going to be at Stitches West? Please holler in the comments if you are – I will be there on Saturday afternoon, and wearing my Ravelry Desiknitter badge. I’d love to meet up!