Let's Do the Time Warp....

There may have been an unintended influence from all those technological gadgets first portrayed on the original Star Trek series in the late 1960s... and in every subsequent sci-fi series since. The influence has been on time perception, specifically what we (or in this case, me) perceive as possible in a period of time, and how that relates to reality.

You may recall my earlier post aboutt celebrating the Year of the Sheep (Ram/Goat) by "culling the herd", referencing of course, my ever-growing stash of yarns. First let me say after two weeks into this endeavour, I have a very good success rate! Not only have I added yarns that I'm willing to part with to my "trade/sale" page on Ravelry, but I've also managed to knit two skeins of yarn from my stash

The next step requires reviewing patterns and pairing them with the appropriate yarn intended for the project. It's not a tough task, in fact it's rather enjoyable -- it's like a walk down a familiar path, or a refresher course for a well-loved subject. You get to reacquaint yourself with what appealed to you about a yarn in the first place, remember what it was initially intended for, and re-evaluate whether it was really meant to become that item, or if you've come to your senses and see it purposed in a different way.

Right now, I have a queue of knitting projects that is almost within reach of 100 items. These are things that caught my eye, I knew I had the "perfect" yarn for, or were recommended by another fibre artist. I also have yarn for every one of these projects -- and a few more, if the truth be known. It's been fun matching them up, switching them around, eliminating some queued items and replacing them with the "perfect" pattern for a yarn. I'm not done yet, but am well on my way, and have prioritized the top 15 patterns I'd like to get through this year. That, of course, is in addition to the five or six already on my needles and in some stage of progress.... and that's where the concept of time shifting comes to mind.

Why does the mind trick you into believing it'd be quick to knit something small -- a shawl, mitts, socks -- or just to finish those WIPs (works in progress)..... no time at all. Ha! And when faced with a bunch of "Ohh... I'd like to knit that -- now!", that time warp happens again. Maybe that's why I have five or six things on my needles right now and don't seem at all phased by it!

Well, that may be a bit of a stretch.... just as there are times when I'm bitten by "cast-on-itis" and think I can use a time fluctuator to my advantage, there are also times when seeing pictures of my WIPs on Ravelry can create a bit of a sense of overwhelming panic. It's a tough balance.... trying not to succumb to the lure of something fresh and new while slogging along on the last bits of a project whose shininess has long since worn off.

Where's that time warp fluctuator hyperspace thingy when you need it!!?

Year of the Sheep

According to the Chinese structure, this is the Year of the Sheep. How appropriate, since I think I have the equivalent to a herd in my fibre stash! Time to cull the herd. Time to cast some of those lovelies onto needles. That's my goal.... to knit from stash this year....to go "cold sheep".

To set the parameters, here's how I'm going to proceed:
1. Shop the stash when starting a new project.
2. Cull what yarns I know I'll never knit. A friend of a friend works with newcomers to Canada, teaching them how to knit. That's where previous "cast offs" (pardon the pun) have gone, and that's who will benefit from future donations.
3. If there is something lavish that would be better served if sold to a more experienced knitter, then those proceeds can be used for yarn purchases. Those purchases must not exceed the amount garnered from the sale, and must be for a specific project (not stash because they may come in handy some day).
4. Projects that are on the needles must be finished, and no more than four projects should be on the go at one time.
5. Knit one pair of socks a month.

Wish me luck.