Yesterday, January 1st, marked the beginning of my 2011 stashdown. Inspired by Stephanie Pearl McPhee's self imposed sock club, I'm doing the same for my spinning stash. I want to clear out some of the fiber I've had hanging around here to make room for new fiber one of these days. I can't keep collecting all this beautiful stuff unless I spin it up once in a while!
So, here goes - the great stashdown of 2011. I've made up 14 packets of fiber (because I believe in choice) and each month I commit to spinning one of those packets. I've already chosen my first packet for January and it's a combination of this merino/silk in a colorway called McKenzie from Ashland Bay and a beautiful merino/yak roving in a called "black and blue" from Wolf Creek Wools.
I'm thinking that these two plied together will make a beautiful, lofty, warm laceweight yarn. So I'm oiling up the pretty, new, wheel and getting ready to make beautiful music with her.
If you want to play along, I'd love to have you join me on the trail of the great stashdown! Here are the rules:
- Each month you make a goal to spin a certain amount from your stash. You can make packets like I did, or you can decide when the month gets here. Somewhere* you state your goal and post a picture of the beginning fiber and updates.
- If you achieve your goal, somewhere* you post a picture of your finished yarn!
- Each month I'll have a different badge on the blog for you to take for your own blog (or not - you're not required to post it if you don't want or don't have room), and you sign in to the database (I'll post the form here on the blog each month) saying you've met your goal. This is an honor system. I don't come to your house and check your spinning - it's up to you to make the goal, and report it accurately.
- Each month, all of those who have met their goal and signed in are entered into a random drawing to win a prize.
- At the end of the year, if you've met all 12 goals, you get entered into the super duper prize.
- Have fun, spin some stash.
And that's it. I'll post the first month's badge and the sign in form in the sidebar in a few days.
Happy spinning in 2011!
*somewhere could be your blog, your ravelry page, your flickr account or wherever you update people online about your fibery pursuits
I threw my hat into the ring via the Ravelry group, and now here- and just finished my January fiber..... maybe I can make a dent in the accumulation?
Posted by: martha | 01/17/2011 at 08:46 PM
I just herd about this tonight and I am so in! I have so much stash its not even funny. My Jan. fiber is a pound of really neat red wool I bought at SOAR 09.
Posted by: Melanie Smith | 01/13/2011 at 08:47 PM
Ah, we must be on the same wavelength! A couple of weeks ago, I determined to itemize my spinning onto my ravelry page (I don't have a blog), to keep track of how much I actually get done in a year. So it's a bit opposite to your plan I suppose, as I haven't actually listed what I'm aiming at, just going to list what I've done. To spread out the love a bit, I'm going to alternate prepared fibre bags with raw fibre bags. I do have lots of fibre of all sorts here, insulating my room. Hmmm, lots.
Posted by: Lyn (fitzie) | 01/12/2011 at 02:36 PM
Although there is no hope of me spinning down my stash in a year, I am going to start on it as per your instructions: one month at a time.
Posted by: shannon | 01/07/2011 at 12:16 PM
I made a list of my unspun fiber in November. Even if I buy nothing else, it'll take me more than a year to go through it 1 month at a time, although I suppose the idea is to have a rotating stash with no more coming in than is being used up. LOL
I'm keeping track of things on Ravelry, and have started a topic in the Spindlicity group. Come on by and chat!
Posted by: Jame | 01/06/2011 at 05:47 AM
Janel, what a great idea! I have boxes of llama to spin for woven rugs. It's dusty, full of guard hairs and not my favorite to spin, but I am determined to make some rugs for the kids. This shall be the year of the great llama spin in Shed #5.
Sarah
Posted by: Sarah M | 01/05/2011 at 07:11 PM
forgot to ask this question: can we use any spinning instrument? (spindle, wheel, electric spinner, etc.)
Posted by: vicki suan | 01/05/2011 at 03:06 PM
oh, what the heck! I'm in, too. It will motivate me to spin from stash and post on my blog, he, he.
Posted by: vicki suan | 01/05/2011 at 03:00 PM
I think I'm going to do it! I am always so happy when I spin, but I often forget to kick myself into doing it, so maybe this will do the trick (not to mention that I have some lovely fiber that needs to get spun so I can knit it!). Thanks :) I'll blog the first batch I've spun in the next couple of days: http://knittinglinguist.blogspot.com
Posted by: Jocelyn | 01/04/2011 at 01:41 PM
Hi, Janel! My friend Brooke inspired me to hop on your bandwagon with her, and I'm really looking forward to it! I bought an electric spinner (HansenCrafts) over the summer and it has not seen nearly enough use. Hopefully this will remedy that!
Here's the post where I showed what I bagged up for the year: http://amputeehee.blogspot.com/2011/01/year-long-projects-anyone-not.html
Posted by: Bonnie/AmpuTeeHee | 01/04/2011 at 11:25 AM
I am ready to hit the ground running with this! Happy spinning everyone! Thanks for the inspiration Janel!
Posted by: Rachael | 01/04/2011 at 09:10 AM
I'm in! It's been so nice to get back into spinning.
Blogged my selections here: http://sinceresheep.com/store/343
Posted by: Brooke | 01/03/2011 at 11:30 PM
I'm in! There's a blog post about it coming once I find the proper camera cord. Moving is my favorite thing EVER. Bah! :D
Posted by: Tikabelle | 01/03/2011 at 11:11 AM