ELKAmade
  • ELKAmade
  • Blog
  • Store
  • About
  • Contact

warm and strong -- like a good hug

WHACO - Part 2

5/14/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Last week, I mentioned how my yarn situation has become WHACO as defined by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee  and I'm officially off buying yarn until my yarn can be contained.  (insert stoic tears here)  I needed a plan of action so I turned to my trusted knitting sages -- podcasters Helen Stewart, Jo Milmine, Jasmin and Gigi, and Laura and Leslie.  I listen to a lot of podcasts and there are many wonderful podcasters who have provided me with great advice (I'm thinking of you Dr. Gemma and Marie Segares, and Kara Gott Warner), but these ladies had the information I needed to help me out of my WHACO situation.

First, I listened to Helen Stewart of the podcast Curious Handmade.  In episode 105, she made some new year yarn resolutions (I meant to do that too, but . . . ) and declared January Stash Appreciation Month.  Her excellent suggestions included making an inventory of the yarn.  I promptly unpacked all my yarn again (to Tiki's great delight -- see photo above) and made an itemized list on a spreadsheet.  It took a lot, lot, longer than I had anticipated, but using a spreadsheet allowed me to tally up the yarn amounts I have.  

​Turns out, I really do have a lot of yarn.  Not counting mystery yarns (yarns for which the labels fell off), cone yarns gifted to me by Peruvian cousin, Ana, and yarns that are in works in progress, I have at least 11 miles/18 kilometers  and over 27 pounds/13 kilograms of yarn.  If I were to add in estimates for my other yarns, I know I've got at least a half-marathon's worth and comfortably over 32 pounds/14.5 kilograms of yarn.


​
So what to do?  I turned to Jo Milmine of the Shinybees podcast.  Helen Stewart put me on to the Shinybees podcast and I'm so glad!  Jo Milmine is seriously committed to making her podcast funny, irreverent, insightful, and relevant!  I'm in the process of listening to every single one of her podcasts so I listen to her first recordings from South Africa in between listening to her current London musings.  And in this world of tea-drinking knitters, Jo Milmine urges us to get a beer or a gin drink and settle in to listen and knit! (no shade to tea, but I'd much rather relax with a glass of wine)  In episode 77, appropriately titled "Knitting Goals" Jo Milmine outlines how to set realistic knitting goals, including how to stay motivated, focusing on progress instead of actually reaching your goal, and making sure you are accountable for your goals.  I can do this!  I can reduce my stash!  But how to stay motivated?  And how will I deal with the accountability aspect?

Enter the Knitmore Girls.  In episode 377, Gigi and Jasmin discussed Stash Dash.  (cue angelic voices) Gigi is gearing up to win Stash Dash and explained that Stash Dash is a virtual race created by The Knit Girllls where the goal is to bring down your stash!!!!!!  The Knit Girllls also have a fabulous podcast, actually a video podcast, where you can see what they are working on.  Stash Dash will begin on May 27 and has multiple goal levels.  There are even prizes!  The rules are all in Ravelry in The Knit Girllls forum.  I'm in!

So, I have a goal and a method of accountability.  Now I will set myself to step 4 of Jo Milmine's setting knitting goals advice and get to planning.  



Picture
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Arañita ("aranyita")

    In Spanish, spiders knit their webs.

    Instagram

    Archives

    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    October 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    July 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    May 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Return Policy

Your handmade product on arrival should be free from defects in materials.  All defective items must be returned for inspection and will be replaced at our discretion.  Damages caused by normal wear, accidents, improper care or use do not qualify for returns or exchanges. 

If you are not 100% satisfied with your product purchase from this Site, you may return the product for a refund or exchange under the conditions as follows:

Contact ELKAmade within 10 days after you have received the product explaining the reason for the return or exchange.  The goods must be returned in new and unused condition with their original packaging.  Please include a copy of your order receipt and order number.  All shipping and handling charges are non-refundable.  Please ensure that your package has a tracking number and that shipping charges are prepaid.  Without a tracking number, we will not be able to track lost packages.

Support

© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.