Crazy for Ewe

Written by Ellen Lewis

Filed under

stash

Stash - opportunity or oppression?

Apr 23, 2018

Written by Ellen Lewis

Stash - the very word conjures up images of a secret trove of treasures to be hidden from view lest they they be pirated away by some greedy other. That's how I look at my stash. It's security and power - a source of inspiration and opportunity. But then there's the reverse - a stash's dark side that harbors guilt and oppression serving not as inspiration and opportunity but as obligation and stress. more

Written by Ellen Lewis

Filed under

classes, stash

Stash class fun

Jan 20, 2015

Written by Ellen Lewis

Wow - Sunday's Stash Class was so much fun! I was expecting boxes and boxes of everyone's stash. I brought mine in just so no one would feel bad!

It was interesting. You know, everyone has her own comfort level with stash. For some people, a few leftover partial skeins and 6 or so skeins of sock yarn is stressful. For others, like me, a healthy stash is kind of a comfort. I think a great yarn stash is like a well-stocked pantry. You need to have plenty of staples on hand so that you can whip up whatever you want whenever you want to. Personally, I also want to have plenty of random fun and interesting things to inspire magnificent creations. In your pantry, those special things might be preserved lemons, artichoke bruschetta topping, or hand-made lemon basil pasta. In your stash, it's those spectacular hand-dyes in colors you just couldn't resist, sparkly things (of course), and stuff with great texture that is just interesting and special. A whole sweater out of these special gems might be overwhelming, but just a touch is exactly what you need get your creative juices flowing.

Everyone was surprised in the class yesterday to see how those random multicolored skeins provided the unifying force that brought all the other yarns into place and made them play well together. Students learned that yarns with unusual texture add depth to a fabric - a touch of whimsy and interest. All in all, the students agreed that this class was really empowering Join us for our next session Sunday, February 8th because you will have fun and learn a ton!

Written by Ellen Lewis

Filed under

classes, stash

Talking about stash

Jan 12, 2015

Written by Ellen Lewis

In this week's newsletter I give you my own definition of stash as well as a peak at some of my own stash.

As you can see, it's kind of a mess. I'm constantly pulling out bits of this and that to see if they work together. It's the primordial soup of a creative knitting project, and that's okay with me.

Here's a look at some of my yarn that I don't consider stash.

See how neatly (relatively) these skeins stored. I never pull them out and throw a skein on top of a pile of other yarns because these yarns are already slated for a particular project. That bag of pale blue merino is going to be a cardigan by Kim Hargreaves. The aqua Touch Me, an entrelac top - the Rowan Tapestry a throw for my bedroom. I'm not sure what the pink and cream fingering weight cashmere is going to be, but you can bet your life it's not going to get thrown into the knitting equivalent of a stew pot.

Personally, I find sorting and sifting and combining and refining my stash thrilling. So many potential projects in there. The hardest part is choosing just one. If you'd like to spend a fun Sunday afternoon playing with your stash and learning how to turn a few bits of this and that into a fiber masterpiece, join us! You'll be so glad you did!

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Crazy for Ewe

Stash - opportunity or oppression?

Stash class fun

Talking about stash