Knit Sisters

Some of you know that I have, ahem, a rather large stash.  I’ve been thinking lately about some of the yarns and fibers in the stash that may very probably never be knitted or spun because they are just too lovely, rare, and/or otherwise precious.

This is kind of a weird phenomenon, I know, and completely inexplicable to non-knitters and even some knitters who do not stash.  (Yes, it’s true, there are knitters like that out there.  Bizarre.)  But some things are just so beautiful in the skein that I feel I could never, never do them justice on the needles.  Other yarns have been discontinued; if I used them I would never be able to get more!  Still others I only have one or two skeins of, having purchased only that many for reasons that are lost to memory.  (Usually these reasons have to do with finances, sadly.) 

Here’s a good example of that first category:

                                      This is handspun singles yarn from a handpainted roving.  I have a fear that whatever I make from this will not live up to the yarn.  I was really happy with this yarn when I spun it; what if I ruin it when I knit it?

                                                       Hand-dyed (but not by me) alpaca laceweight.  This photo cannot possibly convey the delicate beauty of this stuff.  Again, what if I ruin it or pick the wrong pattern?  I have a sinking feeling this yarn won’t respond well to ripping out.

In the second category:

                                      Green Mountain Spinnery Silkspun in a gorgeous vibrant purple, which unfortunately, my camera did not pick up well.  I bought this on sale some years ago, and I only have six skeins.  This yarn is discontinued; if I knit with it, then I won’t have it anymore, see?

                                        Austermann Angora Wolle.  I only got three balls from Elann when it was for sale; now there is no more.  This sort of falls into the third category, as well.  What am I going to do with just three balls?

And, squarely in the third category:

                                                     this one ball of hand-painted singles.  I got this at NY Sheep and Wool several years back.  I know now that I should have purchased many more balls, but alas, I did not.

As far as fibers go, I think my main problem is simply not knowing what to do with certain things.  This is particularly true of these two small batches of hand-dyed mohair curls.

They’re sooo pretty just as they are!  And shiny!  I just don’t have enough faith in my spinning ability to tackle these.  What’s spun is spun. 

So, for all these yarns and fibers, my only solution for now is to go to the stash from time to time and visit them.  Pull them out.  Pet them.  Admire them.  What can I say?  Knitters are freaky people.