Vacation Yarn Doesn't Really Count as Yarn

I own about 17 bins, big bins, of yarn. I know I loved it when I bought it, and when I open each bin and look at the yarn, I still love it. Lucy from Mind's Eye says, "collecting yarn and knitting are two very different hobbies that only sometimes intersect." This is so very true. I'm not only a knitter, I'm a yarn collector. So I am trying to do something about the stash. I'm trying very hard not to buy any yarn this year. Of course I've already failed, and gotten a few skeins here and there (if Monteiro hadn't discontinued their wool/llama yarn I would never have had to buy those four skeins), plus four skeins of Malabrigo lace weight in merino superwash. And I won't mention the skein of Cascade merino/silk blend. Because, well, that's all water under the bridge. I did use a gift certificate to buy a skein of dark teal yarn, but I don't count that, since it was a gift certificate, and was really Christmas yarn. Sheesh.

But in this not-quite-as-new-as-it-used-to-be month, I haven't bought any yarn at all. Oh, I've looked. I've perused the shelves and cubbies at my favourite yarn stores. But I am trying to hold steadfast. I even refused to go to a yarn sale last week, where the stuff was on sale for 25% off! Talk about self-control. 

Of course, when I go to Pennsylvania next week, all bets are off at the yarn store in Doylestown. I will leave a bit of room in my luggage to bring home any goodies I get there. Besides, yarn bought whilst on vacation doesn't count. It's vacation yarn, see? Vacation yarn doesn't fall under the same rubric of yarn that I get to add to my stash because, well, um, because, well, because it was got whilst on vacation, thus making it vacation yarn. I know there's some logic in there somewhere, but damned if I can figure it out. We'll just go with vacation yarn doesn't count as a yarn purchase after one has promised oneself not to buy any more yarn this year (or at least until some of the stash is knit down). 

And in other exciting news, I have enough beads left for the beaded cowl to get me through another 20 rows, plus one knitted and unbeaded row, and then a bind off. Only 4200 stitches to go (+ bind off), and I'm done. Another Christmas present will be finished, and I can turn my attention to other projects. Like the teal and purple beaded cowls I plan on making.

A knitter's work is never done.