My Yarn No Buy Year : Year 3 – January 2024 Check-in and adjusting my regulations

A Bit Of History

2024 will be my third year into my project, and so far it has helped me and taught me a lot. Considering the comments on my YouTube videos, it appears this project also helps quite a few of you 🙂

You can find my first post and regulations here : https://knitnow491147447.wordpress.com/2022/01/04/my-yarn-no-buy-year-yarnnobuyyear/, and the second year adjustments here : https://knitnow491147447.wordpress.com/2023/01/07/my-yarn-no-buy-year-december-checkin-and-projects/

To make it short, I went overboard buying yarn at the end of 2021, was feeling really bad and uncomfortable about it, set up the project in 2022, using a set of self-drafter regulations, went overboard buying digital patterns during 2022, adjusted in 2023, went overboard again right at the end of 2023 with books and magazines, and am adjusting again !

2022

For the first year, 2022, I was allowing myself to buy yarn in person, a simple “rule” that I could fulfil. No buying yarn online, unless it is to finish a project or for a present and I do not have the proper yarn in stash. This went well as far as yarn was concerned. I relapsed on digital patterns, with the best reasons in the world : I want to support the creators, the patterns may disappear from the face of the internet, whatever other reason. And I relapsed hard. I bought so many patterns, most of them are still sitting on my computer and in my Ravelry library, using space and energy for not much other than my comfort, I know you are here little patterns .. Why ?

2023

For the second year, 2023, I adjusted my own regulations to buying digital patterns only when I was ready to cast them on, and made a special bundle on Ravelry to place all the ones I wanted to knit. I spent my year toying with this bundle, adding and removing patterns, and I only bought one (the Kallara Shawl by Ambah O’Brian), without feeling too much restriction. Perfect. I was doing really good, up to the very end of the year. And I bought a whole bunch of Pompom magazines and books after they announced they sadly were closing down, in addition to a Laine book that was in my wish-list, just because. I had been buying so much already, what was an additional 40€, right ?

No, not right, it was a relapse, may be because I was feeling my project was successful and what the heck. Or may be because it was not normal I almost did not spend anything on patterns and books this year. I’m not sure. What I know is all got loose and I spent a lot. I am happy with my purchases though, I love books and there is no such thing as too many books. I read them all, I browse through them, I love their smell, I love to have them by my side. Still, I bought all these ones for no real or practical reason. I was not ready to cast on.

Yes, Pompom prints won’t be available for long, I agree with that, but my so many other ones ? I have to reflect and ponder on this. Some of you have commented on my videos, and gave me input, your own guidelines and ideas. I am making some of these my own, thank you much for helping me out !

I also think that I had bought my “reward” in advance, when I had the opportunity to get a Chicagoo set at a discounted price. I won’t do that again and will wait to the very end of the year to, may be, get myself a “reward”. For now, I have no idea (first year I got a nice wooden swift and ball winder).

What Next : Updated Guidelines

• Yarn :
  • I will continue allow myself to buy yarn in person only, and will limit to three sweater quantities during 2024 (if not practical, I may revise with an upper limit to five)
  • I’ll buy yarn for presents if I do not have what I need in my stash
  • I may also buy yarn to knit a project with stashed yarn
• I’ll also allow myself to buy replacement items, notions, needles etc. if any break or if I am in need of a special item for a special project
• Patterns, I will continue to buy digital patterns only when I am ready to cast-on
• Books and magazines, ie paper prints. I just said I love books and prints, the smell, the feel, and the reading process, over and over. So I’ll allow myself to buy five books or magasines this year. I’ll have to carefully reflect on these expenses
• I have no idea of a reward if everything goes well. I’ll see at the end of the year, may be some yarn I wanted to buy and did not ? A book ? Shortie needles ? DPNs ? I am not wanting anything for now

I dearly hope I’ll be able to address all the why’s during 2024 🙂

YouTube Videos : https://youtu.be/mpyeIpFneaA and https://youtu.be/qOOgkrU62iY

Audio Podcasts :
YouTube Podcast : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFG26xCx29MHHZc-D6hIWr4JOcH6xYETH
Apple Podcast : https://podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/my-knitting-world/id1712627511

My Yarn No-Buy Year – December checkin and projects

As far as yarn, the no-buy year was a success because I stayed within my guidelines. I only bought yarn in person or to complete a project. So that was good and a success, without feeling I missed anything, other than the Nightfall edition of La Bien Aimée Corrie Confetti. I still miss that dark blue unique batch, even though I had no pattern in mind. I just loved the look and the idea of it.

All in all, I spent €1528.46 this year, that is €126.54 per month if I include my “reward”, the swift and ball winder. I have not broken down my expenses by categories, I may do so at some point, and that is a third of what I spent last year. So I did contain my expenses and there are no regrets. That was my first goal.

Did I reduce my stash, yes, a bit, but not that much as my mother gave me all of hers and I have been using it for mostly acrylic care-free presents.

What Did I Learn ?

What I realized during the past year is that I now need to question my pattern library. My Ravelry Queue was filled with patterns I had bought with a project in mind and were still sitting there, after over a year, and as PDF files in my computer. What is shiny and new and attractive one day will quickly be pushed by something else, as shiny and new and attractive. Do I need to buy all the digital patterns that appeal to me ?

I have organised my Ravelry Queue to list the ones I bought and really want to knit, that is still a lot.

Thanks to the comments on my dedicated YouTube video, I have been pondering this point a bit further. One thing to consider is that online patterns can go offline and become unavailable, even on Ravelry, and more so on personal blog posts or sites.

I think I will set up some time out or Purgatory time (hey, even if I have just watched the last episode of the last season of Supernatural, I’m still under the influence :D). I may use either the queue feature or the cart in Ravelry before actually buying. Creating a Favorites bundle is another idea. Not sure for how long the Purgatory time out will be best though. May be 6 month, or until a discount offer applies, or until I decide to cast on ? I am still undecided and I will have to update this point as the year unravels, for it to be a practical guideline.

Books and magazines are another question as they can go out of stock, out of print, and not have any digital format to fall back to if they become unavailable. You know that I love books and browse through them on a regular basis, either for ideas and inspiration or just for quality day dreaming time. That is why I won’t change anything to my regulations for books. I will continue to buy the ones I would be sad if I cannot get them at some point. I will have to be aware of not participating into some FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out – trend, where the new and shiny is the main trigger.

All in all, I am happy with all the books I got in 2022, so I will continue to buy them with intention.

Updated guidelines

• Yarn :
  • I’ll consider buying limited edition yarns. I still feel the miss for some I did not buy in 2022, without being that painful though ! I’m not sure I’ll buy a mystery box again
  • I’ll buy yarn for presents if I do not have what I need in my stash
  • I may also buy yarn to knit a project with stashed yarn
  • If I go on vacation or to an event or go visit a producer, a mill, a yarn shop, I may buy some yarn either as souvenir or for a specific project
• I’ll also allow myself to buy replacement items, notions, needles etc. if any break or if I am in need of a special item for a special project
• Patterns, I will set up a Purgatory or time out process to double and triple think buying digital patterns. I still want to support creators, causes etc. So I will have to find the right balance to contain my digital patterns library – and us it !
• Books and magazines, ie paper prints. You know I love books and prints, the smell, the feel, and the reading process, over and over. So I’ll allow myself to buy the book that will go out of stock for being popular, the ones I would miss if I cannot browse through them in my house
• I have been wanting good needle sets for a long time. I am using cheaper ones. Even though I am not much into rewards, I was very happy to get the swift and ball winder in December 2022, without thinking about that much during the year. So I’ll look for good quality exchangeable needle sets, both regular, shorties and DPNs

Companion YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/R3JvSetgMIM

My Yarn No Buy Year – October 2022 Check-in

And there were some patterns..

I thought October was going to be a blank month and a real no-buy. Well, that was without some creators birthdays and a well thought buy.

Steven West Birthday operation

For his Birthday (Happy Birthday Steven !), he offered a 34% discount on all his stuff, from patterns to classes, on Ravelry and his site. So very generous. I got 4 patterns, 3 of which were in my favorites.

© Batad by Stephen West

© Dustland Shawl by Stephen West

First, Batad, a very graphic poncho I first thought I would knit with the yarn my son Théo offered me for my own birthday. I found another pattern in the mean time, more on that later when I report on my Birthday cast-on.

Then the Dustland Shawl I had my eyes on as soon as it first launched. I loved the plain colour block, the stitch pattern, and may be the yellow colour. I am drawn to yellow, even though I think it does not suit my skin colour.. The sweater is very appealing too, but I have too many similar or beautiful sweater patterns in my queue for now.

© Armored by Stephen West

© Sólfar by Stephen West

Armored is of another world. The pattern is from 2013, so inventive and original ! Love at first sight, even if it is quite far away from my comfort zone.

Sólfar, on the other hand, is much quieter with nice features. one of my own ponchos I made years and years ago is looking like a rug, and I keep it at home. I have another one, and I prefer to have two in rotation. Not sure which yarn I’ll use.

So that was it for Stephen West. Another creator had a birthday operation and I go two additional patterns. I was/am looking for a colour work pattern for the mohair I got last summer. I think I found one, or two !

© Esther by Camilla Vad

© Agnes Jumper by Camilla Vad

I had both of them in my favorites, the Esther and Agnes sweater patterns by Camilla Vad. Two beautiful yokes that have the same vibes. I think Agnes will be better suited for my mohair, and I have so many other options fo Esther, I think I’ll enjoy knitting the two of them !

To finish, quite of a story.. I had my eyes on the COSMOLOGY DARUMA Collection 2022 by Amirisu since I saw it on their Instagram I think. Several beautiful patterns are offered, the APHELION cowl by Kiyomi Burgin to start with..

© Amirisu

© APHELION by Kiyomi Burgin

Once again, how original ! The book is full of other much appealing patterns.. For the story, I had seen the book available in one retail online store in the UK. Once I went to buy it after my work day, it was out of stock. So I sorta panicked out of FOMO, and ordered it from the Amirisu website in Japan. I was OK paying for shipping, at long as I could get it. Well, that doubled the price. What I had not anticipated was I had to pay for custom border taxes once it arrived in Europe, that tripled the original price.. Am I a bit mad ? Yes. Am I so happy I own the book ? Yes ! Since I got it, I saw it available in Germany. I just checked, and it is not even in their listing anymore. So I am triple happy I could get it 🙂

All in all, I spent €99.61 this month, a bit more than anticipated. My first expense was on the 20th, the last one on the 25th, 5 frenzy days.. So that is €1222.42 fso far this year, €122.24 per month. Still a bit over what I had planned for the year, still stress free purchases, that is the most important. If you forget the shipping and custom taxes of course 😺

Companion YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/-4zaY67r-c4

My Yarn No Buy Year – September 2022 Check-in

I thought I would not buy much in September, thus making my average per month expenses a bit better and more in line with what I had anticipated. I did spend a log in July and August, mostly on beautiful yarn I am so happy to have with me.

Patterns

For a few days in September, Meret Buretzberger – butszeria about everywhere, had a 20% discount on all of her patterns because she needed new glasses ! I had two of her patterns in my favorites, two beautiful tee-shirts, that I bought :

© Rheinfall Tee by Meret Buetzberger

© Verkehrt Pulli by Meret Buetzberger

The Verkehrt Pulli is a very interesting tee-shirt construction that you can wear right side up or upside down for a different effect. I anticipate it will be as fun to knit as it will be to wear. The Rheinfall Tee is a bit more classical with a waterfall type of collar, reminding Meret of one of her favorite places. The sample is in hemp, a fibre I am quite interested in trying. I may use some of the cotton I have in stash too 🙂

© Manhattan Hat by Tori Yu

© Borough Hood by Tori Yu

When Tori Yu released her Borough Hood, I immediately liked it, and recalled I already had the Manhattan Hat in my favourites. So I got both ! I’ve been wanting to knit a hood for about a year, when the ladies over at Cady Jax Knits made one. I do agree that every sweater should have their detachable hood. I still am planning for that project without having made any.. So yes, hoping a beautiful pattern will get live at some point. The Manhattan Hat is my next Christmas present cast on !

Yarn

Yes I am on a yarn no-buy project, no I have not paid for or planned to buy any. My second son was home a week ago, coming back from a conference in Glasgow. “Bring me yarn for my Bday” had I said to him as a joke, and he did ! He sent a picture from the shop and I sorta guided him by yarn composition (no acrylic if possible) and weight (DK) and he delivered ! He brought this Marriner 100% Superwash Merino in grey and white that caught my eye in the picture, and a couple additional colours of his choice, a true red, a bright gold and a cobalt blue.

Now to find a pattern to use all of them. They are not quite in my own colour realm.. What would you think of a Vertice Unite by Stephen West ? Too clingy ? I’m quite undecided, to be continued then !

So this September was quite quiet for spending, only €31,69, adding up to €1122,81 for this year, and €124,76 per month. Kinda making up for the summer frenzy 😺

Companion YouTube video : https://youtu.be/xp-ntr55JJU

My Yarn No Buy Year – July 2022 Check-in

During the summer travelling months, I knew I was going to spend some money and buy yarn. I was completely OK with that and still am. I had planned and prepared for it even though unexpected choices had to be made. These places I went to (one in July, two in August), I won’t have opportunities to visit again in quite a long time. So be prepared for some spending, in particular if we sum up July and August.

So in August I went to the Pyrénées, a much awaited trip for a short vacation. I first stopped to spend a few days with my mother and go with her to the first attorney appointment for my fathers assets (he passed away in June). After all that was done, I went to pick up my second son on the way down to the Pyrénées and we spent a week there, making the most out of this shorter stay. I then went to spend a week at my mother’s home, and that will be for the August check-in !

I am quite a bit behind everything, blog and Instagram posts, YouTube videos, I hope you will understand I needed a little break from social media 🙂

Aulon – Beautiful in the summer fog ❤

The week of vacation program included hikes and buying my beloved mohair yarn from this small farm up in the mountains. I have already posted about it in a previous post from last year. It looks the same, although the mountain is a bit browner and much less green, due to the lack of rain and unusually high temperatures. The goats are kept near the farm to have food and water. They used to spend the summer higher up in the mountains, but it would not be safe for them with this very hot weather.

Unfortunately they were out of the colours I had in mind, so I went for the Mohair Cardé, a rougher yarn where the threads have not been combed to bring the fluff out. I has a beautiful stitch definition, is very well suited for colour work, and produces a very warm finished object. You can see it in action in my Pull Zenzi.

I have a sweater quantity of the beige and blue colours, 4 skeins of the grey, 3 of the pink and 2 of the yellow. I think the pink and the yellow are not coming back..

I bought the yarn with intentions, for one plain sweater and for one colour work. And all got changed after I bought a newly released pattern in August – Teaser teaser, stay tuned !!

© Sari Norlund – Kuutar Tee

While I was in vacation, Sari Nordlund released the Kuutar top and had an offer for the Kuutar family. I won’t wear a top, so I bought the Kuutar Tee pattern I had my eyes on. I already have the Kuutar sweater pattern in my queue, they all have very beautiful designs and yokes. I may get to it before the end of the summer, or I may not – so it will be for next summer 😺

Regarding my money expenses, the total for July goes up to €360 for a grand total of €717.59 since the begging of the year. A bit more than usual, a bit more than expected, without guilt !

I now need to organise my thoughts and plans, and assign these skeins to projects. I think I will have another blog post and video about this in the next week.

On the yarn no-buy subject, I have finished the Painting Triangles Shawl by Stephen West, with this cotton I do not like. Using bamboo needles helped as they made it a bit less splitty, but I still had to be very careful while knitting. I am so pleased to have made something I love out of this cotton I really do not like. The finished fabric is fine, the finished shawl is big, very big, and looks quite beautiful to me.

Would have I knitted that shawl if I was not on a no-buy ? I do not think so. I would have either knit another pattern or bought some other yarn or cotton. I am very happy and feel very satisfied I used my stashed cotton to make something that brings me joy.

So I bought yarn according to my rules, I used my stash to knit a shawl I love from a cotton I did not, I call that a success even though my yarn expenses have made a huge jump !

Companion YouTube VIdeo : https://youtu.be/4T9vfcWChLY

My Yarn No Buy Year – June 2022 Check-in

So my last post was on June 10th, the day before my father passed away. Sorry I could not write again before today. Things have been difficult, between my own grief and managing my mother’s memory losses and all the official jazz. I’m mostly done with the official and legal aspects. She has never ever, in her whole life, filed any document or handled a bank account or even been aware of electricity bills or phone accounts. Needless to say we have been extremely busy with my sister to go through all of that..

This is my first day of vacation, I am very uncertain of what is going to happen next. All I know is I want to go pick up my second son on my way to the Pyrénées and spend a week with him. I have not seen him since Christmas and even though we do FaceTime every week, sometimes twice a week, I miss him 💛 I’ll also stop by my mother’s on my way down South and we’ll see if she wants to come with me. Some days yes, some days no.. Not knowing how I’ll be able to handle and organise things drives me nuts !!

Needless to say my no-buy June was a real no-buy. I spent so much on gas and toll highways that I could have bought two sweaters quantities at La Bien Aimée ! My mother lives half a day drive from me. Anyway, I am looking forward to going to the Pyrénées and buy some mohair or other yarns in person, I am dearly expecting to do so. I have a plan to get a few skeins for you guys as I just hit 500 subscribers on YouTube which is astonishing, thank you so much everyone ! I just hope I’ll be able to go there and not just stop and stay with my mother..

I have been knitting from stash, more on all of that once I have the energy to take and edit more pictures.

Take care everyone, and remember to actively place happiness into your life, because it is not going to come all by itself. And tell the ones you love that you love them.

Companion YouTube video (filmed two weeks ago..) : https://youtu.be/qWQvZN8fRFA

My Yarn No Buy Year – January 2022 Check-in

#YarnNoBuyYear

So you may recall, I decided to embark on a year-long journey of not buying yarn because the end of last year was overwhelming in terms of yarn acquisitions. I could have started at the beginning of December 2021, I had already made up my mind. A New Year Resolution was fun to me, because I never ever make these kind of resolutions, it sounds futile, likely to melt into real life and disappear for the next shiny thing or create disappointments if the goals do not translate into a real life change.

All of that to say I did take the time to write down my own guidelines and decided to document it on my YouTube channel as a way to support a year long decision. I have a playlist just for that ! Taking the time to ponder and write my guidelines naturally took me into the New Year, with a resolution.

So, how has it been for the first month ?

Temptations and how I got around them

© Stephen West – Stephen and Penelope

Have I been tempted ? Yes. I am still very tempted by Stephen West’s Painting Shawl new book, pre-orders are sold out on his site and I did not find any other site to get it from. I did not pre-order it when it came out and for now it is not available. So that is one problem solved for now I guess. Do I miss it, yes, even though I know I wanted it just to have it. I have at least 5 of his books, I enjoy reading them from time to time, for inspiration and day dreaming. Will I try to get it at some point if it comes back on stock ? Most probably. I did feel a tingling when I first saw the book announcement and still feel it today even though it is out of reach.

Have I been tempted by yarn ? No. I have to admit I probably placed some virtual blinkers on my head to avoid being tempted. It was an easy one for now and I have not been caught by surprise the way Stephen West’s book caught me. In addition, you may recall I have La Bien Aimée yarn for a Sorrel Sweater and I am unsure of one of the colours for my fade and of the mohair I picked to go with it. I am afraid the very dark blue mohair is going to kill the brighter merino ones. I have seen what the difference holding yarn with a mohair does in my Mystical Peonies cowl. So I contacted them by mail yesterday night (that was on a Friday night) on their support email for colours. That is exactly what I needed to do and what I should have done before ordering the yarn. I was too shy to do it at the time, whatever that means and why !

That is a nice derivative. I said I could buy yarn to complete a project and I had that very scenario in mind, contact LBA for advice on my Sorrel sweater and my be buy the needed yarn to cast it on. Good and done !

Other temptations ? Nope. Did I think about the no-buy ? Yes, a lot. And I am sorta expanding the idea on other areas of my life. Easy peasy, no rush or pressure, no stress.

What did I buy then ?

I didi buy two patterns, the Orbits Sweater and Cellarium Hat from Rachel Illsley. I took advantage of a discount she was having on her patterns in January. The sweater was in my queue since it came out, and I had my eyes on the hat. I think I’ll use some of my latest Holst Garn yarn for the sweater. No idea what I’ll use for the hat, I’m sure it will come to me.

© Sally Coulthard and Apollo Editions

I also bought Sally Coulthard – A Short History of the World According to Sheep book, I wanted to read it for a long time and finally ordered it yesterday.

The January 2022 buys go for a total of 22,65€, good !

My projects with stashed yarn

After finishing the Yellow Lawrenson sweater a few days ago, I swatched for the Zenzi Pullover. I know I was going to go for the Chubasco Sweater first but as Marie-Amelie decided to stop designing, there is a hastag going on Instagram to thank her. I debated over which one to cast on first and figured waiting to long for the hashtag won’t be good, if she ever decides to look at it or follow it. It is a small way to thank her for all of her beautiful designs. I have knitted 3 pieces, the Galane Sweater and the 2 Silata Scarves for my sons. So I really wanted to acknowledge how much I liked her patterns.

The Mystical Peonies Cowl is on hold for now as I have used all my TreLiz merino yarn, and I will have to wait I knit the Slipstravaganza and I see if I have some of this dark cold brown Deep End left over to make it longer. Otherwise, I will improvise 🙂

I still have to cast on my yellow forearms warmers !

To summarise

For now, I am not feeling deprived. I’ve had some tingling with a book and thought about what to cast on after finishing the Yellow Mohair Sweater. Other than that, all is good.

I am trying to expand the no-buy or low-buy onto other areas of my life, so far I am OK. I have not bought clothes, shoes or bags, too much food but I have not been able to lower what goes in my mouth 🙂 Oh well, that will take time. Being supporting my sons, one of them fully and the two other ones partially since last October, that is the first month I did not have to dig into my savings in a very long time. Most probably for over a year when I was at another position with a better income. That was feeling good 😺

Companion YouTube Podcast : https://youtu.be/PMU7pkZdYH4

My Yarn No Buy Year

#YarnNoBuyYear

why

I have been reflecting on my recent buys, like a lot. I bought too much, and it makes me feel uncomfortable. Not that I went into a difficult money situation, I could afford everything I bought, because I make choices. And these choices were impulsive, buying yarn with no intension or no pattern in mind is not my jam. And I did it, yarn started to accumulate, I have more that I can knit in a whole year.

I have the tendency to accumulate, clothes, food backups, makeup mostly. I do accumulate books and CDs and that does not make me feel uncomfortable because I cycle through my books, my music, almost every day. Not food that eventually go bad, not makeup that also eventually go bad, at a slower pace though (and I love makeup), not clothes that I end up wearing once or twice a year.

I think I know where it comes from, I have worked on it. Having a YouTube knitting Podcast since last summer had me follow and watch a lot more other channels, Instagram and FaceBook accounts. I see people live in what could be yarn stores, with walls filled with yarn behind them. I’m OK with that, and you do you. It is not for me. Last Holstgarn Haul, shortly after the first one, was the one over the top. I’ve felt bad about what I did the second I hit the “buy” button.

Do not get me wrong, the yarn is lovely, I like everything about it, I will use it, just it could have been waiting for me in the shop, waiting I find the adequate pattern and that it clicks in my head, yarn + pattern association. This is how I’m used to buying yarn, with a project in mind. Here I bought yarn for the sake of buying it.

inventory

So. What to do. First I did an inventory of all the yarn I have, all the patterns or projects I want to knit with most of it. You can have a recent glimpse at my recent acquisitions.. There are over 15 sweaters, several shawls and there will be enough left overs for hats, mitts, berets or other ideas that can come along. Second (or first in my process), I will adventure in a Yarn No Buy Year, knit what I have in stock until none or barely none is left. I could take me over a year, so be it.

Wanna come along ? I’ll be using the hashtags #YarnNoBuyYear on both YouTube and maybe Instagram if there are some useful things and pics to say and show there. I’ll also be documenting my journey on my small YouTube channel, hopefully freeing space in both my house and my mind.

I currently feel so cluttered (is that a word ?).

guidelines

To make this adventure enjoyable and sustainable for a year or more, I think I need some kind of rules or guidelines :

• Yarn :
  • I’ll allow myself to buy limited edition yarns, the ones I would be missing once they are gone. For examples, Treliz mystery boxes if the mood-board talks to me. I like her, I like her work, I want to support her and contribute to her community ; La Bien Aimée Corrie Confetti, I still miss the Ochre release from last year and will miss the grey one from this year ; or any other yarn I know I will be thinking of once it is gone. Not sure how many times I’ll allow myself to do that, may be once or twice next year, not more
  • I’ll buy yarn for presents if I do not have what I need in my stash. I am mostly a selfish knitter, I’ve knit for others only for Christmas. See you either next summer 2022 if I go to the Pyrénées so that I can bring back lovely mohairs in colours I won’t wear myself, or at the end of 2022 depending on what I have in mind
  • I may also buy yarn to knit a project along with a stashed yarn. Not sure on that one, I may just wait until my stash is mostly gone
  • If I go on vacation or to an event or go visit a producer, a mill, a yarn shop (there are a couple in Normandie that I have never made time to visit), I may buy some yarn either as souvenir or for a specific project
• I’ll also allow myself to buy replacement items, notions, needles etc. if any break or if I am in need of a special item for a special project
• Patterns, I will continue to buy the patterns I want to knit, or to support creators, causes etc.
• Books. I love books, I cannot stop buying books all together. So I’ll allow myself one book a month, I do not know yet if magazines will count as books. I guess yes. For example, I have a 3 issues subscription to Laine Magazine, I may just count that one as a single buy, even if I end up receiving three books. Having too much yarn is a thing to me, not having too much books, or CDs, go figure 🙂
• I have been wanting a swift and a ball winder for a very long time. Investing in good quality ones may be my reward. I’m not much into rewards, we’ll see what I end up doing and if I need a happy ending and a goal other than clearing the clutter

So, what do you think ? Are you with me on that one ? See you around for inputs and reporting !

Companion YouTube Podcasts : https://youtu.be/EOa4S1VRuU8 and https://youtu.be/-mWiR_-wdrk