Knitting the sacred stash…
Do you have yarn in your stash that’s “too good” to use? That extra special stuff that no project seems good enough to merit? For me it was the Silk Garden (# 34) that I bought from the boys with a birthday gift certificate last year (thanks, Andrea!). For almost a year now I would pick it up, smell it, fondle it, arrange it in an attractive pile in a yarn basket or on a shelf. I thought it would maybe become a cardi or a retro prep pullover, but I could never bring myself to actually use the stuff. I know…. As if it were the last Silk Garden on earth, as if I couldn’t ever buy more.
So I got over it. On Friday I met Em and Iris at KnitNY. All my other projects were at points that were’t conducive to conversation (counting, short rows, etc), so I brought the Silk Garden, and cast on for the Dolman Updated sweater (the cover sweater) from the Winter 2003 issue of IK. I’m loving knitting with the Silk Garden so much that I’m already half done. Here’s my progress so far (that’s the right back and the left front).
This project is going so quickly that I think I’ll just stick with it to the end before I pick up any of the other WIPs again. Of course it’ll be months before I actually get to wear the thing. Ah well. Something to look forward to. (And now incentive to finish up those other WIPs. The sooner I work through a good portion of the stash, the sooner I’ll “need” to buy more Silk Garden.)
And here’s a photo of Diego, just because.
OK, I’m trying to figure out those Silk Garden pieces. And I can’t. Is it a huge honkin’ armhole? I’m looking at the little picture on the IK site, and it looks like a classic cardie, so I really can’t get my head around your crazy shapes. They’re beautiful, and you’re so freakin’ fast, but those shapes make no sense to me. Duhhh.
LOVE the photo of Diego!
Hey, wait! The arm is attached isn’t it? Man, if I were cool, I’d delete my boneheadedness above, but I’ll leave it so you’ll be amused. 🙂
Posted by: alison
Ah, the sacred stash. The silk/alpaca that I take out and fondle, but never actually knit. The cashmere…. If that’s the case (too good to knit with), why don’t I just buy 1 skein and leave it at that?
Posted by: Iris
Your dogs are so incredibly cute! Are they Italian Greyhounds or Whippets? I would love to have a dog, but I just can’t… I’m never home!
Posted by: mouse
My gosh, that’s gorgeous. Gorrrrr-juss!
Sadly, that orange rayon I bought last month seems to be part of the “too good” stash.
Hi, Diego!
Posted by: Em
Ah, the Good China Syndrome…even our Brainylady Alison has encountered it…the good news? If it IS the last Silk Garden on earth, you can wear the sweater and then, someday, when there is absolutely not a thing on the planet left to knit with….unravel it and presto..more. Behold, the Power of Women who KNIT!
Diego and his quilt are just Fabulous!
Posted by: greta
There’s my boy! Hi, Diego!
Posted by: Rachael
My stash is full of mostly single skeins of yarn from back in the day when all I ever knitted was hats. It never occurred to me to buy enough stuff for, say, a sweater. But I’ve got two, maybe three skeins of awesome Manos del Uruguay left over from a vest I made last year that are waiting for some perfect inspiration to come along.
Snuffles, Diego. Whuff. Tell Sadie she can come over anytime.
Posted by: David
I’ve been lusting after Silk Garden forever, but it never goes on sale…too much demand. I love the colorway you chose…just yummy!!!
Posted by: teresa
Diego is adorable. And you’ve done the Silk Garden VERY proud!
Posted by: Rob
Hey, that Silk Garden is luscious! And Diego is adorable, as ever! xoxo
Posted by: Brooks
Your puppies are just adorable! Have to save the pic to show my DD#1, mom to my grand-doggies 🙂
Love all of your knitting – wish I could knit better but I’m not much past the dishcloth and scarf stage.
Posted by: Susan
OK, I’m trying to figure out those Silk Garden pieces. And I can’t. Is it a huge honkin’ armhole? I’m looking at the little picture on the IK site, and it looks like a classic cardie, so I really can’t get my head around your crazy shapes. They’re beautiful, and you’re so freakin’ fast, but those shapes make no sense to me. Duhhh.
LOVE the photo of Diego!
Hey, wait! The arm is attached isn’t it? Man, if I were cool, I’d delete my boneheadedness above, but I’ll leave it so you’ll be amused. 🙂
Posted by: alison
Ah, the sacred stash. The silk/alpaca that I take out and fondle, but never actually knit. The cashmere…. If that’s the case (too good to knit with), why don’t I just buy 1 skein and leave it at that?
Posted by: Iris
Your dogs are so incredibly cute! Are they Italian Greyhounds or Whippets? I would love to have a dog, but I just can’t… I’m never home!
Posted by: mouse
My gosh, that’s gorgeous. Gorrrrr-juss!
Sadly, that orange rayon I bought last month seems to be part of the “too good” stash.
Hi, Diego!
Posted by: Em
Ah, the Good China Syndrome…even our Brainylady Alison has encountered it…the good news? If it IS the last Silk Garden on earth, you can wear the sweater and then, someday, when there is absolutely not a thing on the planet left to knit with….unravel it and presto..more. Behold, the Power of Women who KNIT!
Diego and his quilt are just Fabulous!
Posted by: greta
There’s my boy! Hi, Diego!
Posted by: Rachael
My stash is full of mostly single skeins of yarn from back in the day when all I ever knitted was hats. It never occurred to me to buy enough stuff for, say, a sweater. But I’ve got two, maybe three skeins of awesome Manos del Uruguay left over from a vest I made last year that are waiting for some perfect inspiration to come along.
Snuffles, Diego. Whuff. Tell Sadie she can come over anytime.
Posted by: David
I’ve been lusting after Silk Garden forever, but it never goes on sale…too much demand. I love the colorway you chose…just yummy!!!
Posted by: teresa
Diego is adorable. And you’ve done the Silk Garden VERY proud!
Posted by: Rob
Hey, that Silk Garden is luscious! And Diego is adorable, as ever! xoxo
Posted by: Brooks
Your puppies are just adorable! Have to save the pic to show my DD#1, mom to my grand-doggies 🙂
Love all of your knitting – wish I could knit better but I’m not much past the dishcloth and scarf stage.
Posted by: Susan