Fiber Fits

Admittedly, I am amidst a fiber artist temper tantrum. Its the silent type because who wants to see a 38 year old woman pout over not being able to participate in a MKAL (mystery knit-a-long for all you non-fiber folks out there who may have stumbled upon my blog).

As of the last few months, I have been trying to knit and crochet from my stash. A few yarn purchases have

My Messy Yarn Room (main stash)

been made to top of certain projects, but that's about it. I think 2 balls of sock yarn are about my only "non necessity" purchases I've made in the last 6 months... and by "non necessity" I mean - it was needed. The yarn was awesome, I didn't have it and I wanted it. Therefore - it was a necessity purchase.

This yarn diet is self imposed. The Man really doesn't care - heck he benefits from my little fiber addiction. I don't have to not buy yarn when I see it, but I'm just trying to knock down what I have to make room for what I don't have.

About a month ago, I ran across a MKAL honoring Marie Curie ... wha wha whaaaaa? Science, Math and Yarn. That is a triad of awesomesauce right there! (ok, I threw in the Math because its part of the forum, not necessarily the MKAL - but that's just how my mind works)

Here is a link to the Ravelry Group, just in case you are interested.

Anywhoozles - so here I am thinking I'm going to get in on the action early on. I head to my stash and dig. And I dig. And I dig... and I come up with NOTHING. Nadda. Not a darn thing. I need two light weight yarns, sock weight would probably do because I knit so tight, to give me a gauge of approximately 9-10 stitches per inch. Two colors are necessary - and knowing the mittens the host creates, I know the colorwork will require two extremely contrast colors so the pattern will show up. I have all sorts of self striping and variegated colors but not real solids. I have a soft heather grey - nothing to go with.

So perhaps I shall check my favorite local yarn store... Nadda. He was in the same boat I am in - lots of colored/variegated yarns, but no bold solids.

I go online but sheesh - shipping stinks for 4 tiny skeins of yarn (at this point, let me mention that I am somewhat of a cheap skate). So... no ordering unless I have a coupon or am able to order with several other people (the yarn group I meet with weekly sometimes does that - but not at this very moment). I am such a naysayer on shipping that I actually checked Amazon.com to see if there were any nice yarns covered under my prime membership ... nadda there as well.

So now, here I sit - the MKAL has officially started and they are moving into the second clue. I'm looking at the spoiler pictures because apparently not only am I a shipping fee naysayer and  cheap skate, but I am also a bit of a fiber masochist. There are some absolutely gorgeous mittens being worked up and I want to be one of those people - but I have no yarn.

Looking for the silver lining - at least not having yarn for the MKAL has forced me to continue focus on the Christmas crafting... 

(Granted, this weekend we are going to head over to a couple other yarn stores nearby and I'm going to look there - they are larger than the one here in town so there is a good chance I'll find my yarn. Silver Lining Adverted.)