Say, YIPPEE, for the yarn stash!!

You know, sometimes we feel bad for saving yarn, for creating a yarn stash, for hoarding little balls left from projects, for keeping that which is just a tiny amount of yarn. We feel bad when our yarn collection grows, to need a second or third or tenth plastic box. Or we feel guilty that it will no longer fit under the bed, but graduate to a closet. What about when it reaches the point of needing its own room?

You laugh. But, because I have a business of supplying people with roving and yarn, I now have a fiber/yarn room. :) It is small, though.....

I have more than 3 plastic boxes jammed full. BUT, in the end, it is worth the conversation or guilt or, or, or...... Please read on.

Years ago, when I was a beginning spinner, I purchased some merino roving. My oldest was newly married and I had the brilliant idea of making her a handspun, lightweight, lace shawl. It didn't matter that she wasn't into lightweight lace shawls(at the time) and really could've used a heavier weight shawl or even a jacket, since she lived in Montana. :) Nope, mom decided to make a lightweight lace shawl.

So, I figured out how to spin very fine merino yarn, without it falling apart. Which for a new spinner was in itself a task. Then, I decided to knit the shawl. Well, I wasn't very experienced in lace shawls either and this was also before Ravelry, and the wealth of patterns there. OH, actually it was before we even had a home computer! Needless to say, I didn't have a lot of choices for a pattern. Meaning, that I would have to make up something simple enough for a beginner, like myself, to knit in confidence. I took out my tiny little stitch book and came up with, what I guess, was my first design. :)

A couple of weeks ago, the shawl appeared back at my home. She came in carrying it, looking very upset and sad. "Mom, I wore this last night and snagged it. It has a tiny hole."

Much to her surprise, I said, "No problem honey, I still have the yarn. I had some left when I knitted it!" :) YIPPEEEEE for the stash!!!! So, I went to the room, found the right box and upstairs I went with the yarn. :)

Truth be known, it was a bug that attacked her shawl. Yes, she was very careful with this shawl over the years. Stored with cedar balls, etc. But, much to her dismay and mine, there were several holes(not lace holes, but bug holes).


After spending time in solitary confinement, the freezer, the shawl made its appearance to the kitchen table. The holes are all mended and the shawl went home to live with its very caring and loving owner.

This is the same corner, as above, only fixed. THANKS to the STASH!!



Here is a picture of the shawl on the dress form, after the repairs.



The shawl was saved. Not only saved, but saved well. Because, I had the matching yarn from my stash. Don't feel sorry for having a stash. If you don't want to have a stash, then you may wish to give the recipient of your hard work, a small skein of matching yarn, sealed in a sealing plastic bag. They can store it in a safe place with cedar or lavendar, so if ever needed, the item can be fixed.

Truth be known, I don't really think it was moths, because of how careful she is. I think it may have been crickets. You see, living in Texas we have soooo many bugs. Crickets are a real problem and they eat it all, cotton, wool, cardboard, you name it.