I did keep track of my yarn purchases in my planner during 2006. Please note that during 2006 I discovered Lorna's Laces and behaved like a sailor on shore leave, and that explains the damages. Rounding up, it was $950. On top of the existing stash of eBay and Elaan scores, and other crap that was not the glorious Lorna's Laces that already lived here. Throw in a generous $150 for knitting book purchases (I dropped all of my magazines and hardly bought any off the rack) and I'll call it $1100 for the year. Not a horrifying number. One I can live with for my numero uno hobby. But the quantity of yarn in the house is enough to keep me busy for months and I do not need to add to it.
Now, on to the books. Because while moving the yarn stash may be embarrassing, moving the books is really freaking expensive, OhMyGawd they are heavy. So the real sacrifice, for the next 90 days - no new books. I have enough to keep me busy during the window of time left for reading. I can keep a list of the books I want to read and buy them later, after I have offloaded pounds of reading material to places that can use it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Thanks for the enthusiasm on my grand prize - I'm still in shock myself :)
Considering I just bought a great point n shoot less than 6 months ago I think I'm covered now for sure but your on for a weekend photo shoot!
Wow - your stash makes mine look like sock lint. Considering how long it takes me to knit anything, I'm 100% okay with that. I could do the whole no new yarn thing and still have enough for the whole year; I'm not a competitive knitter.
About 4 years ago when we moved I unloaded 90% of my book collection. It was painful - most went to the local library, some went to Goodwill, and a few went right into the trash. Since then I haven't bought many - instead I've been getting them at the library when I can. Sometimes I'm sad that they aren't mine to have, but I know my wallet and home is better off if they live at the library. Of course this doesn't apply to desprately needed knitting reference material which has been accumulating at a rate my husband would call "startling". I would call it slow ;)
Have a great weekend.
I'm using the library for a lot these days - knitting books, KTC volumes, and even DVDs. So when I really finally BUY a knitting book (the only kind I buy now) I've looked at it several times.
(It helps the pocketbook!)
I'll always buy sock yarn, tho!
(((hugs)))
I would happily use the library if it didn't suck. They appear to have one copy of everything, between THREE branches, I mean. Borrowing a current book requires an online search, adding your name to the wait list, going to pick it up promptly when called, whenever that may be. Or I can go to B&N at lunch. Bookstores do very well here, because the library system hasn't been funded decently for 20 years. I just chalk it up to one of those hidden costs of living here.
Oh, and Cursing One, if you've priced Lorna's Laces, it's not the quantity of yarn purchased that pushed up the numbers, it's the kind. I made two Clapotis (Clapotises? Clapoti?) last year, and used Lion and Lamb, 4 skeins for each, $120 a Clap. A hank of Helen's Lace is $52. Then there was the Blue Heron Laceweight -$36. A little dab of Cherry Tree Hill Suri Alpaca, etc., it does add up. I love it all, I'll use it all, but the yarn I bought in the past year wouldn't even begin to fill an 18 gallon Rubbermaid tub, and it's not the money, that's not a big expenditure on a hobby for an entire year in my book. It's the crap I bought from Elann and eBay years ago that is weighing on my mind and stash! When I do turn all of that around and whittle the stash to the point where new yarn is welcomed again, I will probably spend just as much as I did last year. But I am through buying something because it's such a bargain, I'll use it someday!
Post a Comment