sock yarn doesn't count as stash, right?

[afuna]

The owner of our LYS went to the US for a couple weeks, and came back with a huge shipment of sock yarn. I...I meant to hold off for the Cascade yarns coming in next shipment, but Austermann is so squishy, couldn't resist *whimper* I glommed onto them and bought most of them up /o\

There were also half a dozen balls of sock yarn with a cotton/wool blend, and I got some of that too, because I have this vague idea they won't be as hot as pure wool.

I meant this to be my last shopping trip for a while, but that was when I thought the Cascade would be in this shipment :) So I'll just make one more shopping trip next time, and I'm crossing my fingers there will be more heathered and tweedy stuff. I really need to stop buying soon, though, because I'm fast filling up all the storage space I allotted for yarn.

It may get to the point where I have to look through the books I've read and give away the ones that I'm not head-over-heels in love with. I don't think I've ever reached this point before.

But, but, but. Sock yarn! Eeeh! :) I never thought my LYS would ever carry sock yarn. It's been a pretty low priority: I've only seen sock yarn in the LYS twice in the two years I've been frequenting it. So, it turns out that that was only because the owner had never knit socks, so didn't know how great sock yarn could be, and now she's planning on having more! and better quality! sock yarns. I think my stash is in ~trouble~.

(the one sad thing, there's only one 100g ball of each color in this shipment, so I'm limited to socks; can't do garments or scarves, etc. OTOH socks! Yes)

So anyway, I am tempted to do just socks for a month :) I just need to finished this one cardigan I'm test-knitting, and uhh, well there's still one of a pair of gloves to do, and a Clapotis, but those can wait.

Oh! And I also bought a set of wooden interchangeable needles! I've been looking for wooden circulars that I can use for travelling, and I'd given up hope on ever finding any, but (for the first time ever), the LYS got a set of wooden KnitPros, and after finding out how cheap they were -- much cheaper than my set of Boye interchangeables, which I've lent out to a friend who's learning how to knit, I couldn't help myself /o\ They are gorgeous, seriously gorgeous, seriously seriously gorgeous, I can't wait to hold them in my hands *_*

Comments

[pinesandmaples]

Sock yarn is stash in my world, but that's only because I love my sock yarn stash! I have a really wonderful collection of yarns that makes knitting socks an absolute delight.

My new sock-yarn related knitting interest is doing one of Hannah Fettig's lightweight cardis in sock yarn. Instead of buying multiple skeins of the same yarn, I'm interested in doing wide stripes instead. It will use some of the stuff that's too nice for feets (because yes, I have a stash of that) and net me a really wearable cardigan.

Sorry. This comment turned into an about me comment instead of an about you comment.

[afuna]

I love hearing about your yarn, and your knitting, and what you're planning to do with your yarn *g* (And I always get ideas from what you say anyhow ♥)

I am trying to convince myself that sock yarn is not stash because I have this vague idea that I should start feeling guilty about having so much stash, but you know, I don't feel guilty, even a little bit. I'm just revelling in it, wheee!

[pinesandmaples]

I am trying to convince myself that sock yarn is not stash because I have this vague idea that I should start feeling guilty about having so much stash, but you know, I don't feel guilty, even a little bit. I'm just revelling in it, wheee!

That sounds like a lot of energy expended on a vague notion you don't even believe in! Embrace the beauty of your stash instead of trying to manufacture guilt!

You should only feel guilty if you are buying yarns that you know will never be knit.

[afuna]

Literally just embraced my stash (Squishy!) and you're right :)

And yeah, I'm totally going to knit these *G* Or at the very worst, I'll give them away to a couple close friends who I'm either trying to tempt into yarn, or who need the yarn. No matter what happens, they'll all be in good hands (yarn ♥)

[james]

The best part about yarn is that it doesn't go bad - so you could very well look at a skein and say "I will knit you seven years from now" and not have to feel guilty about owning it!

[afuna]

I am worried about moths and yellowing /o\ but then, I guess I'd be worried about those in a finished product as well, plus yarn is easier to store than clothes! So...

[pauamma]

Now I have to go buy bookx and it's all your fault!

[afuna]

*looks perfectly innocent*

[pauamma]

*looks perfectly unconvinced*

[afuna]

*looks perfectly innocent-until-proven-guilty*

[pauamma]

*snicker*

[sassbandit]

You can easily do scarves out of 100g of sock yarn! I'm doing the "Herbivore" pattern at present, for the second time, and that's a single ball. There are *heaps* of others -- check Ravelry.

[afuna]

I figured scarves would need at a minimum 200g of yarn (maybe 150g, if you're stretching it). That's excellent news, thank you

[sassbandit]

Oh no, there are heaps of people in your situation who have a single skein of "too nice for feet" sock yarn, and heaps of patterns to cater to them! Here are over 1200 patterns on Ravelry.

[afuna]

Wow, I love the knitting community so much right now. So many absolutely gorgeous patterns, saving that link for savoring over!

[surpassingly]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I want to see! *____* In return I will bring you my chocolate perfume oils and things! :D

[afuna]

Ooooh come on over totally yes *_* (I could bring it to you but it is at this point like four gigantic tupperware boxes + two large sack-like things /o\)

[surpassingly]

♥ ♥ ♥ We shall meet up soon? *_* I'm sorry I can't go out just yet, I have to finish the poembook things first orz (but, almost done)!

[afuna]

SMOOOOOCH I saw your entry, and of course paying work comes before play <33333 (I was out of the country and I just got back a couple days ago too /o\)

Sending you lots of looooove and text me if you want/need to get together ♥

[indeliblesasha]

You could join the other 1700 crazy people and make one of these:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-beekeepers-quilt :D

[yvi]

Oh! *loves*

[afuna]

Ahahaha oh wow that is cute!

[james]

Sock yarn doesn't count! This is true. And there are so many awesome things to do with sock yarn in addition to socks. I like making hats, because sock yarn is the perfect weight for winter hats where we live, in California.

Sock yarn is, ultimately, just made to be fondled and loved. Knitting it is bonus.

[afuna]

I kinda want to lay it out on my bed and roll around in it embarrassingly enough :x

[kerravonsen]

What is this "doesn't count as stash" mantra I am hearing? 8-)

Can you explain to this newbie how sock yarn is different from other yarn? Apart from, presumably, that it gets used to make socks.

[afuna]

*snickers* I was using it to keep any incipient guilt away from buying sock yarn, but I've since come to realize that I feel no guilt for that, incipient or otherwise.

There's also this set of reasons, but I don't know if that's what started the whole "sock yarn is not stash" thing, or if it's just riffing off it.


Okay, so, a lot of yarn that's not specifically made for socks can be used as sock yarn, but in general, yarn specifically for socks is made to be more hard wearing and usually contains some nylon which makes the yarn stretchier. It actually feels sproingier in the ball ahahah (but that could just be wishful thinking, or comparing wool to cotton)

My main reason for loving sock yarn so much is that yarn makers seem to dare to go with more daring colors and color combinations than they would in a general-use yarn.

My secondary reason is that it's just the perfect weight to do things that look light and lovely ♥ (My LYS generally carries only aran weight up, with one brand of solid-colored fingering weight yarn that we get new shipments of occasionally. This one is color! and fine weight! and /o\)

[kerravonsen]

Hmmm: No yarns bought to make gifts for others, count as stash.

That means that the 24 balls of yarn I bought recently for scarf-making aren't stash.
And the nylon knitting ribbon - I've been making soap savers.
And the ten balls of string. That's for tote bags.

But, really, I'm not feeling guilty about my yarn stash, because my cloth stash is soooo much bigger and much more difficult to use up, because sewing is not portable. Thus my guilt-quota has run out by the time I consider my yarn stash, which I am using up at a respectable rate. Because I am SOOOO in love with crochet.
One scarf.
Ten soap savers (that's half my Christmas presents sorted).
Three things currently being worked on: my fluffy wrap, and two tote bags.