Tuesday, December 05, 2006

on stash and "stuff"

stash

I've inherited some furniture from my Dad's office. I now have a chest of drawers of my very ownsome, and my yarn can have a nicer home than a cardbox box.

I'm really pleased to say it easily fits into a small drawer. I admit this is partly due to the number of WIPs I have the moment (I've completely broken my two projects at a time rule...). As long as I don't start thinking I can buy more yarn, just because I have the extra storage space.

I don't like having a stash. I don't like having a pile of unread books either. Having unused "stuff" makes me feel guilty for unneccesary consumerism. Moreover, it's like an overflowing "in tray", which makes me nervy. I have enough of that with the horribly nebulous deadline of the PhD thesis*.

All that said, I was very pleased when this lovely secret pal package came through the door this week. A cotton/ nylon/ wool mix sock yarn in a sort of blue/ green/ white combination. Also yummy chocolate. The latter is now gone, obviously this was purely in the spirit of getting rid of "stuff" cluttering up the place :)

SP goodies

The really dangerous thing that arrived was my sewing machine. My 18th birthday present back when I was doing A-levels and dreaming of undergraduate life in Durham, sewing all my own clothes (etc etc). Except then exams arrived and I didn't really have time to learn how to use it. And I didn't go to Durham, I got a job. It's been at my parent's place for years, being guilt-inducing "stuff". But now I've got it back and I will put it to use. As long as I don't end up having to clear a drawer for fabric.

sewing machine

*UK grad school - hey, nice to meet you, come back in three years with 100,000 words. Go, use the libary - it's open 24 hours and has a coffee machine. (n.b. I am lucky and have a really supportive supervisor, but we do just get the one massive deadline, which is nice, we have freedom, but can hang over you somewhat).

12 comments:

Amy said...

I'm really impressed at the small stash. Really, I am, that's awesome.

You sound so much like me - I have all these dreams of sewing all my own clothing etc. etc. after I graduate and finish my undergraduate thesis. (NEVER doing this stuff again, pffft, ugh.)

And I'm currently eating one of those super-dark hershey's bars. Go figure.

littlelixie said...

Your whole stash fits in that one drawer??????? How do you do that. I have it coming out of my ears and still have *nothing* to knit at times!

spajonas said...

wow, love your small stash. i seem to be incapable of keeping less than 80 balls around the house at all times :)

Veronique said...

No feedback for 3 years?! That's hard! We had yearly meetings with our thesis committee.
I cannot believe how small your stash is. How efficient of you!

Alice said...

oh I get feedback! Just no deadlines... I have a meeting with my
supervisor, normally discussing a draft of a chapter or something
about once every 2-4 weeks. half way through the whole thing we have a
mini (very informal) interview with a few other people in the
department. UK phd's are very relaxed in terms of process, it's just
the giant final piece that's stretches out over you like a big scary cloud

knittingphilistine said...

Mmmm...UK grad school sound delectable and low-pressure. Just what I'd love right now, as I trundle through prep for my preliminary exams to qualify for moving on to my PhD. I have to meet with my professors constantly, and most of the meetings are less than useful - mostly just a waste of time. US grad schools consist of one *hoop* after another.

And your stash -- all so neat and orderly and tiny! I completely respect your logic - excess tends to be nothing more than a weight and pressure to knit stuff you may not even want. You've got a good theory going.

Alice said...

yep, low pressure on a day to day level. horrible deadline most people never meet at the end. I thought about going to the US, but in the end decided I wanted the UK version more. It's a much more personal experience, rather than being molded into a "insert uni name" PhD.

Ellen Alexandra said...

Wow, I can't believe that's your whole stash! I have been gradually taking pictures of mine the last few days (for organization purposes) and it is never-ending! I definately don't have your self control!

Woolly Wormhead said...

Amazing stash - good for you. And sewing machines are easy, honest. I've taught 12 yr olds to use them, and you've got a user-friendly one there.

We only had one deadline at Goldsmiths too. They're famed for sticking you in the studios for 3 years and leaving you on your own. It was tough, and many folk crashed and left. I loved that freedom though.

A note about the yf, k2tog pattern from Whirly Rib.... it gets that wonderful slant from being knitted in the round, and on straights it would create a mesh like fabric... will have to figure a way to make it work the same on straights...

Alice said...

I was wondering about the slant on straights. I might try it on legwarmers soon, though I'd do those in the round anyway.

I dont' know why I let myseft get intimidated with mechanical stuff like sewing machines, I'm starting with some small xmas decorations to get the hang of it.

Nik said...

I'm starting to be like you. I'm starting to hate that I have a large stash because it reminds me of the fact that there are many many projects that did not get finished. The sight of my stash has scared me into not wanting to buy more yarn, and I haven't bought as much as I'm used to buying in a long time.

www.caceres-3d.com said...

Little doubt, the dude is totally just.