It’s the fifteenth of the month, which would usually mean a ScrapHappy post, but not this month. You’ve already seen my latest scrap creation, in the form of this blanket:
a big blanket of scraps
For the next few months, my plan is not to use scraps (although it might happen on the side), but to work my way through my slightly out of control wool stash and complete some WIPs*. Whilst I have been busy using up scrap wool for charity blankets, I have worked on relatively few other knitting or crochet projects, but I have continued to add to my yarn stash. I’ve decided that the time has come to address this imbalance and to make use of some of the lovely wool currently squirrelled away in draws and cupboards.
So, my first (small) stash-busting project is a pair of socks (which will also contribute to one of my 17 for 2017 targets). This wool came in my 2016 sock yarn club subscription from The Knitting Goddess. The theme was The Discworld and the colour combination is called Distressed Pudding**. Personally, it makes me think of Neapolitan ice cream.
scrummy yarn
There were six stripy colour combinations that came in the 2016 subscription and this is the third that I have used. I subscribed to another club this year with more subtle colourways, but since I have not knitted up any of those yet, there will be no 2018 subscription… I really have to reduce the amount of wool, not increase it.
As someone who bangs on a lot about excessive consumerism, I’m feeling a bit guilty about having this lot, especially since this is by no means all my stash. It’s time to enjoy using rather than accumulating I think.
-oOo-
* WIP = Work In Progress
** If you are not a Terry Pratchett fan, just accept this and don’t worry about what it all means.
The Snail of Happiness 
nanacathy2
/ August 15, 2017Ha! Your achilles heel too! I am on a mission now to use stash and finish WIPS and UFOS. Today I have unearthed a UFO from 16 years ago, it feels good to be using stash rather than fighting the urge to accumulate more stuff. A lesson there. Anyway what I wanted to say was that I really like your neopolitian socks, who doesn’t want icecream socks? Love them and good for you to be using stuff.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 15, 2017I’m going to try to mix WIPs/UFOs with new projects from my stash to maintain my interest. It’s silly really, because I tend to buy all my yarn with a project in mind, so I shouldn’t ever build up a stash, but I just can’t create as fast as I can buy! Anyway, a yarn diet will be good for my wallet as well as my creativity.
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katechiconi
/ August 15, 2017Oooh, love that rich dark red and the gorgeous teal. Almost enough to make me want to crochet. Almost…. I have no argument at all with using up stash. After all, that’s how more scrap is made 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 15, 2017I have a project in mind for all the scrap that will be created if I manage to make all this yarn into socks… quite a few months down the line though. I’m knitting plain socks with the stripy yarn, but I have plants for cables and other fancy things with the teal, red etc.
I’ve used up several bags of yarn scraps this year, so I’m feeling quite happy about clearing the decks in that respect… I may even get on to some of the fabric scraps next month!
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Annie
/ August 15, 2017One simply cannot have too much wool…..
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 15, 2017but there won’t be any room for people if I get much more!
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Annie
/ August 20, 2017Hehe!
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Laurie Graves
/ August 15, 2017We all have our weaknesses In fact, I have several. 😉 I try to keep them under control but I am not always successful. Yay to Terry Pratchett! “Distressed Pudding” is just great!
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sanseilife
/ August 15, 2017Fess up how any wip do you have?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 15, 2017Actually, I think I only have four: the current socks, a scrappy blanket, a Bavarian crochet blanket and a cardigan that I don’t understand how to complete because the pattern is either wrong or missing an instruction. I’m quite cross about the last one because I was enjoying making it until I hit the problem… now I think I might take the bits apart where the issue is and finish it in a different way (it’s all to do with the fiddly edging… the main part is fine and finished).
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iamsimplyhooked
/ August 15, 2017I only have four WIP’s at the moment but I have rather more unstarted projects for which they yarn is already purchased, and that’s what I need to get a grip of really. It is good to know that I am not alone!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 15, 2017Same here – 4 WIPs and many, many unstarted projects!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ August 15, 2017I have a box full of guilty projects – enough to stop me doing any more! I need to get myself started on a small easy enough project using up all the left over bits of yarn – or scraps as you call them. I shall rummage through my crochet books and find some nice squares to start working on……
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 15, 2017great plan… I really enjoyed making squares for the refugee blankets… especially when I discovered I could turn them into beautiful things.
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thecontentedcrafter
/ August 15, 2017You have inspired me ❤
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 16, 2017yay!
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quietwatercraft
/ August 16, 2017I really need to follow your example and get working on some WIPs. Another order of yarn arrived yesterday and it turns out I misread the size of a skein, so I now have about 1kg of blanket yarn to use up!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 16, 2017that should be a decent sized blanket… I can’t talk though… not long ago I bought 2.5kg of Cambrian wool – I may be working on it for a while!
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Emma
/ August 16, 2017All those skeins are going to look amazing knitted up! I really like the stripy effect on socks 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 17, 2017I’m a sucker for self-patterning yarns.
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Born To Organize
/ August 17, 2017You’ve got us all thinking about unfinished projects. I love your yard stash and I’m happy to hear it’s out in the light of day and will soon make up into wonderful socks and the like.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 17, 2017I think it’s all too easy to buy craft supplies (of all sorts) and start projects and then get distracted… plus there’s that instant gratification associated with shopping! I am hoping to refocus and enjoy starting and finishing projects, as well as decluttering through creativity.
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Born To Organize
/ August 22, 2017De-cluttering through creativity. You should print that on a t-shirt!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 22, 2017I might do an embroidery… I’m contemplating a series of craftivism pieces having rather enjoyed doing my “Start a Revolution – Plant a Garden” one earlier this year
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Born To Organize
/ August 27, 2017I love your commitment to craftivism! You’ve had some lovely ideas, too. I’m looking forward to hearing what’s next.
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magpiesue
/ August 19, 2017I love that you’ve adapted Scrap Happy Day to your wool stash and projects. 🙂 There’s a lot of crossover between those of us who work with needles and threads!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 19, 2017I do a bit of sewing too… but my heart belongs to the yarn!
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