Summer of Stash is officially over.  I was reminded by both of my children that technically, I could buy yarn today.  And I didn’t do it!

But – as for a summer of stash – I did it – I did it – I did it did it did it!  I am so unbelievably freaked out that I made it.  And while technically I used both of my exceptions, I don’t yet actually have the yarn from exception number 2 (not a hint, really, just saying!), so the amount of yarn in the house is definitely less than it was at the beginning of the summer.  I have really just stayed out of the yarn stores, and once when I threatened to cave (and even had Shea’s agreement to go along), I managed not to go.  And when I said to her, “It’s not like I’m going to run out of yarn any time soon”, she just laughed her butt off, and agreed.  But – both of the large yarn stash containers close much more easily than they did at the beginning of the summer.

I just counted, and other than exception #1 (yarn for the Lotus Blossom, which is a gift), it has been 115 days (yes, you read that right!) since my last yarn purchase.  These were my goals:

1. Finish at least 4 pair of socks, not including those currently OTN.  DONE – 4 pair + 1 baby sock + 1 pair of “half socks” + 2 pair about to be finished.
2. Finish ArtFibers sweater currently OTN.  NOT EVEN CLOSE – hasn’t been touched in months.
3. Knit tank for OtherMom – promised for Mother’s Day (the idea was gifted for Mother’s Day – it wasn’t actually even picked out until June!) – 2/3 DONE – I’m on the plain stockinette top right now.
4. Find a pattern for and start LL sweater.  NOT EVEN CLOSE – HAVEN’T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
5. Knit at least one purse from stash – either Manos del Uruguay or something else that’s laying around! – NOT EVEN CONSIDERED!

I also completed the fair isle hat that was started in March.  All in all it’s been a great summer, and I’m so glad I participated.

What I’ve learned:
1. I can live without buying yarn (needles and books don’t count, right?).
2. I have enough yarn to last me at least a few years, even if I didn’t buy more.
3. I can even live without a trip to the brand new yarn store in town.
4. The people at my other LYS know me well, and tempt me too much!  I really didn’t NEED to know that they thought of me when they got new sock yarn in!
5. Even when I don’t buy yarn, people will buy it for me (Thanks Mom and Tricia)!
6. I don’t knit nearly as fast as I think I do.
7. I am much less tempted if I ignore the yarn emails I get almost daily.
8. I can look at yarn online without buying, and will not die.  I can even look at it in a store (though only somewhere like AC Moore, where I’m not all that tempted).
9. I don’t need yarn from the dollar store just because it’s so cheap.
10. I even survived a visit to that yarn store in the mountains – without caving!

I’m so proud of me, I may have to visit that new store this week.  But I have learned!  Really I have!  Plus, I have to save money for the Sea Socks Cruise, as there will definitely be yarn to be bought then!

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