Stashing

I have been in quite the stash building phase for the last year.  I aquire more yarn than I actually currently knit into projects.  This is a bad thing and a good thing. 

The bad parts are that it makes me feel guilty sometimes to have this yarn around and not be working with it or know what to do with it yet.  It also makes me feel bad when I go a few days without knitting at all, I feel like i may never work through my stash or get to use a certain beloved skein.

The good parts are that having the yarn around makes me feel like I am saving for a rainy day, like if I get pregnant and have to buy diapers and things and have no money for yarn at least I will still be able to knit for awhile on what I have stashed away.  It also makes me happy that I can find a project and may already have the yarn required for it and can start right away and not have to go to the store or wait for shipping before I can cast on.  I also love the fact that I can root through my stash and find a yarn that I want to use and then find a purpose for it, the yarn itself being the inspiration.

While I don't yet feel that I have acquired more yarn than I can knit within a lifetime, I do feel that I have quite a bit of a stash.  My husband certainly feels like I have enough yarn and makes little comments now about my stash.  He will ask, "What are you going to use that for?" and look puzzled when I answer that I don't know yet.  He will say, "I think you have enough yarn right now."  I don't tell him I think he has enough of any particular item for any of his various hobbies.  And what sort of basis is he using for this statement anyway?  The yarn hasn't even begun to take up residence in our closets.  I tell him that other knitters stash yarn everywhere, right now my stash is still in the manageable phase.  It is contained and does not jump out at anyone from drawers, closets, or coat sleeves.

I do plan to knit projects from my current stash.  This will result in quite a stash bust as my projects are definitely growing in size.  However, I do not plan to stop buying or drooling over yarn anytime soon.  Would a bow hunter stop buying arrows once he had what the amount his quiver could hold?  No.  If he did then once he used those for practice or actual hunting he would risk not having an arrow at the exact moment that trophy stepped out.