Old Stash Love

Other than buying for my projects I have been very good in not randomly adding to my stash. I’ve actually been quite good for the last few years. Before I dropped away from blogging I had something to show every month. I’m quite proud of myself and don’t ask me how I have managed to stay so strong. I still follow all my favourite dyers and I have come across new ones too (new to me). I wish I had that will power in other ways. However, I have not been so good at using my stash. Maybe just a skein here and there but certainly not enough to make a dent in it.

I decided that one of my challenge projects should be a shawl. I have maybe finished one for myself and it was a very easy one. I remembered I had bought a kit for a mystery knit along. So I looked out the yarn and I looked out the pattern. There is one skein missing. I have pulled my cupboard apart. I have no idea why it wouldn’t be with the rest and I have a horrifying feeling that I have knitted it up not remembering it was part of a set. The yarn is by Felt Fusion and it is beautiful. If I remember correctly I told her my favourite colours and I asked her to surprise me which she did and I don’t think that I could have done better. I loved it. My plan is to clear out my cupboard and sort out my stash to see if I can find that speckled yarn. If not I know I have similar in my stash. The pattern is Starting Point by Joji Locatelli. I LOVE this designer. I don’t think I have seen a design of hers that I haven’t liked and my favourites on ravelry are filled with her patterns. At some point this will definitely be going on the pins.

I’m afraid I had to look up who I got the yarn for my shawl from. The bundle was tied with ribbon and it is long gone. Thankfully my etsy history came to my rescue. While I was there I came across a Star Trek bag that I had bought for my sister who was into her sewing at the time. I had an instant pang of jealously and wondered why I hadn’t gotten one for myself. As I was searching my cupboard for the missing yarn I realised I had as I came across my sock project bag. Yes people, I’m a huge geek and I don’t care. I love my bag and the drawstring on this one is Molly proof. Trust me, she has tried. This gorgeous bag was made by Owl About Yarn and I have a few of her bags. I can testify that they are well made.

Hiding in the bag were two beautiful skeins of sock yarn. Also by Owl About Yarn. The dark one has a sparkle base. I have no idea what I bought these for. I have a feeling it would have been something specific given hat I bought them together and that they match well. It seems only right that I use them both for the same project. They have now been wound and are on the pins in an effort to continue my Brioche education. 

I also went into my last fibre share box and pulled out these two 50g skeins. I am thinking of using them for fingerless mitts. Again as part of my garment challenge. Or maybe I should knit gloves since I have never done that before. I could look out one of my many mini skeins to go with it to add a pop of colour. The yarn is beautifully soft and I can’t wait to knit with it. I have had these in the back of my head ever since I received it a few years back.

Sitting on my bookcase in my cupboard was this yarn by my talented friend Lisa of For the Love of Yarn. I think it was on my bookcase because I must have brought it over from my dad’s. I originally had two of these which was part of one of Lisa’s themed clubs (I can’t remember which one, sorry Lisa). I love the bright colours and these will definitely be a pair of socks. If I use mini skeins I might even get two pairs out of them. I am thinking that I could pick out a pattern for them since the colour changes are in large blocks.

The last thing I pulled out of my cupboard is this pack of mini skeins. Unlike the vast majority of my stash these are DK and it works out at 100g. These were a thank you gift from Mothy and the Squid. Again, I can’t for the life of me remember why she sent them. I just remember being so chuffed at her kindness at the time. As well as being just a little bit in love with them. I had a project in mind for them but I have since changed my mind. Any ideas what I could do to highlight the whole pack? This is a set that MUST be used in one project. Oh, and they are 100% merino and therefore super soft.

I’ve been enjoying rediscovering these little treasures. I know that there are many more in there and as I said, I plan to give the stash cupboard a good tidy. I think that once my Brioche faze is done I will have a stash busting challenge (alongside my garment challenge). Just so I can finally knit with these lovely yarns.

Oh, and both Mothy and the Squid and For the Love of Yarn have new club boxes out which are so beautiful and make it very difficult for me to not buy yarn. If you are in the mood to treat yourself I highly recommend that you check them both out.

My stash in May

I haven't disappeared again. Work, a chest infection and then my mum's anniversary have all kept me away. I've had some time off work and I have spent the vast majority of it with my sister which has been nice. I even brushed the dust off the old hook and got some crafting done. Although it's extra shifts tonight and tomorrow I consider myself officially back and I thought I need to get posting too.

I had planned to share my fibreshare goodies (both received and sent) but since my postman has been at my door almost every day the last week I felt that it was only fair that I guiltily share the goodies I have treated myself too.

I wanted to start with this beautiful box from Little Box of Crochet. I know one or two of my crafting friends follow Amanda and her team on instagram . So you will have been following Amanda and her beautiful daughter Jenny's story. Sadly Jenny passed away almost two weeks ago and all our thoughts have been with Amanda. This box is in memory of Jenny and it contains a kit for a gorgeous mandala. I never thought that I would want to make one of these but Jenny's mandala is a lovely design and I already know where it's going once I finish it. It comes with a lovely little mandala stitch marker and a stamp. I know you can't see them but it seemed apt that my case of tulips be used to hold up the booklet as I wanted you to see the title. Apt because we all sent Jenny crochet flowers at her request.

Stephen West of WestKnits has quickly become one of my favourite designers. I love his use of texture and colour. He seems uninhibited when using both in his designs which is very refreshing. It encourages you to be the same (although I still think I am a little conservative with my colour choices). I am currently working on a shawl as part of a knitalong and I have bravely used colours that I wouldn't normally use apart from in socks for my sister (who is just as uninhibited when it comes to colour). I since signed up to do another knit along. You receive four patterns and four parcels of yarns to knit these patterns. I don't think I am aloud to say to much about the pattern as yet but I can show you my parcel. I love the yarn. It's exactly my colours. The yarn is by Garn stories and is lovely. I can't wait to knit with it. I also love the little notebook and project bag which came with it. The next parcel is on it's way and I haven't started this yet. I promised myself I would finish some projects before I start anything new but my project list is getting bigger and bigger.

If that wasn't enough I signed up for another knit along. This time a mystery shawl. In other words we won't know the finished piece until we complete it. The pattern is by Joji Knits and you can find her patterns on ravelry. Felt Fusions is a indie hand dyer that I follow on instagram and etsy. She was doing a yarn set especially for the shawl. You could pick your own colours. I asked for teal and for felt fusion to pick the rest based on that. I couldn't have been happier with the colours she picked out for me. They are beautiful and the yarn is so soft. This is going to be one beautiful shawl.

This wouldn't be a stash post without including the lovely Lisa of For the Love of Yarn. I joined one of Lisa's new clubs called speckle yarn club. It's all there in the description but you get a surprise colourway of speckled yarn. I signed up for 100g of sock yarn and I have loved it so far. The first months colourway I plan on contributing to my westknits shawl so that it is all knitted up with yarn from the same dyer. This second one is my favourite. My colours again. I love the beautiful blues. These will become a pair of socks for myself (sorry it won't become the shawl you kindly included Lisa). I do like the shawl and I love the little flower button. If you fancy signing up you still can as it's still available on her etsy page.

The latest themed club Lisa did was magical mysteries. I received beautiful yarn which I know my sister will want as socks. It's called Mermaids wish. I love the little stitch marker, button and magnet. I love my hook with the unicorn poop on top. And as for the rainbow drops, my sister and I loved these when we were little. Takes me back. The next box is Game of Thrones which you can sign up for here. While I read most of the books I have yet to work my way through the TV series (I got to episode 2 back when it first came out) so I am pleased to say there is finally one that I won't be signing up for. Sorry Lisa!

Lastly I thought I would show you this months mini skeins also from Lisa. The purple might go towards my sisters blanket. The yellow might go towards my WestKnits shawl. More beautiful colours Lisa.

Lisa will notice that I haven't shown the box from the blanket club. That's because I have caught up with all the previous months and want to post it separately. It's working out beautifully and this months colours will be a lovely edition.

You will notice that I haven't posted much about the giveaway which I was supposed to announce today. It got very little response. So I can give it to one of the three people who commented (comment again if you are interested) or I can send it to my old knitting group to be used for one of their charity projects or put out on swap night.