I realized why this morning. I haven't been away from my stash since its very inception. We went on one trip where I was still knitting socks, and the whole of my stash fit into less than six 24 pack beer can cooler bags but since then my stash has always been right with me, a sign that no matter what was going on, knitting was at hand and I would be okay.
Sounds a little hokey doesn't it, but I cannot begin to explain how knitting kept me sane in those weeks in 2013, and I cannot begin to express my gratitude that someone out there a long time ago, decided to try goofing around with wool and sticks.
And now, for weeks, I will be away from the stash. I have to pick what to knit, for a month or more, and I have to be content with it, without benefit of the stash at hand to fuel my whims.
When I have ever knitted the same thing for 6 weeks straight? Never. When have I stuck with only one project at a time? Never. I almost always have between ten and fifteen projects on the go at one time. Sure, some are frogged in the end, but they are always there to knit on. And there are always new things on the radar even if that new thing is just socks. The idea that I am picking for the next 6 weeks is a little stressful. There will be yarn bought on the way, guaranteed, but I am working on Stash Dash and the goal there is to work only from stash or WIPs.
There may be fudging of the definition of stash, to mean that if it comes home with me, it is my stash, and since home is my car for the next bit, well, you know. I do really want to try to knit from my stash though. I have such lovely things to work with.
For now, I have sorted out two new things to knit.
Previously mentioned, I will knit Catboat from Amy Herzog's Custom Fit. It is a knit from the bottom in pieces pattern, fitted to my own personal shape. It is a absolutely a wardrobe basic even in this aran weight yarn and it is part of my goal to get over my general worry about knitting from the bottom up and my former dislike and discomfort with seaming. I know how to do a seam and make it look perfect now, so I don't worry anymore, and I really want the ability to have a sweater be take along knitting. When you knit a sweater top down in the round, by the time you get to the bottom or try to do sleeves, it is as if you have suddenly dressed in a hoop skirt of old and your chair choices are limited by what space you can grapple for your hoop. Not take along knitting. If you knit a sleeve separate from the body and seam it, you can go anywhere. I think. I hope.
Knit number two is the Montague Bulky Lace Vest from New England Knits, still available by digital edition, which I would purchase like a shot if I did not already have it in my library. This vest has that nice kind of high on the back of your neck collar that I think will work well in this home. The back of my neck is often chilly. The yarn is Harrisville Flax and Wool, that I bought years ago when RCY had it's store downtown on a Canada Day sale. Or just before a Canada Day sale. I can't remember if I bought it early so that I wouldn't miss it, or if I bought it after no one else saw its loveliness. It's an easy to adapt for fit kind of pattern. The sides are plain stockinette under the arms.
Before I work on either of those though, I will be forcing myself to knit on Granito.
The body is very close to being completed. I have just an inch to get it to the length I wanted and then sleeves and the very little finishing at the neckline. It has been my F1 race knitting the last few weeks and I made significant progress. I love how this one is turning out. Love, love, love it. I hope it fits like I planned it to. Crosses fingers and prays. It is so hard to tell when it is still on the needles. No drape for you to see and this entire project relies on drape and flow.
There are also shawls and socks and I could go on, but I won't. I am planning to take my spinning wheel to to spin up few things, that if all goes well, will make nice hats and mittens. My small knitting like socks is going to be just for emergencies.
Anyway, enough from me. I have things to do, like packing the car, and places to be getting on to. The epic journey begins. Almost.
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