Too Much Stuff!

You don't realize how much stuff you have until its time to move it.  Right now, I'm up to my eyeballs in cardboard.  Boxes, that is.  Everywhere I look, there are heaps and heaps of boxes: filled boxes, empty boxes and folded boxes.  And I've only just begun packing, tackling a few bookcases or cupboards each night . . . .my heavens but we've got loads of stuff!

Folded Cardboard Waiting to Become Boxes

Next weekend will be Thanksgiving in Canada.  That'll give us three days to move all our stuff into the farmhouse.  I'm feeling a wee bit over-whelmed (one of us is a hoarder collector and I'm guessing its not me--unless its craft related). 

Boxes Filled With Stuff

The hard part, of course, will come after the move: all that stuff will need to be unpacked! Eeek! And we'll also have to super-clean our old place before the buyers take possession . . . so much work!  Sadly, no time for knitting. :S

Kick Back . . .

And wait for winter to end (have I mentioned how much I loathe winter?).  At least my socks will keep me cosy. 

Cozy Toes

And remember that messy knitting table?  Not very pretty--not even a little bit.  Too much stuff: half-finished projects, bits of yarn, needles and hooks, patterns . . . well, you get the picture. 

Messy

That mess got me thinking about staying organized--even just a little bit.  So I tidied up (Let me reassure you its a rare event, but the cleaning bug does occasionally hit when I least expect it).  So now my knitting table looks acceptable.  At least there's room for a drink (should someone need to imbibe in the occasional alcoholic beverage). 

Not-So Messy

After all that tidying up, guess what I found?  My knittin' mojo (Who knew it'd be buried under all that stuff?).  Don't know how long it'll last, but I'm gonna take advantage and finish up as much as I can.  There's a vest that needs finishing and I just started a blanket for charity.  And maybe I can cast on for that second pair of worsted socks (they can be my lunch-time knitting).  I also have another project simmering in my brain (that involves my couch) . . . lots to do and think about.

For now, back to my knitting.  Have a great weekend :)

Today's Word Is . . .

Organization!  Yup, last weekend I was busy organizing all my knitting stuff--books, yarn, needles.  I think I've shared my "knitting corner" in the past (check it out here ).  I still use the same area as "my knit spot", complete with floor lamp and portable CD player (yeah, no MP2 players yet).  Actually my little side table is the cleanest its ever been in a long, long time.

Knitting Corner

The mess behind the table (i.e. the computer room), has finally been organized.  Sadly an old vacuum cleaner was sacrificed in the process (at least it lasted for over 15 years before cacking).  At least there is now more visible floor space. 

First off, all my books are now neatly awaiting perusal on a shelf (which is just a basic book shelf whose lower levels house the kids' numerous board games and puzzles).

Knitting Shelf

To the left is my sewing box, followed by all my knitting booklets (mostly by Bernat and some Patons), all my knitting books, my red binder of internet patterns and all my knitting magazines. 

Booklets and Books

It's not a huge collection, but it is a good one.  I've tried to purchase those items that I would find  most useful.  Sometimes I don't make great choices and other times I score a winning collection of patterns.  Sometimes my needs as a knitter have changed so much that what I thought was good isn't currently a necessity.  But books are loved in our house, so on the shelf they wait (I haven't shown you the other bookshevles in the computer room and never mind the other three in the living room.  Have we got books!) 

Binder and Magazines

And my binder is so full of patterns, I've had to resort to using file folders (and I haven't even printed off all the patterns in my Ravelry library).  Most of the patterns came from the internet (gotta love free!).

I'm still lacking a stitch dictionary.  I think that should be part of any knitting library (although I do have a crochet stitch dictionary that my mom sent me--the last of her crafting stuff).  Hopefully I'll have that rectified by the end of the month (eagerly awaiting the arrival of a book order).

To the right of the large shelving unit are two plastic drawer units.  One holds scrapbooking tools.  The other now holds my knitting tools: all my needles including my new Boye collection, my hooks and small yarn collections (mostly sock yarn and a few ribbon yarns).

Knitting Needles and Hooks

Small Collections of Various Yarns

In front of the drawer units are two tubs of yarn.  And yes, acrylic is my yarn of choice but there is some real wool (Briggs and Little), some cotton and even bamboo.

Tubs of Yarny Goodness

Softee Chunky and Supervalue

Briggs and Little, Vanna's Choice and Other Odds and Ends

So how do you organize your crafting stuff?

Busy Cleaning . . . Can't Blog

Who am I kidding?  I can spare a moment or two from the laundry, the scrubbing and the polishing . . .yuck!  Anyone else hate cleaning as much as I do?

Cleaning Supplies

Even managed to re-organize our kitchen cupboards where supplies were housed in a way that hindered meal prep.  Now all the canned goods, baking items and dried goods are more accessible and easier to find.  Sadly we had to toss lots of stuff--items that were out-dated and past their expiration dates.

Why the cleaning spurt?  After a month of household neglect due to dedicated knitting, I've finished my big project!  Yippee!  I'll post an updated pic to my flickr photostream once the ends are woven in and the buttons attached (and of course I'll post a link to Bernat Yarns once that post goes live).

Now back to cleaning before I lose all momentum  . . .

Happy cleaning :S