what's in my stash?! part two

I want to explore a little more into my stash of leftovers today, but I thought I'd also let you know about some exceptions to my "no new yarn" rule.  Especially since I already know I'm going to buy more yarn this week (oops!).  On to how I'm allowed to break the rule!

1. If I need more yardage to finish a project I'm working on, I can buy more yarn.  I already know that I don't have enough of the Sheffield I'm using to line my Very Warmest Mittens.  I'll avoid making myself feel guilty by making an exception.

2. If I'm making a gift for someone and I don't have a yarn they'll like.  I have no idea what I'm making for my brother for a holiday gift, and while he's not super picky, I'd rather make him something he'll like than something I cobbled together because I made an arbitrary "no new yarn" rule for myself.

3. If I find a nice yarn at the thrift store.  Because, come on, dealzzzz!  I've gotten very good at taking home only what I think I'll use, so I'm not worried about going wild on thrift store yarns.

And

4. After seeing some of the yarns from Camellia Fiber Company, I would like to try hand dyeing yarn with natural dyes.  So I I'll allow myself to buy some yarn for dyeing, since there is nothing in my stash that I can work with.

Now that I've re-opened the doors to buying new yarn, let me show you more of my leftovers!

These three rascals I decided to photograph together because they will all become hats for my nephew.  Starting on the left we have the last skein from the Gala Festival that first made Saroyan, then the Baby Sophisticate for my nephew.  My note on when I bought the yarn only says "2012," so all I can say is that I'm pretty sure I've had this yarn for just over a year.  I'll probably make another Basic Baby Hat with it, but extend the decreases at the crown to tie a knot in it.  The yarn in the middle I've only had since June and is leftover from my Fifty-Four cowl.  I'll probably try to wing something like a tiny Boy Hat out of it with less ribs.  Then on the right we have the rest of the Patons Pearl DK (picked up at the thrift store in April) I used for the Tiny Fisherman sweater.  The Otis Baby Hat should complement the sweater nicely!

I should have knit an entire sweater out of this Mirasol Cotanani I got from the thrift store in March instead of just my Girly Grandfather Vest!  I'm not quite sure what I'll do with these leftovers.  I've wanted to knit Ysolda's Elijah for a while so maybe that.  Maybe a tiny sweater when someone I know decides to have a girl baby instead of a boy baby.  We'll see, but I think this yarn will be in my stash for a while until then!

These three partial skeins you might recognize from my recently completed Jayne Hat.  I've only had the yarn since the beginning of July, and I hope to use it up before the end of the year!  It will become an Amish Puzzle Ball for my nephew for a holiday gift.  I guess an alternate title for this post would be "How Much Will I Spoil My Nephew?"

Aaaaaand in the interest of full disclosure, here is the drawer where I keep the odds and ends!  There are a bunch of partial skeins of my beloved Valley Yarns Charlemont in there that will someday become a stripey Sockhead Hat.  Otherwise the rest seem like they should be useful someday, but I have no idea what they may become!