3.08.2010

Full Power

After days and days of honest (and sometimes tortured) sorting, I feel like I've been through a gauntlet and come out on the other side amazed at what was lurking in the depths. When you commit to giving your stash a deep-cleaning you expect to feel organized afterwards... but what I wasn't expecting was how inspired my own stash has made me. Assessing the whole scope of it caused me to start making connections between yarns that have probably never even been in the same room with one another.

Sea of Color

Aside from being organized, I'm now living amongst a beautiful palette of wools that has my head spinning with ideas.

All My Favorite Colors

I was lucky enough to be able to find grateful hands for all the yarns that were jettisoned, which is probably the reason for the sense of lightness that I now feel, and ended up donating a small amount of yarn to a local charity. All that remains are yarns that I'm absolutely itching to work with - oh what a feeling!

Sea of Color

The crown jewel of them all: I rounded up all my Shetland yarns and put them together in color groups (shown above) -- what a thing of beauty! I couldn't resist taking photo after photo of these amazing colors all lined up together. A kid in a candy store comes to mind.

BonBons
Better than a box of truffles

It looks like there's nothing left to do but start nibbling...

68 comments:

  1. I have a pretty healthy stash but WOW.....I think I want to visit yours. Those photos and the colors are AMAZING!

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  2. Such pretty colors. Just PERUSING yarn and fiber is inspirational.

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  3. I can't wait to see what you do with these!

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  4. Oh--the colors! Before texture, color is always the characteristic of a yarn that grabs me first. And what a gorgeous array of colors you have!

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  5. With such inspiration at your fingertips, I can hardly wait to see what you create! Enjoy!

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  6. Look at those fabulous colors! What a knitters palette : ) Do I see some color work in your future?!

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  7. loving all these colors, and jealous of all the wonderful wools!

    one of my goals this summer is to turn all the non-wool in my stash (and i fear there is quite a bit!) into donatable projects, so that i can turn my knitting space into a wool-friendlier zone like this!

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  8. Heard you had a great weekend at my former employer, Nine Rubies Knitting. Sorry I couldn't take a class (busy, busy weekend), but it sounds like it was a blast for the students. Hope you enjoyed it :-).

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  9. I absolute love your stash pictures. Much, much better than a box of chocolates!
    They are more like a Dean&Deluca's basket of gourmet ingredients, begging to become something unforgettable.
    Thanks for the gift of sharing them!

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  10. Can't wait to see the creations to come! Have fun!

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  11. I honestly can't wait to see what you will create with all this beautiful yarn.
    My stash isn't big (due to limited student budget) but your is wonderfuly inspiring...

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  12. Gorgeous photos!

    Thanks for the yarn porn today. Brightened my world. :)

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  13. Would you let me know where you donated the yarn? I'm in Brooklyn too and have a few bags that I'd love to give to a charity who would use it. Thanks!

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  14. As a painter I love the colors and it inspires new landscapes (which I only do in the summer).
    As a knitter my hands itch to put these yarns on my needle, look for a pattern and just start!
    How can you be tired??(just kidding -you must have a really big stash!)

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  15. Well, okay, but I can see something like this at my LYS. I really want to see the products.

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  16. Drool-worthy colour combinations! I just want to frame the bottom photo and hang it on my wall.

    (@Sue: Yes, you can see something like this at the shop, but this is stash voyeurism at its best! These photos represent time lovingly spent choosing, organizing, touching, and dreaming of what's to come!)

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  17. Hey if you ever need a babysitter for your yarn, I'm available! I'm not responsible for missing bits of wool upon your return though ;)

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  18. Ok, I thought I had a big stash, I feel better now. ;) Beautiful in colour coordination, I always have trouble braking into an untouched skein, but how els would they become any thing other than potential.

    http://dollybob.blogspot.com/

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  19. Every time I toss my stash around, the colors that look good together always seem to nestle next to each other. They are their own inspiration!
    Chloe

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  20. I thought it was a post about a new yarn store! Oups... LOL Seriously, it's amazing! Have fun!

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  21. I absolutely love your photographs. The colors and compositions inspire my own creativity.
    These make me feel much better about my own stash...

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  22. what an amazing stash of yarns! My mouth is watering just looking at your photos. I went through my stash about a month ago and wasn't as inspired as I'm sure you are with yours.

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  23. Wonderful colors and photos. I wish I had mine so organized and neat!!!

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  24. OMG those colors are awesome. I don't blame you for wanting to take a ton of pictures.

    Hugs!!!

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  25. These photos make my greedy fingers tingle! You have a beautiful stash! I'm jealous!! I hope you get to enjoy this time of inspiration!! I can't wait to see what you come up with to make out of these beautiful little gems.

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  26. I love all the colors in your
    stash! I love that the yarn is all
    wool and Shetland wool is even much
    better. Now, Jared, it has been
    way way way too long since we have
    had one of your beautiful knitting
    garments to keep us inspired! :)

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  27. It looks just lovely, I would LOVE to have a stash like this one. :)

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  28. The photos are marvellous, no wonder you keep on taking them! Enjoy your boost of inspiration, can't wait to see what comes of it! :)

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  29. those colors all do look really amazing together!
    after reading your earlier post about your stash, i went through mine too. and sorted out of the yarn that i accepted in trades, just to be nice, but i will never use. so now i am debating what to do with them. suggestions people??

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  30. I actually started salivating looking at your pictures!

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  31. I agree with hibou. I would love to have a framed copy of that bottom picture to hang on my living room wall. If you ever want to make that available, please do let us know.
    Congratulations on the stash clean-out and new inspirations!

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  32. My stash is stored in two huge bookcases with glass doors. I keep it displayed very nicely and it is very inspiring to me. A thing of beauty every time I go into my studio! My husband got me the shelves for Yule one year in the hopes that I'd shop my stash and buy less yarn. I can't say that's worked out for him yet.

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  33. Wow, the colours are just beautiful together. Thanks for sharing the pictures. I'm glad the project was a success!

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  34. Eye candy, yummie!
    Yarn itch is the best one :-))

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  35. oh yarn is way better than chocolate!!!! ;)

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  36. Beautiful!

    I'm looking forward to hearing you speak this Friday at the Common Cod!

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  37. Yummie, yummie, yummie, I love the colors!

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  38. My first thought was "Adopt me, Jared!", but then it occurred to me that I have never asked my father to buy me yarn... Haha.

    What a delightful stash! Mine is still very small, but my problem is I'm very picky about what I have in my stash.

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  39. Definitely inspiring and gorgeous!

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  40. You may see something different, but I see a yoked sweater. Well, several yoked sweaters actually.

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  41. You have colors that make my heart sing. Lucky lucky you!

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  42. Way better than a box of chocolates! As are your photos! MMMmmmm MMMmmmmm Delicious!
    Thnks, Jared!

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  43. How gorgeous! I wish these were my yarns! Or at least that my yarns were arranged like that so I could see them all all the time and get inspired :)

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  44. That is an amazing array of beautiful colors of Shetland yarns. I am slowly trying to pull away from the call of Shetland Fair Isle knitting. Not winning at all. Can't wait to see what you do with them.

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  45. gorgeous! inspired to organize my yarns...

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  46. Such yummy colours and textures. I can't wait to see what your imagination and talents make of these delicacies!

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  47. Can you tell us which yarn winder you use?

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  48. A pro like yourself deserves an amazing stash of yarn! I too have recently moved and reorganized my stash into cubbies. I seriously love just looking at it! Luckily, my husband, who has an art degree but absolutely no real understanding of my "string", also likes my display. (:

    Post some pics of whatever you make with all that Shetland!

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  49. What beautiful eye candy... will be fun to watch what you do with them.

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  50. Those colours are awesome! Can't wait to see what you will design from them.

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  51. I'm moving the coming week, and after reading your post I'm not dreading the packing and sorting as much any longer, and almost looking forward to the part involving my quite substantial stash.
    Although teleporting still seems like the best option.

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  52. Oh the Shetland is so amazing! I have been hooked on Norwegian mittens lately, and the heathery shades just make me so happy. Can't wait to see what ideas you have brewing!

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  53. What a palate! Time to paint =)

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  54. Mmmm, gorgeous. Love those blues and greys!

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  55. *sniff* It's a beautiful thing!

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  56. Aww so cute, beautiful palette! I love the purples next to the greens.

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  57. Hi Jared,

    Whaat pattern did you use for your giant swatch? I'd like to make a blanket for my daughter using that stitch. Thanks so much.

    Erica

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  58. All those colors are just delicious!! They inspire me and I can't even imagine what you'll come up with. Can't wait!
    Best,
    Anne

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  59. Congratulations on getting organized! I love the colorful photos :)

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  60. Hi there. Your pictures are inspiring! Makes me want to run home and re-organize ALL of my yarn. I looked and looked and didn't see any mention of where you buy your Shetland yarn. Is there a favorite place you get the yarn from? I'd love to get some.

    xoxo,
    thanks,
    Liz

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  61. You are extremely organized. Reminds me of my quilting stash.

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