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, 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 my daughter'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, it has been 115 days 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 - 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 a 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 didnt' 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!
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.