Knitting from the stash

I learned to knit one afternoon at my cousin's house when I was about 8 years old. For the next year or so I could randomly be found messing with the set of needles and yarn my mom had in her collection of hobbies tried and set aside box. Back then I remember casting on by just putting loops on the needle, made for a really loose edge. In 3rd grade I joined the local 4H group. That first year I made 2 pairs of slippers and a hat, mittens and scarf set. The following year I made 2 sweaters, one for myself and one for my little sister. I was well and truly addicted. This afternoon I will work with the 4H group I currently lead and beg them to concentrate on their projects. Most of them will not have picked up the needles since last week when we met last. I have to remind myself that they are learning and not everyone will be as obsessive as I was back then. But I digress...

Once I started babysitting and earning money I began spending that money on yarn. Through high school and college I haunted places like Michael's and Frank's, both of which had much larger selections of yarn than the local Meijer's or Kmart. Anytime there was something on clearance that I liked I picked it up without having any idea of what I would do with it. This habit along with the leftovers from countless afghans has lead to a fairly large stash of yarn which I am currently attempting to work my way through. Much of the stash is used for the doll clothes in my etsy shop but some of the larger quantities I have put to use for bigger projects. A couple of years ago I made a poncho for myself.

My latest stash project (pictured here as it is blocked) is from the 'Saity' pattern at knitty.com. The blue/gray color is from the stash. It is an acrylic yarn called Angorel which was purchased approximately 20 years ago. The navy blue sides are washable Iceland purchased from Threadbear in Lansing. I am pretty happy with the final results. Just have to find some fun buttons, thinking navy blue, to finish it off and I will have a new coat for the fall.