Is it 2007 already?

So... Happy New Year, everybody! I feel like mine is really just starting this week. Right after New Year's every year I have to go to an academic conference that is important for my job, so I don't get a chance to reflect on the last year until that's over. Now it's done, and I'm back.

Im already starting my non-knitting New Year's resolutions like trying to eat better and exercise more (I know, I know...), both with mixed success. The only time I have to exercise is early in the morning which, by golly, sucks. I am so NOT a morning person. It was kind of fun yesterday to be out at 6am with the dog, walking through the dark streets of JC, but not so fun this morning, when I did my strength exercises. I can't even imagine what it's going to feel like tomorrow morning when I have to get up to walk again. But I figure maybe I can push past the exponentially increasing exhaustion until it is just a habit for me to be in bed by 10 and up by 6am and not the unbearable torture it feels like now.

I did have a glass of wine tonight (but not beer! that's progress, right?) with one of my friends who is moving to our FL office, and I don't think that counts as 'healthy eating', and I KNOW the chex mix on the bar isn't, but I'm trying not to stress out about it too much. I guess it is like a 401(K)--you just have to be in it for the long haul and not worry about day to day fluctuations. Stick to the plan and be patient, eh?

What does this have to do with knitting? Nothing, really, except that my other goal is to join everyone else in knitting from my stash, since I'm running out of storage room in our tiny one bedroom apartment for all the yarn that just seems to magically accumulate when I'm not looking. I don't know how that happens. One minute I was a new knitter, and the next thing I know, I have a proper stash, with real luxury yarns like Koigu in it, for goodness' sake. Anyway, another case of stick to the plan and be patient. I did manage to resist finding a yarn store when I was in Atlanta for the conference, even though I know that there are a few good ones there.

My rules for my own Knit from the Stash:

1. This started Jan 1, 2007, and will go until I judge that I have my closet back.

2. I am going to first finish up the projects I have laying around (more on that later) and then tailor my knitting to fit the yarn that I have rather than finding something I want to knit and then buying more yarn.

3. No one ever asks me for gifts, but there are freaking babies coming out of trees around here, so the only exception to rule #2 is that I may have to buy more of one yarn or another (or go out specially to purchase yarn that I don't have at all) to finish a baby item.

4. I know Wendy and her friend L-B said that sock yarn doesn't count, but I don't knit many socks and it takes me forever when I do. And I really have enough sock yarn to last me a while, but I don't really have much lace weight yarn, and I just finished my first shawl (again, more on that later). I really liked it, and I want to try my hand at more lace, so I think perhaps one strategic lace weight purchase a month will be allowed. I probably won't actually buy one a month, but it's nice to know I won't be mad at myself if I do decide to buy some (or let's face it, fall off the handle).

5. Trading yarn and receiving yarn as a gift is perfectly acceptable.

6. I'm not going to buy any magazines on the newsstand either. I just bought a Vogue Knitting subscription (for $15!!), and I think I already have subscriptions to Interweave Knits and Knit Simple, and those are my favorites, so no more newsstand "fixes" that just encourage more stashing.

7. I can buy tools that I don't have, such as stitch markers or needles or the like.

I don't spin, so fiber is not a problem for me. Mostly, I think the problem is finding projects I like, buying the yarn, and then just putting it all in the closet and forgetting I have it. The point for me is two-fold: to stop spending money on yarn, and to gain back some more space in the closet. I would love to be one of those people who just works on one project at a time and doesn't actually maintain too much of a stash, but really, I would be happy if I could empty a few carrier bags from the floor of the closet so I have more room for my shoes.


(click through for a general description of what's there)

Anyway, next post I'm going to do a round-up of my 2006 knitting, and lay out my goals for 2007 knitting. I did a lot this past year, and I'm really looking forward to learning new things and meeting new people, and getting more involved in this here community of knitters! Oh, and seeing more movies. I love movies...